Biography:

Jay McBain is one of the most visible and respected thought leaders in the global channel. Named 2021 Channel Influencer of the Year by Channel Partners Magazine, Top 40 Under Forty by the Business Review, as well as numerous channel magazines top influencer lists, he is often sought out for industry guidance and future trends. He has spent his 28-year career in various executive channel sales, marketing, and strategy roles within IBM, Lenovo, Autotask, and ChannelEyes.

Current Role: Start Date:

June 2017

When was your company founded?

1983

How many years have you been in the channel?

28

Is the Channel Leader the highest ranking channel executive in your company?

Yes

Who does the Channel Leader executive report to?

CEO

What are the top services/products sold through the channel:

Forrester is one of the most influential global research and advisory firms in the world.

What are your top channel accomplishments:

Named 2021 Channel Influencer of the Year by Channel Partners Magazine, Top 40 Under Forty by the Business Review, as well as numerous channel magazines top influencer lists.

What is your largest channel challenge in 2022?

Making sense of the millions of partners, tens of thousands of vendors, and billions of end-customer permutations that drive our $4 trillion industry!

How much do you expect to grow your channel in 2022?

Grow >30%

How much do you expect to grow your MDF (Marketing Development Funds) in 2022?

Even: Stay the same

What are your top channel goals for 2022?

Continue to help drive this industry forward.

What else should we know about the Channel Leader or Channel Program?

Jay leads Forrester’s research and advisory for global channels, ecosystems, alliances and partnerships. His focus is on B2B marketing in the age of the customer, understanding and navigating the complexity of multiple routes to market, ensuring contextual and relevant content to accelerate the indirect sales process, and describing the technology infrastructure to build and support channel relationships.