Specialism: Cybersecurity
Key vendors: Coreview, Cyberbit, Cynet, Entrust, Hoxhunt, Infoblox, Keysight, Skyhigh Networks, Thales (including Imperva)
Revenue: £30.2m (+48%)
Headcount: 25
Having co-founded Kite in 2014, MD Dave Marshall says he wishes he had started the cybersecurity specialist earlier in his career (see Q&A below).
Its calendar 2023 revenues bounced 48% to £30.2m, its most recent accounts show.
The Leicester-based Infoblox and Thales partner, which claims to excel in complex, niche technologies, is hoping to launch two “exciting” vendors before the end of the year.
“I see green shoots going into 2025”
Quickfire Q&A with MD Dave Marshall
What is Kite’s sweet spot?
We focus on cyber security and excel in more complex, niche technologies. Over the past 18 months we have seen more start up, smaller, focused, regional boutique partners that need a distribution partner who cares and understands their business.
Which product, service or vendor has stood out for you in 2024?
There isn’t one to be honest. We have all had to work hard with all of our vendors this year.
If you could change one thing about your business at the stroke of a wand, what would it be?
I wish I had started Kite earlier in my career. It’s a great place to work and I love coming to work every day and watching our staff and the business grow and develop.
When will the UK distribution market return to growth?
No doubt 2024 has had its challenges but I see green shoots going into 2025.
Name one area of your business where you are expecting to add staff in 2025
I can’t name one, but we are expecting to add staff in sales, marketing and finance.
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 think we are all adapting to marketplaces…..the positives I see is that both AWS and Azure are adding distribution to their platforms and recognising the value we bring.
See who made the wider Oxygen 50 Must-Know IT Distributors 2024 here.
