The MSP Channel Insights Roadshow Dublin 2026 took place at The Samuel Hotel, bringing together MSP and IT leaders for a day of practical insight and shared experience on the realities of scaling an MSP business today. With Dublin now established as a major European hub for technology and managed services, home to global technology companies, scaling MSPs, and specialist cybersecurity firms, the discussions reflected a densely connected environment where commercial opportunity and technical capability sit side by side.
The agenda focused on what growth actually looks like in practice: evolving sales and marketing approaches, the challenge of recruiting and retaining technical talent, and the importance of culture as MSPs scale. These themes sat alongside wider pressures, including rising customer expectations and the increasing demands of cybersecurity and compliance, all shaping how MSPs build resilient and sustainable businesses.
Fireside Chat: Scaling Smart – A Candid Conversation with a High-Growth MSP
Moderated by Michael Conway, the opening fireside chat featured Daire Cunningham of Spanish Point Technologies, who shared the company's journey from five employees to more than 120. He highlighted the importance of strategic focus, with Spanish Point committing fully to the Microsoft ecosystem and building proprietary solutions such as its globally successful Matching Engine platform.
The discussion explored the challenges of scaling, including talent acquisition, leadership development, and balancing risk with innovation. Looking to the future, Cunningham emphasised the growing importance of data, cloud optimisation, and AI, noting that “AI is a tool to augment, not replace, software engineers, helping them solve complex problems faster.”
Panel 1: Cybersecurity & Resilience – Navigating Threats in an AI-Enhanced World
Conway was then joined by Jason Scanlon of Numata Business IT, Lee Bristow of Saros Consulting, and Veronica Rahneberg of Innovera to discuss the evolving cybersecurity landscape. The panel highlighted the rise of AI-enhanced threats, the importance of strong security fundamentals, and the need for organisations to take greater ownership of their cyber risk.
A key theme was the gap between strategy and execution, with many organisations relying on “paper-based” wish lists without executable plans, budgets, or measurable KPIs. Panellists also explored how AI is improving threat detection and response while reinforcing the continued importance of backup, recovery, and business continuity planning.
The discussion concluded with a focus on NIS2 and its impact on Irish businesses. Panellists agreed that the directive will significantly increase accountability at leadership level, elevating cybersecurity from an operational concern to a strategic business priority. As one panellist noted, “Boards will no longer be able to ignore cyber risk.” The regulation is expected to drive greater investment in governance and compliance as organisations prepare for increased scrutiny and reporting obligations.
Panel 2: Smarter Sales & Marketing – Winning in a Crowded MSP Landscape
Bringing together Ian Anderson, Matthew Hawkins, Matthew Sloan, and Steve Grey, this panel examined how MSPs can cut through in an increasingly saturated and competitive market. One view captured the concern of generic marketing clearly, noting that MSPs operating with the mindset that “marketing is a tick box exercise” risk broad, unfocused activity that drains resources without delivering meaningful returns. In contrast, the panel agreed that precision is what wins, summed up in the insight: “You can still win on LinkedIn when you really understand the pain points of your clients.”
The discussion consistently returned to the importance of focus over volume. MSPs were encouraged to move beyond capability-led messaging and instead anchor go-to-market activity in deep understanding of customer pain, linking operational issues to commercial impact. This, the panel argued, is what enables real differentiation in a crowded space.
Referrals, vertical specialisation, and proof-led positioning were also highlighted as core growth drivers, helping MSPs avoid competing on price alone. Vendor MDF was also noted as an underused lever when not tied to clear strategy. Overall, the messaging of the panel was that those who specialise, simplify their message, and consistently anchor everything in buyer pain and measurable outcomes are best positioned to win.
Panel 3: People, Culture, Recruitment & DEI – The New Competitive Edge for MSPs
Moderated by Sophie Milburn of MSP Channel Insights, this panel brought together Declan Timmons of Ekco, Gillian Adams of Netrio, and Jeannette Naughton of Viatel Technology Group to explore how MSPs are increasingly differentiating through people, culture, and hiring strategy, particularly as technical services become more commoditised.
A key theme was the balance between technical ability and softer skills. One panellist noted the need for people who “can communicate quite plainly” and avoid overcomplicating things for customers, highlighting how communication and empathy are now as important as technical expertise in client-facing roles.
The conversation also looked at how culture and values shape hiring decisions and long-term success. As one speaker explained, organisations see stronger outcomes when they ensure “the clients that you do want to bring on board are as closely aligned to your own company values as possible,” reinforcing the link between external relationships and internal culture.
On retention, leadership and environment were repeatedly highlighted as key differentiators, with panellists stressing that psychological safety, belonging, and flexibility are now just as important as salary in keeping teams engaged.
Panel 4: M&A, Investment & Growth Strategy – Building a Business That Scales or Sells
Moderated by Michael Conway of Renaissance, this panel brought together Ian Anderson of Park Place Technologies, Ken Roulston of Ex2 Consultancy, and Toby Coates of Westcoast Cloud to explore what really drives MSP valuation, deal confidence, and successful exits in a consolidating market.
A central theme was the importance of contractual and financial discipline in building a business that is genuinely sale-ready. Customer contracts were highlighted as a key stabilising factor in any acquisition, with one speaker noting that buyers need “a mechanism to retain that revenue for a period of time so that you can transition your service to the customers”, ensuring continuity through the inevitable disruption of integration. Contract structure and customer concentration were repeatedly referenced as critical factors in determining both risk and valuation.
Financial transparency was equally important. EBITDA and recurring revenue were identified as the primary drivers of valuation, with buyers focused on predictable, sustainable earnings. As one panellist warned, unclear financial reporting “puts a real doubt in a buyer’s mind as to how you’ve been running your business”, often leading to increased scrutiny and downward pressure on price.
Overall, the discussion reinforced that successful acquisitions and exits are driven by readiness rather than intent alone, with strong contracts, clear financial visibility, and predictable revenue forming the foundation of buyer confidence and long-term value creation.
Key Takeaways
Across every session at the MSP Channel Insights Roadshow Dublin, a consistent set of themes emerged: AI is reshaping both opportunity and risk, compliance is becoming a board-level priority rather than a technical afterthought, and differentiation increasingly comes from execution rather than intent. Whether in cybersecurity, sales and marketing, recruitment, or M&A, the gap between strategy and delivery was repeatedly highlighted as the real challenge facing MSPs today.
Yet the strongest thread running through the day was the central role of people. From hiring for communication and cultural fit, to retaining talent through leadership and psychological safety, to navigating acquisitions with empathy and alignment, it was clear that MSP growth in Ireland is ultimately being driven by human capability as much as technical innovation. In a market as competitive and interconnected as Dublin’s, those who combine clarity of strategy with strong culture and consistent execution are the ones best positioned to scale effectively.
We look forward to building on these discussions at our upcoming MSP Roadshows in Munich (6 October), Utrecht (12 November), and Copenhagen (24 November).
More information about upcoming MSP Roadshow events is available at: https://msp-roadshow.com
