The Paal15 Podcast

Building successful B2B partnerships with Microsoft's Gøran Andersson

_*]:min-w-0 !gap-3.5"> In this episode of the Paal15 Podcast, Jesse Muller sits down with Gøran Andersson, Microsoft's Director of Partner Development, to explore what makes partnerships truly successful in the B2B technology landscape. With 25 years in the IT industry and five years leading Microsoft's global partner practice for Modern Workplace and Teams, Gøran shares battle-tested insights on partnership strategy and execution. What You'll Learn: Listen in as Gøran shares Microsoft's journey building the Cloud Solution Provider program from their first European partner in 2013 to hundreds of thousands of partners today. Gøran explains how they shifted from a licensing model to a true partnership model, putting partner services at the center of the value chain. Gøran and Jesse discuss the importance of shared risk and mutual dependence in strong partnerships, how to navigate change management across large partner ecosystems, and why communication and transparency are non-negotiable when making disruptive changes. Gøran also breaks down different partnership models - from transactional project-based relationships to scalable platform economies - and explains how Microsoft adapts its approach for different partner types, whether they're MSPs, telecom providers, system integrators, or ISVs. Gøran's key piece of advice? Partnership isn't something you do on the side - it's a dedicated practice requiring specific skills, investment, and measurement. The strongest partnerships are symbiotic relationships where success and failure are truly shared. This epsidoe is essential listening for partnership professionals, business development leaders, and anyone building B2B ecosystems.

Your guide to partnering with AWS

Ahead of the AWS Summit in Sydney on 4-5 June 2025, Matt is joined by Werner and Laila to run through the things every AWS partner needs to know. Why do AWS partnerships go wrong? How can you get them back on the right track? And what does a successful partnership look like? Are you a partner attending the AWS Summit in Sydney? Reach out to Laila Selener via LinkedIn, or through laila@paal15.com, to see how Paal15 can help you make the most of your own relationship with AWS.

How to find success in new markets with Rob Hotchin, Country Manager at Privy Australia

Thinking of taking your B2B tech business into a new market? It's a big undertaking, where preparation is key. So who better to ask for advice than someone who's been there, done that, and got the t-shirt. On this episode, Matt and Laila were joined by Rob Hotchin who share his first-hand experience of leading digital identity provider Privy into Australia. Together, they covered Rob's career so far, the exciting work of Privy in the digital identity market, and the companies journey from Indonesia to Australia. Rob explains h ow to navigate cultural differences between territories, the process of finding the right beachhead from which to grow in a new market, and why Australia is the perfect testbed for market adoption. For more information on Paal15, visit Paal15.com.

Why is M&A in tech so prone to failure?

On this episode of the Paal15 podcast, Matt is joined by Paula and Werner to discuss why M&A programmes in the technology sector regularly fail to generate the results companies want. What are the challenges that are making things so hard? And what can companies embarking on M&A do to make sure their acquisitions create success for all parties? For more information on Paal15, visit Paal15.com or check us out on LinkedIn.

How MSPs can structure portfolios for greater impact

On this episode of the Paal15 podcast, Matt is joined by Werner Moison and Jesse Muller to discuss why the portfolios of managed service providers have become so complex. Listen in as they delve into the key challenges MSPs encounter when structuring their portfolios and discuss effective strategies to overcome these hurdles. Discover how a well-structured service portfolio can not only streamline operations but also enhance communication, differentiate your offerings, and drive future growth. If you've enjoyed this podcast, make sure to like, subscribe, and leave a review. Connect with us on LinkedIn and visit Paal15.com for more information.