Lars Aagaard, Dstny’s Director of Indirect Strategy, brings over two decades of Telco and IT leadership to the table. We sat down with him to learn more about his journey, his insights on Microsoft partner trends, and what he's most excited for at ECS Düsseldorf 2025.
Introduction
Lars Aagaard has over 20 years of experience in the Telco and IT industry and has played a key role in shaping strategic growth and partner development at Flexfone/Dstny. With a strong background in leadership, strategy, and communication services, Lars is now leading Dstny’s Indirect Strategy to drive innovation and collaboration within the industry. Let’s get to know more about Lars, his career journey, and his insights into the future of telecommunications
Meet Lars
- Name: Lars Aagaard
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Title: Director of Dstny Indirect Strategy
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Located in: Skanderborg, Denmark
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Industry Experience: 20+ years in Telco & IT
Quick Questions
Morning or evening person? An evening person until I had children who make sure I don't sleep in.
Coffee or tea? Without a doubt, coffee for the early mornings.
LinkedIn or Twitter? LinkedIn is the only social media you'll find me on.
What’s a fun fact about you? I am a big LEGO enthusiast who collects modular buildings.
Favorite way to spend a weekend? Spending time with family, building LEGO, and enjoying outdoor activities.
Professional Journey
Can you share a bit about your background and how you got started in the Telco & IT industry?
I entered the Telco/IT industry when I was 19 years old. I was supposed to have a summer job before starting my IT engineering education. I helped one of my friends who had started a telecom company for the private market. It was fun and exciting, so I ended up dropping school and continuing in the industry.
You’ve held multiple leadership positions—what are the key lessons you’ve learned along the way?
Some of the key lessons include the importance of listening to your team, being open to new ideas, and always striving to improve and innovate. Leadership for me is about being yourself and supporting others to reach their full potential.
What excites you the most about your role as Director of Indirect Strategy at Dstny?
I have always worked with indirect strategies for the last 20 years, both in IT and Telco. It has all been local in Denmark on a smaller scale. Getting to build on that experience and try it out on a large international scale is insanely exciting and challenging. Fortunately, there are many colleagues in Dstny with similar experience to spar with.
Having been CEO of Flexfone before joining Dstny, how has that experience shaped your perspective in your current role?
In Flexfone, the focus was very much on simplification and automation E2E. I hope to bring some of that experience with me in the new role.
Industry Insights & Trends
How do you see MSP partners enhancing their Microsoft communication services with Dstny?
MSP partners can benefit from Dstny's advanced communication solutions that integrate seamlessly with Microsoft's services. This allows them to offer more comprehensive and effective solutions to their customers. It contributes both to servicing the entire customer's needs and increasing their revenue.
What makes the Nordic market unique when it comes to partner landscapes and communication products?
The Nordic market is known for its high degree of digitalization and maturity. Over the past 5-7 years, there has been a shift where the more classic telco partners have disappeared in favor of IT partners (MSP). These account for the majority of telecom solutions sold through partners in, for example, Denmark.
How do you see the integration of UCaaS and voice services with Microsoft Teams evolving?
I see this as a growing market in the future. Microsoft is dominant in chat and video. Their solutions in the telecom area still have limited functionality, especially for the SMB market.
Therefore, I also believe that Dstny UCaaS has its justification as an integration that adds advanced PBX functionality. With the integrations we have in Dstny, such as Call2Teams, we are in a very good position to leverage the popularity of Teams as well as Microsoft partners as a sales channel.
Traditional telecom providers are being replaced by Microsoft partners for communication services—what’s your take on this shift?
I think it's a completely natural development. Communication services are no longer just about being able to call from A to B. Modern UCaaS solutions are much more software-based and integrate with many external systems. As communication services become simpler to deliver, it is completely natural for Microsoft partners to take it into their portfolio. End customers increasingly want to buy all their software/IT services in one place and do not have the internal knowledge to, for example, buy/operate a communication solution.
What trends or innovations in Telco & IT are you most excited about right now?
I am very excited about the developments in AI and machine learning, and how these technologies can improve communication services and create more intelligent and efficient solutions.
Dstny & ECS Düsseldorf
What role does Dstny play in shaping the future of partner-driven communication services?
Dstny's role is to be the number-one provider of Microsoft Teams telephony services in the country markets where we operate.
We can achieve this by providing Microsoft partners with the know-how, support, and products to win and be more profitable by selling Dstny services.
Our services need to be easy to buy, deploy, and manage, by partners that may not be familiar or skilled in telephony services.
I am confident in our ability to achieve this due to our product mix, market knowledge, scale, brand prominence, and experience.
ECS Düsseldorf is a key event for industry networking—what are you looking forward to the most?
ECS is a unique platform for connecting with the relevant people. I look forward to meeting potential partners from all over Europe. We get the opportunity to present our future thoughts on partner models and products. It gives us a unique opportunity to get direct feedback that we can use to optimize our indirect business and products.
Why is it important for Dstny to have a strong presence at ECS, and how do you see it benefiting our partners?
A strong presence at ECS gives us the opportunity to showcase our solutions and strengthen our relationships with existing and potential partners. It is a valuable platform for exchanging ideas and creating new collaboration opportunities.
Looking Forward
If you could give one piece of advice to companies looking to enhance their communication services, what would it be?
Do not buy a standard solution from your national operator. They are far from your business and do not understand your needs. You should contact your local MS/IT partner who is closer to your business, understands your needs, and can ensure an integrated solution across your business and systems.
If you had to sum up your journey in one word, what would it be and why?
"Educational." My journey has been characterized by constant development and change, both personally and professionally, which has shaped me into the person I am today.
Let’s connect with Lars and explore how Dstny is helping partners thrive in the Microsoft ecosystem.
Closing Thoughts
Lars’ journey is a great example of how deep experience, a partner-first mindset, and a passion for innovation can shape the future of communication services. As Dstny continues to grow across Europe, leaders like Lars play a key role in building strong, collaborative ecosystems where both partners and customers thrive. If you're heading to ECS Düsseldorf, don't miss the chance to meet Lars in person and explore what the future of voice and UCaaS can look like with Dstny.