India – Top executives from the IT distribution and technology vendor sectors convened today at the inaugural GTDC APJ (Asia Pacific & Japan) Summit 2024 to discuss the current position and future outlook of these critical communities. The Summit underscored the essential role distributors play in scaling emerging technology sales and adoption and developing new opportunities through digital marketplaces and alliances with hyperscalers.
The vast scale and economic and cultural diversity of the APJ region necessitate local expertise. As vendors adopt varied approaches to managing channels, they are increasingly relying on distributors to support emerging markets while focusing internal resources on more mature communities. This strategy provides greater reach, especially in areas where direct coverage would be inefficient, and represents a broader shift towards optimizing orchestration through partnerships.
“Distributors are ideally positioned to bridge complex regional and in-country dynamics with local representatives who understand cultural and language nuances to best support the objectives of their vendors and partners. Focusing on enablement programs and relationship-building allows distributors to create strategic value that ensures the successful adoption of advanced technologies across diverse APAC markets,” said Frank Vitagliano, CEO, GTDC.
IT spending across Southeast Asia and India is accelerating, driven by SMBs embracing digital transformation through cloud software, cybersecurity, and logistics investments. This digital shift generates increased demand for cloud infrastructure, managed services, and robust security solutions. Simultaneously, according to IDC, AI adoption is further fueling the region’s technological momentum, with spending in this area expected to reach USD78 billion by 2027, with a 25% annual growth rate. Distributors empower those advances while transforming the customer experience and operational efficiencies across key sectors.
Vendors also rely on distributors to meet the rising demand for AI, sales, and technical support as the region struggles with talent shortages, especially in these key areas.
Distributors are meeting these demands while unlocking new opportunities using advanced data analytics. Channelnomics CEO Larry Walsh emphasized these organizations’ capabilities for identifying “white space” and expanding partner networks. “While data provides direction, its true value lies in transforming insights into actionable strategies for partners. Distributors are pivotal in redefining go-to-market models, guiding partners through business-enhancing engagements, and maximizing channel potential.”
Other Memorable Highlights from Summit APJ
The summit focused on the changing dynamics of IT distribution, emphasizing the increasing importance of Southeast Asia and India in the global tech sector. Key sessions included:
● John Marrett from the EIU spoke to the rapidly expanding marketplace and described the ways technical innovation is changing businesses and communities. From shifts in monetary and fiscal policies to currency fluctuations and international financial institutions’ activities, he highlighted the impact of these movements on the APJ’s IT community.
- Avneesh Saxena of IDC showed how innovation affects global IT relationships and creates new opportunities for the channel. He emphasized the key industry trends, barriers, and investments and explored the evolving dynamics between partners, vendors, and distributors.
- Larry Walsh of Channelnomics examined the often-overlooked pieces of the vendor-distributor relationship and hit on other key findings of the recently released GTDC-Channelnomics study. Focused on the Asia-Pacific region, the new report shows vendors how to maximize the value of their distribution relationships.
- Vitagliano also moderated a panel discussion with senior distribution executives, including William Ong, VST ECS; V.S. Hariharan, Redington Limited; Luis Lourenco, Ingram Micro; Jaideep Malhotra, TD SYNNEX; and Patrick Aronson, Westcon-Comstor. Panelists highlighted how regional distributors are innovating and creating programs that facilitate the adoption of new technologies, optimize go-to-market strategies, and enhance other business activities.
The council’s next global event GTDC Summit North America, February 19th -20th, 2025, at the Mission Pacific & Seabird Resort in Oceanside, CA. More details will be available soon.
