Brought to you by
Welcome to
Real talk
Real issues
Real connections
Partnered With
The go-to podcast for IT Channel professionals.
Hosted by Marc Sumner, CEO of Robertson Sumner, Channel Chat brings you real, unfiltered conversations with the biggest names in the Channel.
Whether you’re in sales, marketing, leadership, or just starting out - tune in for honest insights, career journeys, industry predictions, and the conversations you won’t hear anywhere else.
Featured episode
Marc Sumner and Steve Rigby: From 10 Downing Street to 35 New Broad Street
In this episode of Channel Chat, Marc Sumner sits down with Steve Rigby – Co-CEO of Rigby Group, one of the world’s largest and most successful family-owned businesses.
Latest Episodes
James Anderson: You have to do AI – it’s not even a debate.
From starting out as a biochemistry graduate and aspiring rugby pro, James has built a career shaping channel strategies across Trend, Quest, Ivanti, Exabeam – and now Abnormal.
Dan Smith: I don’t want to be your partner. I want to be a division of your business.
This week Marc Sumner sat down with Dan Smith, CEO of Astralis, to talk about his journey from sales leadership at Blancco to running Astralis, and the lessons he’s carried along the way.
Gavin Bell: We’re Not a Reseller — It’s Solutions
Gavin Bell, CEO of Econocom — From CC “Boomerang” to Building a UK Solutions Business
Channel Chat Live | September 2025 | Part 2
In Part 2, host Marc Sumner and our all-star panel — Neil Hall, Aine Rogers, Lyndsey Charlton, and Alistair Wildman — take questions directly from the audience and dive even deeper into the issues shaping […]
Channel Chat Live | September 2025 | Part 1
Recorded live at Samsung KX, London, Channel Chat Live brought together 250+ senior leaders, business owners and C-suite execs from across the UK IT Channel for an evening of debate, insights and networking.
James Cadman: The Best People in Tech Don’t Come from Tech
Join host Marc Sumner in the studio with James Cadman, Chief Customer Officer at Luware, for an in-depth conversation about his journey from cold-calling double glazing sales at 16 to leading global customer success in […]
Maz Lopez: Sales and Marketing Must Work Side by Side
Whether you’re a marketer, channel pro, or tech enthusiast, this episode dives deep into the evolving role of marketing in the IT Channel — with real-world examples and expert advice.
Dominique Blaize: The Biggest Challenge is How Quickly People Expect to See Change
We sat down with Dominique Blaize, Distribution Manager at Veeam, to talk about her journey from athletics to the corporate world and how the lessons from elite sport shaped her leadership style.
Dale Smith: This Industry is Changing at Lightspeed
In this episode, Marc sits down with Dale Smith, Channel Director at Juniper Networks, to unpack his impressive journey through the IT channel – from starting out in distribution to shaping partner strategy for one […]
Thea Sztejka: Every customer you acquire is going to damage your business!
From auditor to Managing Director at BT Wholesale — Thea Sztejka’s story is packed with insight.
Subscribe now on your favourite platform
230+
Episodes
released
6
Sell-out
events
including Channel Chat LIVE at Samsung KX
15,000+
Regular listeners
across the world
1000s
of views across
YouTube & LinkedIn
You have leaders, MDs, CIOs, CEOs of some of the biggest Channel partners here tonight in the audience. I think it's remarkable. I don't know whether you should come — you might be lucky enough to get a ticket.”
Mike Norris, CEO at Computacenter (Channel Chat LIVE 2024)
