Westcon-Comstor to expand EMEA reach with 1Password deal

Westcon-Comstor has signed a distribution agreement with 1Password to deliver the latter's Extended Access Management solution across EMEA.

This agreement is designed to enhance Westcon-Comstor's portfolio in identity security while offering channel partners new opportunities to drive revenue through simplified access management tools.

Under the terms of the collaboration, Westcon-Comstor will offer its value-added services - including training, technical enablement, and data support - aimed at equipping partners to scale enterprise adoption of 1Password Extended Access Management. The move comes as 1Password increases its focus on channel-led growth and partner engagement in the region.

Channel partners across EMEA will be able to utilise the 1Password platform, which is positioned to meet increasing enterprise demand for secure and scalable access management solutions. These requirements have become more pressing as businesses adopt more distributed and AI-driven IT environments.

Westcon-Comstor will support the rollout using Intelligent Demand, its proprietary insights-driven lead generation programme. This platform leverages predictive analytics to target new markets, assist partners in driving growth, and enhance overall customer value.

The 1Password platform claims over 165,000 business customers worldwide and is designed to address the so-called Access-Trust Gap. This gap arises from the risks posed by unfederated identities, unmanaged apps, devices, and AI agents that could access sensitive company data without appropriate controls. 1Password Extended Access Management is designed to provide sign-in security to every application from every device, including those not addressed by legacy identity solutions.

The partnership also builds on 1Password's existing alliances with several other Westcon vendors, such as CrowdStrike and Amazon Web Services, opening up potential upsell and cross-sell opportunities for Westcon-Comstor partners within the identity security market.

This distribution agreement follows a period of expansion for 1Password. The company has invested in new security features for its platform, launched a global partner programme, and increased its commercial presence in EMEA. According to the company, more than a third of its business-to-business clients are now based in EMEA.

"This strategic agreement with 1Password complements and enhances our identity security offering perfectly, exemplifying our commitment to providing partners and their customers with best-of-breed security solutions and allowing us to address previously unmet needs," said Daniel Hurel, Senior Vice President, Westcon EMEA Go-To-Market at Westcon-Comstor. "We look forward to playing a central role in driving 1Password's channel-led growth across the EMEA region, particularly given the company's ambition, dynamism and commitment to the channel."

Oliver Cheal, Vice President, EMEA at 1Password, commented on the collaboration, highlighting its significance for both businesses and regional security needs.

Cheal said, "Our agreement with Westcon Next Generation Solutions is a pivotal milestone that expands the reach of 1Password Extended Access Management across EMEA. By combining Westcon's deep channel expertise and strategic network with our category-defining identity security platform, we're opening new routes to market, accelerating partner success, and addressing urgent identity and AI security needs across the region."

The agreement is expected to give Westcon-Comstor's network of resellers, systems integrators, and service providers enhanced avenues to meet growing requirements for identity security among organisations that are increasingly reliant on cloud applications and remote work solutions. The partnership will further allow these partners to quickly access new revenue streams, benefiting from what both companies describe as short sales cycles for the Extended Access Management product.

By integrating 1Password's security solutions into its offering, Westcon-Comstor aims to provide its regional partners with security capabilities that address evolving enterprise requirements, particularly in sectors where identity and access management is a heightened concern.