Amillan MD Patrick Daly on his plan to double the size of the business based on maximising the shift to cloud, extending into new markets, building value-led relationships and harnessing the power of emerging tech.
Daly’s strategy to leverage emerging technologies is as core to his planning as making the most of current demand for cloud transitions and existing solutions. Hands-on proactivity on all opportunities is the name of his game today – but his first tactical game was on the football pitch where he also showed great promise. Having hung up his boots, and as a young ex-sportsman, Daly met Amillan founder, Phil Jordan, who took him on as an apprentice electrician. The business was established in 1985 under the name Jordan Electrical and in October 2023 Daly, who was Operations Director, acquired the firm (which rebranded to Amillan in 1997) and Jordan became a Non-Executive Director.
The company was originally set up to provide specialised telecoms services to address growing demand for advanced communication solutions. These initially focused on wired and wireless telecommunications before Amillan expanded into a full-blown MSP across UCaaS, CCaaS, network infrastructure and more recently becoming active in the AI solution sector. Amillan also has a professional services team. “In 1990 we shifted our focus from electrical services to telecommunications and networking infrastructure, marking a pivotal change in our business direction,” stated Daly.
Our customers are increasingly interested in AI. They want to integrate AI into their operations, and leverage it to drive growth and innovation in their businesses
He aims to significantly grow the business over the coming five years, driven in large part by expanding the vendor portfolio, entering new verticals and enhancing Amillan’s professional services arm. “Our primary investment areas at the moment include expanding the development of our systems infrastructure, growing our headcount and enhancing our marketing and sales strategies to support Amillan’s growth objectives,” he added.
Market presence
Amillan operates across the public and private sectors and has a presence in several verticals including hospitality, manufacturing, retail, construction, transport and services. “Our public sector presence includes Government frameworks with Crown Commercial Services where we have a place on several Lots on Network Services 3 RM6116 and G-Cloud 14, as well as JISC for higher education,” explained Daly. “We support many councils and housing associations across the UK as well as universities, colleges and schools.”
Key vendor partners include Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Cisco Meraki, Cisco Webex, Microsoft, Cirrus, Evolve IP, Netcall, PolyAI, Alcatel-Lucent and Enghouse Interactive. “We anticipate evolving our vendor strategy and services in line with industry demands, focusing on UCaaS and CCaaS, cloud solutions, wired and wireless networks, AI, SD WAN and advancements in cybersecurity,” added Daly.
Amillan’s services are delivered remotely and on-site, and are backed up by continuous support with proactive management of IT environments including 24/7 monitoring and maintenance. “Our proactive management of IT systems helps reduce downtime and enhance security,” added Daly. “Amillan’s services also include data backup and recovery, cybersecurity, cloud services and remote tech support. We offer ongoing support and active administration, whether on the customer’s premises, in their chosen data centre or a third party data centre.”
Daly also intends to double the number of customers Amillan supports over the coming five years. The MSP currently has 150 clients and Daly anticipates year-on-year growth of 15 per cent. He attributes much of Amillan’s growth to the ongoing adoption of cloud services and zero-trust networks. “This trend is driven by the decline in on-premise solutions, although there is still a demand for organisations to maximise their existing assets,” observed Daly. “However, with the rollout of fibre networks, on-premise deployments are expected to decline further.
“Additionally, there is increasing demand for CCaaS solutions. Initially, the pandemic led to a surge of installations but these are now maturing. As we transition from office-based work to WFH and hybrid models, and now to a return-to-office environment, we are seeing growth in augmenting existing UCaaS and CCaaS with integrations into third party platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex, call recording and analytics.”
Daly also spotlighted the AI opportunity and how Amillan is responding by partnering with key vendors and upskilling its team. “AI is beginning to transform various aspects of technology deployment and management and we are partnering with vendors to develop our capabilities in this area,” he added. “This includes skilling up our team for AI deployments. Our customers are increasingly interested in AI. They understand it and want to integrate AI into their operations, and leverage it to drive growth and innovation in their businesses.
Robust solutions
“Furthermore, cybersecurity remains a critical concern for all organisations. As cyber threats become more sophisticated there is a heightened need for robust security solutions. These include not only traditional cybersecurity measures but advanced solutions that can protect data in increasingly complex IT environments. By focusing on these areas we aim to stay ahead of industry trends.”
Daly is exploring other emerging technologies like machine learning, RPA (Robotic Process Automation) and the most advanced cybersecurity solutions. “These technologies can complement our existing offerings,” he added. “We recognise the importance of staying ahead of technological trends, and we want Amillan to be continually known for its expertise and skilled approach to technology deployment and the management of infrastructure. Our goal is to be the go-to partner for businesses seeking reliable, forward thinking managed technology solutions.”
Just a minute with Patrick Daly...
Role model:
My dad: His incredible work ethic and down to earth nature have always inspired me. As a builder, he demonstrated dedication and commitment to his craft, but what truly stands out is his unwavering focus on our family.
Tell us something about yourself we don’t know:
I’m a foster dad. My wife and I, along with our two children, have been fostering for a decade and it’s been one of the most rewarding experiences of our lives. Each child has taught us something new and enriched our lives in countless ways.
If you weren’t in ICT what would you be doing?
Sports. The teamwork, discipline and strategic thinking required in sports have greatly influenced my approach to business.
One example of something you’ve overcome:
Dyslexia. You never truly ‘recover’ from it, but you develop conscious and unconscious coping strategies that help manage and overcome the challenges. That said, dyslexia has given me abilities I wouldn’t otherwise have.
Best piece of advice you have been given:
The harder you work the luckier you get.
Biggest risk you have taken:
Buying a business! I jest, but it has been the most exhilarating experience and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Today’s leadership priorities:
Maintaining customer-centricity, driving business transformation and adopting an innovative mindset.
What talent do you wish had?
I’ve always loved football and competed at a high level. I would have liked to reach the professional leagues.
Top tip:
Trust in your capabilities and the unique value you bring to the table.