Directions EMEA 2022 Preview: Partner event returns, building on growth

Editor's note: MSDW is a media sponsor of Directions EMEA 2022.

Microsoft showed Dynamics 365 Business Central partners a range promising metrics earlier in 2022: year-over-year customer base growth, more partners selling the software, and momentum for add-on solutions listed on AppSource.

So it should be no surprise that Business Central partners will have high expectations when they look for the latest updates on the product and Microsoft’s channel strategy at the Directions EMEA 2022 conference, which takes place November 9 to 11 in Hamburg.

This year’s Directions EMEA could in fact be the largest ever, says Torben Kragelund, co-founder of Directions4Partners, the group that manages the event.

“Attendees will be expecting an update on the partner program from Microsoft, how it will impact them,” he said. “So the event is an opportunity to learn what it means for them.”

In 2019 the event saw a record 2,450 attendees in Vienna. 2,200 attended online in 2020 and 1,600 joined in in Milan in 2021. The Directions4Partners team believes this could be the biggest Directions EMEA event ever. They are planning for 3,000 attendees as well as a busy training pre-day before the 3 regular event days.

This year there will be more content related to Power Platform alongside the traditional focus on Business Central. “More partners are finding that Power Platform is becoming a bigger part of their businesses, and therefore also the Directions events,” Kragelund said.

In addition to Microsoft guidance and a range of educational sessions,  the organizing team has made room for more networking and opportunities to address the channel’s future. The Women in Dynamics initiative launched last year and will continue to advance discussions on drawing more women into careers at Microsoft partner businesses.  And Kragelund predicts many discussions about attracting younger workers to the channel.

The event will also feature a pre-conference workshop for Dynamics Partner Leaders to help them share in a constructive private environment and prepare for the future.