In her FY26 ISV Keynote, Heather Deggans, Vice President, Americas GPS ISV Partner Sales, Microsoft, laid out clear direction for ISVs to drive growth this fiscal year. Differentiation and local specialization will be key to standing out in Microsoft’s partner ecosystem.
Deggans emphasized Microsoft’s continued investment in industry-specific sales units and partner support teams. “We’ve built out specialized telesales and professional services teams with deep industry expertise,” she said. These teams are working closely with ISVs in areas like healthcare and finance to bring more targeted solutions to market.
A major focus for FY26 is helping ISVs go deeper, not broader, with their solutions. “There are 165,000 Microsoft sellers globally,” Deggans noted, “but it’s not about getting in front of all of them. It’s about connecting with the right sellers who understand your value.”
Certification and local market readiness also came up as critical success factors. Deggans emphasized that ISVs should stay focused on Microsoft’s specialization paths and take advantage of regional programs that connect partners to field sellers. “Being differentiated in your market matters. That’s where we’re putting energy and support,” she said.
She also pointed to the importance of data, intelligence, and account alignment. “Understanding how your offer fits into our AI strategy is key,” said Deggans. “You need to bring real insight into how business processes work and where they break.”
Halfway through the session, Deggans welcomed Dan Brown from Celonis and Chris Maddox from DocuSign to share their experiences. Maddox spoke about how DocuSign built sales plays and go-to-market strategies alongside Microsoft, while Brown discussed how Celonis is using process intelligence to inform agent design and drive better customer outcomes.
Overall, Degans encouraged ISVs in the room to embrace Microsoft’s “marketplace-first” approach and meet customers where they are. For ISVs specifically, FY26 will be about focus, precision, and execution. As Deggans said, “You don’t need to be everywhere. You need to be in the right place, with the right offer, at the right time.”
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