The IBM Ecosystem has never been more important. It is at the heart of IBM’s transformation story and growth strategy and is essential to our go-to-market model. Our partner business is an imperative for us in achieving the scale and solutions our clients demand, and we know that our ability to meet those needs are null without a thriving ecosystem driving alongside IBM.

So how do we succeed? I believe the answer starts with making it easier for partners to do business with IBM, becoming more essential to our partners, and strengthening relationships with all partner types. Crucially, delivering value to clients alongside partners means building trust by finding common ground. It means having open dialogue so that we can create efficiencies like streamlined access to IBM solutions, resources, and expertise to help partners go to market faster and grow their businesses.

We wanted to hear directly from partners on how it’s working, so we asked them to sit down with us and talk about their experiences partnering with IBM. Our new video series, “Common Grounds: a chat about the value of partnership,” features short, one-on-one conversations with partners of all shapes and sizes talking about why the ecosystem works, how it’s benefiting their businesses, and how we are delivering joint value to clients as a result. Our inaugural episode features Rob Thomas, SVP, IBM Global Sales, talking with Scott Russell, Executive Board Member, SAP Customer Success, about the 50-year partnership between our organizations and what the future holds. Watch the episode here.

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The series will include partners from across the IBM Ecosystem, and I invite you to subscribe to the “IBM Ecosystem” YouTube channel to follow and watch. If you like what you see, please comment. If you have ideas for how we can improve, send us those, too.

I believe the ecosystem is one of the most powerful force multipliers in technology today, and I look forward to bringing it to life at IBM with all of our business partners.