Focus: Speciality software
Key vendors: Azul, Smartsheet, Jetbrains, Delinea, TeamViewer, Docusign, Sharegate
Revenue: £206m (+21%)
Headcount: 175
This London-based software distributor has stepped up its international M&A blitz in 2024 as it continues to chase down its long-term $1bn sales goal.
Although QBS’ most recently filed accounts show revenue hitting £167.6m in its year to 31 March 2023 (with £96.5m of the total generated by the UK), the 2024 tally stood at £206m, according to fresher numbers QBS shared with us.
Having made acquisitions in South Africa and Hungary in April and June, QBS in October added industry stalwarts Alex Tatham and Kevin Matthews to its board in a move likened to “signing Messi and Ronaldo”.
The US could be a future target for expansion, CEO Dave Stevinson hinted in his Q&A with us below…
“I would like it to be the largest software distributor in North America”
Q&A with CEO Dave Stevinson
What is QBS’ sweet spot?
We specialise in software, SaaS tools and are known for managing the long tail. We have over 11,500 software publishers on the platform at the time of writing.
Which product, service or vendor has stood out for you in 2024?
The hype around AI and the volume of AI tools that have onboarded has been the most prominent trend – which is far from unexpected.
If you could change one thing about your business at the stroke of a wand, what would it be?
I would like it to be the largest software distributor in North America.
When will the UK distribution market return to growth?
According to Canalys – next year.
Name one area of your business where you are expecting to add staff in 2025
We are recruiting across the board, devs, commercial roles and leadership.
At its Channel Forums EMEA in October, Canalys characterised AWS Marketplace as one of the world’s largest distributors, owing to its growing third-party software business. On balance, do you agree?
I concur with Evans-Pritchard who explained how you define the world is how you understand it, so yes it makes logical sense from their perspective.
If you could undertake a secret, two-week apprenticeship at another distributor to see how they roll, which would you choose?
Carahsoft: I am sure it would be great fun as well as a learning experience too.
See who made the wider Oxygen 50 Must-Know IT Distributors 2024 here.
