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Against the glittering backdrop of Las Vegas, Xerox gathered approximately 400 channel partners for its 2025 Global Partner Summit (March 10-13) to unveil the next chapter of its Reinvention strategy. The event theme of “High Performance, Ultimate Returns” served as a platform for Xerox to articulate its vision for the channel in an evolving print and digital services landscape.
CEO Steve Bandrowczak highlighted the growing momentum of Xerox's partner program, noting the significant increase in attendance compared to the previous year. He said, “In Miami, when we were there, we had over 120 and next year; with our friends at Lexmark, we’re going to absolutely double it.” This ambitious projection is tied to the anticipated expansion of Xerox’s partner ecosystem following the Lexmark acquisition.
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CEO Steve Bandrowczak speaking at Xerox’s
2025 Global Partner Summit. |
Channel Takes Center Stage in Corporate Strategy
Bandrowczak wasted no time establishing the tone. “Our partners are essential to realizing our Reinvention vision,” he said This messaging was amplified by COO John Bruno, who emphasized the company's consolidation strategy: “The intent is to be the consolidator and not the consolidated.”
Bruno emphasized that achieving this channel-centric vision requires comprehensive operational alignment. He outlined a structured framework spanning business strategy, organizational structure, talent management, compensation systems, goals/objectives, management systems, and culture/engagement.
“You have to operationalize your strategy all the way through,” Bruno stated, as he described how Xerox is working to ensure that all aspects of the organization—from product development to compensation structures—are aligned to support partner success.
Toolbox Expansion for Partners
The summit featured the announcement of several partner enablement initiatives:
- A streamlined Global Partner Program designed to cut through complexity
- Learning Central, a new platform promising tailored skills development
- Partner Connect Portal, which is positioned as a one-stop resource hub
These tools represent Xerox’s response to partner feedback about program complexity and accessibility barriers.
The event also highlighted Xerox’s partnership with Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, with Rob Bloom (Chief Marketing Officer at Aston Martin) taking the stage to share insights on “performance, purpose and partnership.” This high-profile sponsorship reinforces Xerox’s emphasis on performance and innovation in its brand positioning.
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| The Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team display. |
Lexmark Integration: Strategic Chess Move
The pending Lexmark acquisition dominated many conversations, with Bruno framing it as a strategic maneuver to strengthen Xerox’s position in the competitive printer landscape. The acquisition particularly targets enhancements in the A4 space—especially color devices—while promising expanded market reach and supply chain optimization.
The transaction is expected to close later in the year. Interestingly, Xerox indicated plans to maintain elements of the Lexmark brand in markets where it carries significant equity.
Strategic Evolution: From Print to Services-Led Growth
Xerox presented its transition from a hardware-centric business to a “services-led, software-enabled organization” as a key strategic direction. According to Bruno, while print remains foundational to Xerox's identity, the company is developing two additional growth vectors for partners: IT solutions and digital services.
Through strategic acquisitions, Xerox is creating a pathway for partners to enter the managed IT services space. The company described this market as offering significantly larger addressable opportunity than print, with higher margins and recurring revenue potential. Munu Gandhi, President of IT Solutions (formerly ITSavvy), underscored the scale of this opportunity. He said, “One of the reasons that we have built an IT solutions business unit is that the TAM is 10X what we are planning and seeing in the managed print environment." Gandhi emphasized how IT solutions can dramatically increase partner relevance with clients. “On average, the print budget that a CIO or CTO or COO manages is about 1% of their total budget,” he said. “When you add technology infrastructure solutions, you're getting 60 to 70% of their budget.”
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| Munu Gandhi, President of IT Solutions, Speaks |
Xerox also outlined capabilities in AI-enhanced document services—including document clustering, language verification, and intelligent workflow automation. Bruno suggested these offerings could allow partners to build upon their existing document expertise while transitioning to higher-value services. Bruno described digital services as "near and dear and close to that environment," positioning them as a natural extension of partners' existing client relationships.
Keypoint Intelligence Opinion
The 2025 Global Partner Summit revealed Xerox's current channel strategy and priorities. The company faces the same significant challenges as others in the print industry and is responding with a combination of consolidation, diversification, and partner program enhancements. Xerox's open discussion of past challenges in executing channel strategies represents a shift in the communication approach. The company has outlined several concrete initiatives—from program simplification to strategic acquisitions—that will require consistent implementation to achieve their stated goals.
We're particularly interested in how Xerox manages the integration of Lexmark's channel programs and how effectively the company can leverage its newly expanded IT Solutions capabilities to help partners transition into IT services. As Gandhi noted at the summit, this represents a significant opportunity to increase partner relevance with clients beyond the traditional 1% of budget that print typically represents.
A more comprehensive analysis of Xerox's partner strategy and market positioning will be published as an analysis in the Keypoint’s Office Workplace Advisory Service.
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