Executive Interview: QBS group becomes 1ClickFactory majority shareholder

Microsoft Value Added Distributor and Indirect CSP QBS group has recently acquired the majority of the shares in her strategic partner 1ClickFactory. This news was a good reason to set up an interview with Soren Fink Jensen, CEO of 1ClickFactory, and Michael Hartmann, the CEO of QBS group to explore the prospering relationship and this intensified collaboration, along with the radical changes in today’s markets for business applications including ideas on how partners should react.

Exactly what has happened with this recent collaboration?

Soren: Until recent, 1ClickFactory was owned by three major shareholders, being a private investor from Lithuania, the management of 1ClickFactory and QBS group. QBS group entered into our company as a shareholder back in 2017 up until present with a minority share. With this collaboration, QBS group has acquired the shares of the private investor and combined with their initial share, the company now is the major shareholder in 1ClickFactory.

As management of 1ClickFactory, we’re of course very happy that the share of the private investor is bought by QBS group, as they are supporting our business, and not by a random third party. We will continue and intensify our strategic co-operation with QBS group in a simplified setting with just two shareholders.

So our collaboration now moves from a ‘strategic alliance’ to a ‘strategic partnership enforced by ownership’.  

What is the motivation of QBS group to make this move and where does this fit into the strategy?

[caption caption="Michael Hartmann" align="right"][/caption]

Michael: We’d like to see QBS group as the backbone for Microsoft Dynamics 365 partners. Over the last few years we have clearly moved away from the traditional model at the very beginning of the company, which was taking care of the transaction part. Over time we have extended our portfolio to also support our partners in non-core activities like marketing, pre-sales and training. Today, the whole Microsoft Dynamics partner channel is in a huge transformation phase. One in which technical and functional capabilities and capacities are more important than ever before! Think about the transition of partner add-on solutions to extensions [in Dynamics 365 Business Central]. But also, the experience, methodologies, tooling and capacity you need to migrate the huge worldwide Dynamics NAV customer base to Business Central. We consider 1ClickFactory as the perfect strategic technology partner for our company! But also for our current and future partners – both VAR’s and ISV’s.

Now that QBS group owns the majority of the shares, the financial results of 1ClickFactory will be consolidated into the results of The IT Channel Company, the holding company of QBS group.

Why is it that 1ClickFactory and QBS group match so well?

[caption caption="Soren Fink Jensen" align="right"] [/caption]

Soren: Both companies are true partner-focused organisations. Both have a ‘Microsoft only’ strategy. And both companies are laser focused on Microsoft Dynamics only. No other Value-Added Distributor in the worldwide Microsoft channel can claim this. Our deep functional and technical qualities and capabilities combined with the sales and marketing skills of QBS group plus their wide international distribution network create a great fit!

Michael: Our combined strengths, talent and capabilities create a true ‘one stop shop’ for Microsoft Dynamics partners who want to thrive in the new cloud era.  

Soren, where is 1ClickFactory today as a company?