# Alex Smith

> GM, Futurum Research, VP & Practice Lead, Ecosystems, Channels, & Marketplaces

- Canonical: https://trial.futurumgroup.com/alex-smith/
- Role: Analyst
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexsmith1984

Alex Smith is GM, Futurum Research, VP & Practice Lead, Ecosystems, Channels, & Marketplaces at the Futurum Group. He is responsible for establishing and maintaining the Channels Research program as part of the overall Futurum GTM and Channels Practice. This includes overseeing the channel data rollout in the Futurum Intelligence portal, primary research activities such as research boards and surveys, delivering thought-leading research reports, and advising clients on their indirect go-to-market strategies. Alex also supports the overall operations of the Futurum Research Business Unit, including P&L segmentation, sales & marketing alignment, and budget planning. Prior to joining Futurum, Alex was VP of Channels & Enterprise Research at Canalys where he led a multi-million dollar research organization with more than 20 analysts. He played an integral role in helping the Canalys research organization migrate into Omdia after having been acquired in 2023. He is an accomplished research leader, as well as an expert in indirect go-to-market strategies. He has delivered numerous keynotes at partner-facing conferences. Alex is based in Portland, Oregon but has lived in numerous places including California, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and the UK. He has a Bachelor in Commerce and Finance Major from Dalhousie University, Halifax Canada.

## Recent work

- [AWS Marketplace Evolving to Support All Stages of the Sales Cycle](https://trial.futurumgroup.com/insights/aws-marketplace-evolving-to-support-all-stages-of-the-sales-cycle/) (Insight, 2026-09-14)
- [Partners Weary on SaaS as Infrastructure Surges Again](https://trial.futurumgroup.com/insights/partners-weary-on-saas-as-infrastructure-surges-again/) (Insight, 2026-09-01)
- [Partner Growth Polarization: 51.5% Expect Strong Gains](https://trial.futurumgroup.com/press-release/partner-growth-polarization-51-5-expect-strong-gains/) (Press Release, 2026-08-28)
- [The Orchestration Era: Why Your GSI Program Is Already Behind](https://trial.futurumgroup.com/press-release/the-orchestration-era-why-your-gsi-program-is-already-behind/) (Press Release, 2026-04-17)
- [Marketplace Ecosystem Map: Companies Reshaping Software Buying – Report Summary](https://trial.futurumgroup.com/press-release/marketplace-ecosystem-map-companies-reshaping-software-buying-report-summary/) (Press Release, 2026-03-26)
- [Co-Sell Support Jumps 14.6 Points to 39.2%, Displacing Developer Tools as Channel Partners’ #1 Vendor Priority](https://trial.futurumgroup.com/press-release/co-sell-support-jumps-14-6-points-to-39-2-displacing-developer-tools-as-channel-partners-1-vendor-priority/) (Press Release, 2026-03-04)
- [A Shift from Technology to Intelligence: The Rise of the Frontier Partner](https://trial.futurumgroup.com/research-reports/a-shift-from-technology-to-intelligence/) (Research Report, 2026-02-17)
- [Hyperscaler Marketplaces Are the $5.3B Growth Engine for Business Apps](https://trial.futurumgroup.com/press-release/hyperscaler-marketplaces-are-the-5-3b-growth-engine-for-business-apps/) (Press Release, 2026-02-04)
- [The Journey to Agentic Commerce Has Begun, and Marketplaces Will Be at the Nexus – Report Summary](https://trial.futurumgroup.com/press-release/the-journey-to-agentic-commerce-has-begun-report-summary/) (Press Release, 2026-01-08)
- [Hyperscaler Marketplace Spending Surges as Enterprises Shift Software Budgets](https://trial.futurumgroup.com/press-release/hyperscaler-marketplace-spending-surges-as-enterprises-shift-software-budgets/) (Press Release, 2025-12-17)