Distology’s Hayley Roberts on cybersecurity specialism
Distology’s Hayley Roberts on cybersecurity specialism
https://www.iteuropa.com/news/conversation-distologys-hayley-roberts-cybersecurity-specialism
Publish Date: 2026-01-13 10:30:00
Source Domain: www.iteuropa.com
Using an unordered list, summarize the following article with between 4 and 8 key points. As cybersecurity buying becomes more complex and partner routes to market continue to evolve, specialist distributors are being forced to rethink how they create value. IT Europa spoke with Distology CEO Hayley Roberts about how the company’s new technology strategy, vendor choices and European ambitions are reshaping its role in the channel.What does Distology’s new technology strategy change?Distology has spent the past year formalising a structured technology strategy built around four pillars, workplace security, product security, operational technology (OT) security and security operations. Roberts said the work has given the business far greater clarity about where it should operate and how different technologies connect.“We’ve now got a really good taxonomy and a great understanding of the four areas we want to operate in and the areas within that, and an idea of what technology is sitting there,” she said. “It’s constantly evolving because technology moves, but we now know where we’re focused and where we have real expertise.”That structure allows Distology to become more deliberate about the vendors it backs. Rather than reacting to every new pitch, the distributor now assesses how each technology fits into a coherent security story and how it complements what is already in place.“We’re really honing and developing our craft now,” Roberts said. “The strategy lets us scale without losing what makes us good.”With thousands of cybersecurity vendors competing for attention and only a handful of specialist distributors able to support them properly, Roberts believes discipline and focus will become increasingly important.“We have to be careful not to dilute our ability to support the ones that really have potential.” In Robert’s view, it is why Distology now tiers its vendors and is prepared to walk away if expectations are not met. “It’s about quality versus quantity,” Roberts said. “That’s how we stay agile, stay relevant and actually build value for the channel rather than just doing business for the sake of it.”How is this shaping your vendor portfolio?That discipline is already visible in Distology’s recent vendor additions. Over the past year the distributor has “end a few relationships” but has also signed Tenable, Halcyon, Flare and Horizon3.ai, expanding its reach across vulnerability management, ransomware defence, dark-web risk monitoring and automated penetration testing.Tenable in particular stands out. With around $70m of UK revenue, it is one of the largest vendors in Distology’s portfolio and represents a significant endorsement of its specialist distribution model.“Tenable is massive for us,” Roberts said. “What’s important is that it’s a solid, ethical vendor that we know we can represent properly to our partners. It means we can build great relationships without worrying that the vendor will suddenly go direct.”She added that large, acquisitive vendors increasingly value Distology’s agility and focus. “It’s game-changing. It shows that big vendors still need that focus and agility, which is what we represent.”What role do emerging security areas like OT and ransomware play?Operational technology security has become a growing pillar of Distology’s strategy as industrial and manufacturing environments become more digitally connected. Roberts said many organisations are only now realising how exposed they are. Speaking on its recent addition of OT security innovator Radiflow to its portfolio: “You’ve got big manufacturing businesses that suddenly decide to digitise everything, connect it to the internet and then realise, oh damn, we’re going to be hacked,” she said. “That’s why OT is a slower market, but it’s incredibly important.”The same is true in ransomware, where Distology has seen strong momentum behind newer technologies such as Halcyon. “They came in with a lot of noise and we wondered if it was just hype, but the pipeline has been brilliant,” Roberts said. “We’re really starting to see that turnover now.”Meanwhile, Flare and Horizon3.ai have added depth around dark-web exposure and automated testing, allowing partners to offer more proactive security services rather than purely reactive protection.Alongside its technology strategy, Distology has reshaped its commercial organisation. The distributor now operates with partner account managers, solution specialists and a dedicated Sales Development Representatives (SDR) -as-a-Service function that delivers paid-for end-user lead generation on behalf of vendors.What does partner growth look like in 2026?Distology’s partner base has grown slightly over the past year, but Roberts said the real change has been in the depth and quality of those relationships.“It’s all very well saying you’ve gone from 500 to 1,000 partners, but if you’re not really transacting with them it doesn’t mean much,” she said. “What we care about is how integral we are to their security strategies for customers.”The distributor is now working much more closely with a defined group of security-focused MSPs and resellers, helping them design and deliver more complete security stacks rather than just sourcing products.“We’re working out the DNA of the partners we really want to work with,” Roberts said. “How do we bake our technology stack into their secret sauce?”How important is European expansion to Distology’s strategy?Distology already operates profitable offices in the Benelux and Germany, with its engineering team based in Berlin, and continues to assess where it should invest next. While the Nordics are on the radar, Roberts said Germany and the wider DACH region remain the biggest strategic priority.“Germany is a huge market and you’ve got to be really careful about how you start there,” she said. “If there was a choice between a Nordic acquisition and a German one, I’d go Germany day in, day out.”Growth will be driven by alignment rather than geography alone. “It’s got to stay true to our technology story, our culture and our values,” she said. “Acquisition for the sake of it just doesn’t work.”And finally, what role will AI and automation play going forward?Roberts is cautious about rushing AI-driven security products into the portfolio, arguing that the commercial opportunity is not yet mature. Instead, Distology is focusing on using AI and automation internally to improve how it operates.“We’re not going to be heavily invested in AI products in the portfolio just yet,” she said. “But internally, we’re using automation and AI to get quicker and slicker with data, to improve efficiencies and to better enable our channel partners and vendors.”Those projects are designed to improve reporting, insight and decision-making across the ecosystem, making Distology a stronger information hub for the channel.
