Climb signs Fortra distribution deal for UK & Ireland

Climb Channel Solutions has signed a distribution agreement with Fortra covering the UK and Ireland, extending an existing partnership beyond North America.

The deal adds Fortra's cybersecurity and software products to Climb's portfolio in the two markets as it looks to broaden its security offering for channel partners and managed service providers.

The move comes amid rising demand for more integrated security tools as customers contend with wider use of artificial intelligence, tighter regulation, and greater scrutiny of how sensitive data is managed.

Fortra's portfolio includes data security, brand protection, exposure management, and adversary emulation. Its data discovery and classification tools are designed to support compliance, privacy, and AI governance.

The expansion follows an earlier North American distribution agreement that began in late 2024. Climb was also recently named Fortra's North America Commercial Partner of the Year.

The UK and Ireland have become a focus for technology suppliers and distributors seeking to meet demand for broader security platforms rather than standalone point products. That shift is partly driven by customers reassessing cyber risk around data, especially as AI projects increase the volume and movement of information across organisations.

For channel partners, a broader platform approach can simplify procurement and management while helping customers meet governance and compliance requirements. Distributors have increasingly responded by adding vendors with strengths in data visibility, classification, and threat response.

Channel focus

Gerard Brophy, Chief Revenue Officer at Climb, said the UK and Ireland were the next logical step after the company's work with Fortra in North America.

"After a successful period of growing Fortra's business in North America, replicating this across UK&I was a natural next step. Our aim is always to respond to market demand where we see it, and as AI adoption and regulation increases, Fortra addresses the need for platform consolidation," Brophy said.

He said the agreement would broaden Climb's cybersecurity line-up in the region and give partners a way to reduce the number of security products they manage.

"The Fortra partnership further enhances Climb's cybersecurity portfolio across EMEA and will enable partners and MSPs to consolidate security tools into a more unified, platform-led approach, address increasing data protection and compliance requirements, and support customers navigating AI adoption and data governance challenges," Brophy said.

Regional push

The agreement gives Fortra wider access to Climb's partner network in the UK and Ireland at a time when software and security vendors are relying more heavily on specialist distribution to reach mid-market and service provider customers. Deals of this kind can help suppliers expand coverage without building a larger direct local sales operation.

Climb is the specialist technology distribution arm of Climb Global Solutions and has been expanding its presence across security, artificial intelligence, data management, cloud, and infrastructure. Fortra, meanwhile, has positioned its offering as a broader security platform focused on data protection and risk management.

Faraz Siraj, Vice President of Global Channels & Alliances at Fortra, said the existing relationship with Climb had helped lay the groundwork for the UK and Ireland expansion.

"We have developed a great partnership with Climb since we signed our initial North American partnership and we're looking forward to expanding to UK&I. Climb's cybersecurity expertise and unrivalled track record of bringing innovative vendors to market means we're in a great position to capitalise on the growing demand for Fortra's AI-amplified solutions," Siraj said.

The agreement highlights how distributors and software vendors are reshaping their channel strategies around data governance, compliance, and AI-related risk as customers seek fewer, broader security suppliers.