First Focus

First Focus is an Australian managed service provider founded in 2003 and headquartered in Sydney. The company serves business customers that generally have between 20 and 200 employees, particularly organisations operating from multiple locations and seeking an outsourced technology partner rather than a traditional break-fix support supplier. Its principal markets are Australia and New Zealand, while its wider delivery footprint has included offices or staff in the Philippines, Ireland, and South Africa. The company began as an IT managed services business and grew organically for its first eleven years. It completed its first acquisition in 2014, then returned to organic expansion before entering a more active acquisition phase from 2021 onward. Acquisition activity accelerated in 2023, when First Focus purchased six businesses, including Brisbane-based eStorm, enterprise-services provider Ordyss, EnactMSP, communications specialist Flexnet, networking company The Specializt, and Melbourne-based Rock IT. These transactions broadened the company’s geographic coverage and added capabilities in enterprise technology, networking, communications, and managed services. First Focus expanded its acquisition programme again in 2024 and 2025. Purchases during that period included Enee, Lettscom, Section Group, Xari Group, Tie Networks, Tech Help Direct, and Red IT. The acquired businesses added or strengthened website design and digital marketing, security and disaster recovery, unified communications, Apple-focused support, and regional coverage in South Australia, Queensland, and Victoria. In March 2026, First Focus acquired New Zealand-based CNX, increasing its delivery capability in the South Island through operations in Nelson and Christchurch. Its service portfolio includes managed IT and help-desk support, cloud management and migration, cybersecurity, business continuity, consulting, software development, connectivity, unified communications, SharePoint services, automation, and data services. Data-related work covers areas such as data warehousing, engineering, governance, and visualisation. First Focus has also promoted artificial-intelligence consulting and implementation involving Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT, and has described itself as an OpenAI Services Partner. In 2025 it introduced CORE, a packaged managed-services proposition combining AI adoption, process automation, Essential Eight-aligned security, data governance, modern workplace management, and ongoing IT support. The company differentiates its support operation through a pod-based delivery model. Dedicated technical teams serve defined client groups, allowing support personnel to build familiarity with each customer’s environment. The pods combine account-management, service-delivery, technical-support, subject-matter, and leadership roles, and are supported by the F-Connect client portal for ticket management and environment monitoring. First Focus also maintains Microsoft partner status and has published customer case studies involving cloud transformation. Industry recognition has been an important part of the brand’s profile. Cloudtango ranked First Focus as the number-one managed service provider in Australia and New Zealand for nine consecutive years from 2018 through 2026. The business has also appeared in the Channel Futures MSP 501 and in Australian technology growth rankings, including the CRN Fast50 and the Techpartner.news Top 5. Outside technology services, First Focus has increased public visibility through its title sponsorship of Radical Cup Australia. The series became the First Focus Radical Cup Australia in 2024 and receives coverage through the Seven Network, Fox Sports, and Kayo Sports. In April 2026, United States-based Integris IT announced an intention to acquire First Focus. The proposed transaction was presented as a way to create a large small-and-medium-business-focused managed service provider with approximately 1,200 employees. Until completion or further confirmation, First Focus remains treated here as an active brand.

First Focus was established in 2003 in Australia as a managed IT services provider. Its early model centred on delivering outsourced infrastructure management, technical support, and related IT assistance to business customers. The company’s initial growth was organic, and it operated for approximately eleven years before completing its first acquisition in 2014. After that transaction, First Focus again relied primarily on organic expansion for several years. The company entered a more acquisitive phase in 2021. This shift allowed it to broaden its service range and geographic coverage while retaining a focus on managed technology services for small and medium-sized businesses. Expansion accelerated in 2023, when First Focus completed six acquisitions: Brisbane-based eStorm, enterprise-focused Ordyss, EnactMSP, communications provider Flexnet, networking specialist The Specializt, and Melbourne-based Rock IT. Together, these transactions added specialist capabilities and increased the company’s reach across Australian markets. In 2024, First Focus completed four further acquisitions. Enee, acquired in February, strengthened its position in Adelaide and South Australia. Lettscom followed in July. In November, the company purchased Melbourne-based Section Group, adding website design and digital marketing services and helping it address smaller businesses seeking a more consolidated technology partner. In December, Xari Group of Brisbane was acquired to strengthen security and disaster-recovery capabilities. The acquisition programme continued in 2025. Tie Networks, acquired in February, added unified communications expertise. Tech Help Direct, acquired in October, brought Apple-focused support and established First Focus’s first office on the Gold Coast. Red IT, acquired in November, strengthened the company’s Melbourne presence. In March 2026, First Focus acquired New Zealand-based CNX, expanding service delivery in New Zealand and particularly in the South Island through CNX’s Nelson and Christchurch operations. Operationally, First Focus provides managed IT, cloud, security, consulting, communications, connectivity, continuity, automation, software, workplace, and data services. It has also developed an AI advisory and implementation practice involving Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT. The company’s 2025 CORE offering packaged AI adoption, business-process automation, cybersecurity aligned with Australia’s Essential Eight framework, data governance, modern workplace management, and IT support into a tiered managed-services proposition for organisations with approximately 20 to 200 employees. First Focus uses a pod-based support structure rather than relying only on a centralised shared service desk. Each pod is assigned to a group of clients and includes service-delivery, account-management, technical-support, subject-matter, and leadership functions. The model is intended to give customers consistent points of contact and support teams that understand their environments. The F-Connect portal supports ticket handling and IT-environment monitoring. The brand has received recurring industry recognition. Cloudtango ranked First Focus as the number-one managed service provider in Australia and New Zealand for nine consecutive years from 2018 to 2026. The company has also appeared in the Channel Futures MSP 501 and Australian technology growth rankings. Its public profile extends beyond technology channels through sponsorship of Radical Cup Australia. From 2024, the competition operated under the First Focus Radical Cup Australia name, with television and streaming coverage through the Seven Network, Fox Sports, and Kayo Sports. In April 2026, Integris IT announced its intention to acquire First Focus. The proposed combination was described as creating one of the world’s largest MSPs focused on small and medium-sized businesses, with about 1,200 employees. The available reference material does not establish that the transaction had completed, so First Focus is classified as active rather than defunct or absorbed.

