A message from Dean Carroll
Welcome to the latest edition of our Xpress Newsletter. As we approach the end of an extraordinary year; I wanted to take a moment to reflect on some of the milestones that have shaped our journey and share what’s next as we look ahead to FY26.
Following our recent acquisition by Transparity, we’re proud to have joined forces with the UK’s most accredited Microsoft Partner. This marks a significant step in our growth strategy, strengthening our ability to deliver end-to-end digital transformation services, combining Transparity’s breadth across the Microsoft ecosystem with our own deep specialisation in Dynamics 365 and Power Platform.
Recognition that matters: Microsoft Partner of the Year Finalist
We were delighted to be awarded Microsoft Partner of the Year finalist for Dynamics 365 Business Central, being recognised for helping SMBs reimagine operations through Business Central – blending intelligent automation, Copilot, and agent-led innovation across retail, not-for-profit and manufacturing. This accolade reflects our shared ambition with Microsoft to push the boundaries of what’s possible for our customers.
Building on our industry presence
This year saw us successfully execute on a plan of industry and solution-led events, from silver sponsor and private dinner host at financial services conferences with Microsoft speakers, to intimate roundtables, thought leadership briefings, and our flagship series of Quest events. We invested in meaningful engagement through thought leadership, leveraging Microsoft co-op and through-partner-marketing (TPM) funding to help us amplify impact and strengthen our presence in key industries.
As part of our most recent co-op funded event, we hosted a dynamic fireside chat at the Arena AI in Financial Services Deep Dive at the London Metropole. Our Senior Business Manager, Oli Hymas was joined by Microsoft’s Richard Gaster to explore what it truly means to become a Frontier Firm. From building true AI capability to the role of Copilot in shaping the future of financial services.
The conversation continued at our exclusive private dinner with senior leaders in FS, diving deeper into agentic AI, operating model change, and practical steps for transformation. This co-op-backed initiative helped us connect with decision-makers, share thought leadership and position ourselves as a trusted guide for AI-first adoption in financial services.
Launching Quest
We launched Quest, our flagship campaign guiding organisations to become Frontier Firms – blending strategy, AI adoption, and digital-human collaboration. The campaign has driven new opportunities and conversations with business leaders across industry around AI-readiness, agentic workflows and practical next steps.
People & Culture
This year, we were proud to be recognised by Great Place to Work with multiple awards, ranking 13th among the UK’s Best Workplaces in 2025. Our culture shines through in the achievements of our people. A standout moment was Suneetha Akula, our Head of Development, being named a FastTrack Recognised Solution Architect by Microsoft for both Power Automate and Power Apps – a prestigious global honour awarded to architects who consistently deliver scalable, high-quality solutions using Microsoft’s Success by Design framework. With only 31 recognised for Power Automate and 56 for Power Apps worldwide this year, Suneetha’s dual recognition is truly exceptional.
Beyond this accolade, Suneetha has been instrumental in shaping our AI Centre of Excellence, working alongside our technical experts Mark Ross-Innes and James Clarke. Together, they’ve advanced our development strategy and accelerated our AI-first journey towards becoming a Frontier Firm.
Looking ahead:
As we look to 2026, our commitment is to deepen our impact as a leading Microsoft Business Applications partner and continue shaping what AI-first transformation means for SMB and mid-market organisations across the UK. Building on the progress of this past year, we will sharpen our focus on elevating Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Platform as the backbone of operational excellence for our customers.
We will also continue to evolve our AI Centre of Excellence, enabling deeper capability in automation, intelligent agents, low-code innovation, and Success by Design best practices. Together with Microsoft, we are shaping the future of work in what is truly a golden era of Business Applications and taking the next step on our journey to becoming a frontier firm.
Thank you for your partnership and support throughout this incredible year, I wish you all a relaxing and enjoyable holiday, and we look forward to achieving even more together in FY26.
Dean Carroll,
MD Business Applications
