Cloud Direct is delighted to have successfully renewed its Microsoft Azure Expert Managed Service Provider (MSP) status and enter a ninth consecutive year under the accreditation.
The Azure Expert MSP programme represents the highest level of recognition for partners delivering managed services on Microsoft Azure. Attaining and maintaining the accreditation requires organisations to undergo rigorous independent auditing that assesses their ability to deliver Azure services at scale, spanning technical capability, operational maturity, governance, security, and customer success.
This renewal reinforces Cloud Direct’s position as one of Microsoft’s longest-standing Azure Expert MSPs and demonstrates a continuation of excellence and expertise that dates back to the earliest days of the programme – Cloud Direct was among the first organisations globally to achieve Azure Expert MSP status and has retained the accreditation every year since.
At a time when organisations are accelerating investment in AI, data, and cloud technologies, the renewal serves as independent confirmation of Cloud Direct’s ability to help customers build secure, scalable foundations for long-term transformation.
Proven Azure expertise in the age of AI
As AI reshapes how organisations operate, compete, and innovate, the importance of a strong cloud platform has never been greater.
Successful AI adoption depends on secure infrastructure, effective governance, high-quality data, and operational excellence. Azure remains the foundation upon which these capabilities are built, and Azure Expert MSP status provides customers with confidence that they are working with a partner whose capabilities have been independently validated against Microsoft’s highest standards.
For Cloud Direct customers, that means continued access to expert guidance across Azure migration, optimisation, security, managed services, data platforms, and AI initiatives – supported by nearly a decade of recognised Azure expertise.
Recognition built on trust
Maintaining Azure Expert MSP status year after year requires more than technical knowledge alone. It demands continually evolving skills, robust operational processes, strong governance frameworks, and a relentless focus on customer success.
This year’s accreditation marks Cloud Direct’s first under the stewardship of Leighton Searle, who joined Cloud Direct as CEO towards the end of 2025 following nearly 20 years at Microsoft.
Speaking on the successful retention of the company’s Azure Expert MSP status, Leighton said:
Successfully completing the extensive audits required to retain Azure Expert MSP status for a ninth consecutive year is an achievement we’re incredibly proud of.
“As organisations look to unlock the opportunities presented by AI, success depends on having modern, trusted foundations in place. This accreditation provides external validation that we continue to deliver Azure services to the highest standard, combining deep technical expertise with a relentless focus on security, governance, and customer outcomes.
“Our customers invest their trust in us every day and Azure Expert Status, along with the recent renewal of our ISO27001 certification, assures our customers that they have a partner capable of helping them navigate change, embrace innovation, and realise lasting value from their Microsoft investment.
Looking ahead
The renewal of Azure Expert MSP status demonstrates Cloud Direct’s continued commitment to helping organisations unlock the full value of Microsoft technology.
As cloud, data, security and AI become increasingly interconnected, customers need a partner they can trust to navigate complexity, reduce risk, and turn innovation into measurable business value. Nine consecutive years as an Azure Expert MSP provides strong validation of that capability, and positions Cloud Direct to continue supporting customers through the next generation of Microsoft-led transformation.
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