• 2026

  CNX acquisition and proposed Integris IT transaction

  [1]First Focusen.wikipedia.org

  First Focus acquires CNX in New Zealand, while Integris IT announces an intention to acquire the company.

• 2025

  CORE launches and acquisition programme continues

  [1]First Focusen.wikipedia.org

  First Focus introduces CORE and acquires Tie Networks, Tech Help Direct, and Red IT.

• 2024

  Further acquisitions and Radical Cup sponsorship

  [1]First Focusen.wikipedia.org

  First Focus acquires Enee, Lettscom, Section Group, and Xari Group, and becomes title sponsor of Radical Cup Australia.

• 2023

  Six acquisitions broaden the service platform

  [1]First Focusen.wikipedia.org

  First Focus acquires eStorm, Ordyss, EnactMSP, Flexnet, The Specializt, and Rock IT.

• 2021

  Acquisition-led expansion resumes

  [1]First Focusen.wikipedia.org

  First Focus begins a sustained programme of acquisitions to extend its capabilities and geographic reach.

• 2014

  First acquisition

  [1]First Focusen.wikipedia.org

  After more than a decade of organic growth, First Focus completes its first acquisition.

• 2003

  First Focus is established

  [1]First Focusen.wikipedia.org

  First Focus begins operations as an Australian managed service provider.

A technology partner for small and medium-sized businesses that combines managed IT support with cloud, cybersecurity, workplace, communications, automation, data, and AI capabilities. First Focus positions its pod-based support model as a way to provide continuity and customer familiarity while using acquisitions to extend geographic reach and specialist expertise.

• Managed services platform · 2025

  CORE

  CORE is a packaged managed-services offering introduced in 2025 for businesses with approximately 20 to 200 employees. It combines AI implementation, business-process automation, Essential Eight-aligned cybersecurity, data governance, modern workplace management, and ongoing IT support. The proposition uses tiered pricing and emphasises continuous operational improvement rather than isolated technology projects.

• Client portal

  F-Connect

  F-Connect is First Focus’s client-facing portal for service-ticket management and IT-environment monitoring. It forms part of the company’s managed-support operating model and gives customers a digital channel for submitting and tracking support requirements.

• Managed technology services · 2003

  Managed IT services

  First Focus manages day-to-day IT environments for business customers through support, infrastructure management, technical account management, cloud operations, workplace services, and problem management. Its pod model assigns dedicated teams to groups of clients to promote service continuity and customer familiarity.

• Cybersecurity

  Managed security services

  The managed security portfolio covers cybersecurity operations and services aligned with the Australian Signals Directorate’s Essential Eight maturity model. Security and disaster-recovery capabilities were also expanded through acquisitions, including Xari Group.

• Artificial intelligence services

  AI consulting and implementation

  First Focus advises organisations on adopting and implementing AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT. The service is positioned around practical implementation, business adoption, governance, and integration into workplace and business processes.

• 2024First Focus Radical Cup Australia

  Australia

  First Focus became title sponsor of Radical Cup Australia, giving the motorsport series the First Focus Radical Cup Australia name. The sponsorship connected the IT services brand with a national racing property and its broadcast and streaming distribution.

  Outcome. The series continued with coverage through the Seven Network, Fox Sports, and Kayo Sports.

  Source

• 2026

  Accept proposed acquisition by Integris ITM&A

  Background

  Integris IT announced an intention to acquire First Focus as part of a plan to create a large managed service provider focused on small and medium-sized businesses.

  Action taken

  Integris IT announced the proposed transaction, describing a combined organisation of approximately 1,200 employees.

  Aftermath

  The available material does not confirm completion of the transaction. First Focus is therefore treated as an active brand pending further information.

  Source

• 2025

  Introduce the CORE managed-services propositionProduct launch

  Background

  First Focus was expanding beyond conventional managed IT support into AI adoption, automation, cybersecurity, governance, and modern workplace services.

  Action taken

  The company launched CORE as a tiered offering for businesses with approximately 20 to 200 employees, combining those capabilities with ongoing support.

  Aftermath

  CORE became a central example of First Focus’s effort to package newer AI and security capabilities into a recurring managed-services model.

  Source

• 2024

  Expand through specialist acquisitionsStrategy

  Background

  First Focus sought to broaden its managed-services platform and reach customers needing a consolidated technology provider.

  Action taken

  The company acquired Enee, Lettscom, Section Group, and Xari Group, adding regional presence, digital services, security, and disaster-recovery capabilities.

  Aftermath

  The acquisitions widened First Focus’s service portfolio and strengthened its coverage in South Australia, Victoria, and Queensland.

  Source

1. 1First Focusen.wikipedia.org