Pythian leaders earn three CRN Women of the Year finalist nods

Pythian said two of its executives have been named finalists in three categories for the 2026 CRN Women of the Year Awards, with winners set to be announced Dec. 8 in New York City. The honors spotlight the company’s channel, mentorship and AI leadership as Pythian pushes deeper into data modernization and enterprise AI adoption.

Why it matters: - The finalist spots put Pythian’s leadership in the channel spotlight at a time when AI services and partner ecosystems are reshaping technology buying. - The recognition also underscores the growing value of mentorship and executive development in the tech industry. - Pythian’s AI and data strategy is now tied to visible industry recognition for two of its senior leaders.

What happened: - Pythian announced that two leaders earned three finalist honors in the 2026 CRN Women of the Year Awards. - Vanessa Simmons, senior vice president, business development and managing director, Canada, was named a finalist for Channel Innovator of the Year – Solution Provider and Executive Mentor of the Year. - Solange Jacob, vice president, Google Cloud, was named a finalist for Woman of the Year – Solution Provider. - CRN will announce the winners and honor them on Dec. 8, 2026, at The Pier Sixty Collection in New York City.

The details: - The 2026 awards are the fourth annual CRN Women of the Year Awards. - The program recognizes women, companies and allies that advance the IT industry through leadership and initiatives. - Brooks Borcherding, Pythian’s CEO, said the recognitions reflect leadership that spans innovation, business leadership, mentorship and talent development. - Simmons’ nomination reflects her work evolving Pythian’s channel strategy for the AI era and strengthening strategic partnerships. - Simmons also built programs aimed at giving women more opportunities and helping future channel leaders develop technical expertise, confidence and executive relationships. - Jacob’s nomination reflects her role in accelerating Pythian’s AI services growth and scaling the business year over year. - Jacob helped bring Pythian’s Gemini Centre of Excellence to market. - That center has enabled more than 70,000 employees at leading organizations to adopt and use AI more effectively. - Jacob has also led teams through large-scale AI and technology transformations. - Pythian says its work centers on modernizing data environments so organizations can build the foundation needed for AI.

Between the lines: - The awards suggest Pythian is trying to position its leaders as visible proof points for the company’s broader AI and partner strategy. - The mix of channel, mentorship and AI categories shows how leadership in tech is increasingly judged on both business results and people development. - Pythian’s mention of Google Cloud, Oracle, AWS and Microsoft signals a partner-led approach rather than a single-platform strategy.

What's next: - The CRN awards winners will be announced Dec. 8. - Pythian is likely to keep leaning on its data and AI services message as organizations push to modernize infrastructure and move AI into production. - Simmons and Jacob will remain key figures in how Pythian presents its channel, customer and AI execution story.

The bottom line: - Pythian turned a pair of executive nominations into a broader signal about its place in the AI services market and its emphasis on leadership development.