Firmly established in his new role as Chief Partner Officer, we caught up with @Peter-Palonek to talk about what partnership really means at Bitpool, his plans for the global channel, and what he loves in life. 

What drew you to Bitpool originally, Peter? 

I’ve spent most of my career around technology and buildings. From IT and OT through to engineering. When I first came across Bitpool, I was impressed by how they’d built a platform that actually unifies things. But more than that, I saw a team that believed in open collaboration in the way they worked, and in how they built their technology with a community focus. 

I’ve seen and experienced first-hand how disconnected things can get when systems and people are out of alignment, so that aspect of Bitpool really resonated with me. I’ve always believed that good business comes down to good partnerships. 

What’s your vision for the global partner network? 

My goal is to build an ecosystem that scales through value.  We want partners who feel genuinely empowered. Partners who can deliver confidently, with the tools, training, and trust they need to succeed on their own terms. 

To get there, we’re focusing on three things: 

Enablement before expansion – equipping partners with everything they need to hit the ground running. 

Empowerment through process – making life easier with clear workflows and reusable tools. 

Trust through transparency – keeping communication open, honest, and two-way. 

When those three things work in harmony, everyone wins. 

Why are partnerships so important to Bitpool? 

The reality is, no one company can do it all. Every new partner brings their own skills, relationships, and regional knowledge, and when you combine that with our amazing technology, you get something far greater than the sum of its parts. 

Our partners are collaborators. They’re co-developing dashboards, shaping data models, and improving sustainable outcomes with us.  

 You’ve described trust as the “true currency” of partnership. What does that look like in practice? 

Partnerships run on trust not transactions. As a leadership team, we’re all aligned and alive to that. We’re very open about what we’re building, what’s working well, and we take on feedback continuously to make our platform better for the people who use and love it.  

In return, our partners share feedback, ideas, and opportunities we’d never see otherwise. It creates this shared rhythm, where everyone learns, grows and celebrates wins together.  When trust is high, communication is fast, problems get solved quickly, and customers feel it too. 

What kind of culture are you trying to build through the partner network? 

One that feels connected.  Whether you’re in Sydney, Copenhagen, or London, we want every partner to feel part of the same community. That means being responsive, removing friction, and sharing the wins – big and small. 

You love process, Peter, how does process make partnerships easier? 

I’m a big believer that good process protects people. It shouldn’t slow you down, it should set you free. If you don’t have structure, you get chaos. People waste time, projects drag, and stress builds up.  

That’s why we’re simplifying everything from onboarding to reporting. We’re automating the mundane elements so our partners can spend more time doing what keeps them inspired - solving problems, building relationships, and adding value. 

What have you learned about leadership along the way? 

Early in my career, I thought leadership meant having all the answers. Over time, I realised it’s about listening and helping people find their own way. People don’t remember titles, they remember how you made them feel. 

You can’t lead effectively without understanding what drives people, what challenges them, and what they need to succeed. That’s why I spend as much time talking with partners and teams as I do reviewing our data and reports. 

Tell us a bit about life outside of work. 

Family is everything to me. Work’s important, but family keeps you grounded. It reminds you why you do what you do. My parents came to Australia from Poland when I was three, and they taught me the value of hard work and loyalty early on. Those lessons have stuck with me all my life. 

Outside work, I’m happiest outdoors, whether that’s out on the motorbike, working on a DIY project, or just spending time with my wife. We’ve also got a French Bulldog named Lulu who pretty much runs the household! 

I'm also a big fan of being out on the water. Going out fishing, skiing or on the bike have always been my reset buttons. 

What’s next for Bitpool and its partners? 

We’re not chasing numbers for the sake of it. We don’t want to be the biggest, we want to be the best. The most trusted, the easiest to work with, and the partner that helps others shine. 

Ultimately, we’re choosing partners and building relationships that last. Over the next year, we’ll be expanding our training, improving our partner tools, and strengthening those global connections. 

The end goal is simple – to build a partner ecosystem that’s self-sustaining, full of trust, and capable of delivering incredible outcomes anywhere in the world.