SAN FRANCISCO, March 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meltwater, a global leader in media, social, and consumer intelligence, today announced Doug Balut, Senior Vice President of Global Alliances and Partnerships, has been named to CRN's 2026 Channel Chiefs list, marking his fifth time receiving the recognition.

The CRN Channel Chiefs list honors channel vendor and distributor executives who are redefining what's possible in the partner channel and driving exceptional outcomes for their organizations.

Balut's recognition comes amid significant momentum for Meltwater's Global Partner Program, which he built from the ground up following its launch in 2024. In just two years, the program scaled to more than 70 global partners across agency, cloud, systems integrator, regional, service, and technology categories. In 2025 alone, the program generated 40 multi-partner deals and fueled significant value for Meltwater customers around the world.

The ecosystem includes leading organizations such as Microsoft, AWS, Havas, Dentsu, We. Communications, Blackbird, and Cyabra – strengthening Meltwater's ability to deliver AI-powered intelligence solutions through integrated partnerships.

Balut and his team have positioned partnerships as a true growth engine for Meltwater – strengthening the company's AI ecosystem, expanding go-to-market reach, and enabling deeper collaboration with the platforms and agencies customers rely on every day.

“Being recognized by CRN for the fifth time is an incredible honor,” said Balut. “More importantly, it reflects the strength of the Meltwater partner community and the impact our team is delivering. We've built an ecosystem designed to drive innovation, accelerate growth, and create measurable outcomes for our customers.”

As demand increases for connected, AI-enabled intelligence solutions, Meltwater's expanding partner ecosystem reinforces its leadership in collaborative innovation and sustained market growth.

For more information, please contact:
Stacy Slayden
Communications Manager
pr@meltwater.com

About Meltwater
Meltwater empowers companies with a suite of solutions that spans media, social and consumer intelligence. By analyzing ~1 billion pieces of content each day and transforming them into vital insights, Meltwater unlocks the competitive edge needed to drive results. With 27,000 global customers, 50 offices across six continents, and 2,200 employees, Meltwater is the industry partner of choice for global brands making an impact. Learn more at meltwater.com.