I was recently fortunate enough to join the Cloudflare team on an unforgettable trip to Phuket, Thailand. This was an incentive trip celebrating Cloudflare’s top-performing APAC partners. The tropical setting, the camaraderie, and the mix of business insights and leisure made it a standout experience.
The trip kicked off with a gala dinner where The Missing Link was honoured as one of Cloudflare’s highest-achieving partners in the APAC region. This recognition wasn’t just about hitting targets; it was a testament to the incredible collaboration and growth we’ve achieved alongside Cloudflare over the past four years.
The Missing Link receiving recognition as a top-performing Cloudflare partner at the gala dinner.
Cloudflare themselves have grown from having a focus on web performance and security to being a comprehensive connectivity cloud platform. Cloudflare now offers solutions for network optimisation, zero-trust security, and AI-driven insights. Its emphasis on security, performance, and reliability, combined with cost and complexity reduction, has strongly resonated with our clients—leading over 20 of them to adopt the Cloudflare platform in just the past three years.
While the festivities were undoubtedly a highlight, there was also some valuable business insight woven into the agenda. On the second day, we gathered for a session led by the Cloudflare team to learn about their product roadmap, latest innovations, and plans to support and grow their channel. It was inspiring to hear from Wendy Komadina, VP Partner Sales APAC, about the future of the APAC channel. Her vision really struck a chord with me, reinforcing how deeply Cloudflare values its partnerships and is committed to mutual growth. It’s refreshing to see such a genuine investment in building and nurturing relationships with channel partners. Some of the key highlights from Wendy’s presentation were:
- Plans to accelerate partner services in 2025.
- Development of a professional services team to help partners deliver Cloudflare solutions.
- Strategic focus on metrics and creation of new roles at Cloudflare aimed at supporting collaborative expansion and growth
Wendy Komadina, VP Partner Sales APAC, shares Cloudflare’s vision for the future of the APAC channel, highlighting innovation, growth, and partner success.
We also had the privilege of hearing from Jamal Boutkabout, ANZ Principal Partners Solution Engineer, who provided an in-depth update on the Cloudflare product roadmap. Key insights included:
- Zero Trust for Infrastructure Access (ZTIA): This feature introduces enhanced controls for privileged access to infrastructure such as servers, containers, Kubernetes, and databases, addressing critical challenges:
- Remote access management.
- Secure handling of keys and passwords.
- Mitigating privilege creep by limiting access to essential personnel.
- Enabling audit logging for improved security and compliance.
- Kivera Acquisition Announcement: Cloudflare’s acquisition of Kivera adds proactive security controls to the Cloudflare One platform, tackling major "Big Cloud" security challenges through its core functionalities:
- Preventing insecure resource configurations.
- Protecting against data exfiltration.
- Detecting and managing shadow cloud infrastructure.
- Streamlining compliance processes.
These developments underline Cloudflare's commitment to innovation and its focus on delivering solutions that address modern security and infrastructure challenges.
On the final night, we were treated to a boat trip from Chalong Bay. Hands down, this was the highlight for me. Imagine gliding across Phuket’s waters with the sun setting on the horizon, music setting the tone, and glasses raised in a toast to an unforgettable few days. We anchored in a particular spot and jumped into the water for a swim. This boat trip was the highlight for me not just because of the fun we had but because it was the perfect setting to connect with the other partners in attendance. It was a real opportunity to have relaxed conversations about our businesses and learn from each other’s successes.
Celebrating with Cloudflare and fellow top-performing partners at the Partner Incentive Summit.
Reflecting on the trip, I realise it wasn’t just about the award or even the location. It was about connection—connecting with the Cloudflare team, fellow partners, and the larger vision we’re all working towards. It was a celebration of what we’ve accomplished and a reminder of the exciting road ahead. As we continue to grow alongside Cloudflare, I’m excited about the possibilities this partnership brings to further innovate and deliver exceptional value to our clients. With Cloudflare’s commitment to cutting-edge solutions and our shared focus on client success, the future holds immense potential for transforming how businesses navigate modern security and connectivity challenges.
