Palo Alto Networks announced the next generation of its NextWave Partner Programme, fundamentally redefining partner profitability for the AI era. As the industry moves toward AI-driven security, NextWave moves beyond transactional volume to reward partners who deliver platform-centric security outcomes.
The evolved programme enables the entire partner ecosystem to move away from the ‘point-product’ trap. By focusing on platformisation, Palo Alto Networks enables partners to integrate their customers’ security stacks across the network, cloud, and SOC—reducing complexity while increasing high-margin, partner-led service opportunities.
Available to partners now, the new NextWave Partner Programme is built on direct feedback from the global partner community, focusing on three transformative benefits:
- Enhancing partner margins: Streamlined rebates focus on Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW), Next-Generation Security (NGS) and platformisation to reward technical expertise and maximise profitability.
- Accelerating deal velocity: Enhanced Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) and new automated deal registrations, combined with improved service delivery tools, to reduce friction and speed up time to close.
- Reinvesting for growth: A new Partner Development Fund (PDF) reinvests earned rebates directly into partner-led demand generation, training, and solution development to drive differentiation and accelerate joint customer success.
With tailored paths for every partner:
- Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs): Predictable, tiered pricing to build high-margin managed services to ensure accelerated outcomes.
- Distributors: Enhanced capabilities, governance and support for Distributor Managed Partner growth.
- Global System Integrators (GSIs): A “Global Path” rewarding multi-theater influence and strategic consulting with a white glove experience, coming later this year.
- Authorised Services (ASC & APS): Real-time deployment assistance to ensure “first time-right” customer implementations.
Simone Gammeri, Chief Partnerships Officer, Palo Alto Networks, said: “Our partner ecosystem is more critical than ever in addressing the demand for AI-driven security platforms. Unlike transactional programmes, the NextWave Partner Programme rewards ‘platformisation’ over transactions, so we are empowering our partners to dismantle the complexity that leaves customers vulnerable. This programme isn’t just about selling software; it’s about ensuring customers achieve total, AI-driven resilience with a single, unified defence.”
Samer El Kodsi, Regional Vice President of Sales Gulf & North Africa, said: “In the Middle East, customers increasingly want outcome-based security delivered fast and operated continuously; the new NextWave Partner Programme is built for this reality. It increases partner profitability by rewarding partners who invest in specialisation and platformisation, and it removes friction to help partners execute faster through enhanced CPQ and automated deal registration, also with the increased demand on MSSP in the region the new programme addresses predictable, tiered pricing to build high-margin managed services to ensure accelerated outcomes.”
Eyad Aleriksousi, Senior Director Channel Sales Emerging Markets, said: “At Palo Alto Networks, we truly care about our partners, especially those in emerging markets. We want to ensure that our partners get the most out of our new programme and feel supported as they build profitable, repeatable practices and deliver advanced security services, while removing friction to execute faster. At the end of the day, our goal is simple: to help our partners win more, deliver more, and grow with us in a sustainable way.”
Hugues Foulon, CEO, Orange Cyberdefense, said: “The NextWave Partner Programme serves as a catalyst for deeper strategic collaboration and trust between Palo Alto Networks and Orange Cyberdefense. By increasing transparency, especially around team incentives, we are able to align our efforts more closely, foster co-innovation, and tailor Palo Alto Networks’ solutions to better safeguard our joint customers against evolving cyber threats.”
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