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EYEING PARTNER LED GROWTH

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Updated : August 3, 2014 0:0  ,Dubai
By Editor

Huawei is committed to partner enablement and profitability as its key strategies to make strong inroads in the enterprise segment, says Shailendra Sainani, Sales Director, Enterprise Business Group, Huawei Technologies ME


Discuss how your product portfolio focus for the enterprise segment?

The Huawei enterprise Business group has three major solution groups. Among these, our IP product portfolio includes IP based systems like switching, routing, wireless and security. The IT product portfolio includes servers, storage, datacenter products. The UCMC includes voice and video products – IPT, video conferencing, tele-presence all come under this. All products are included in our distribution business from the enterprise segment.

Please elaborate on Huawei’s reach into enterprise channel?

We are at a stage where we are expecting a large growth in this segment. We are focusing on how the channel can become trusted advisors of our solutions into that space. Our entire engagement will pivot around four pillars.

First, we will rely on our strong focus. That focus is going to become a strong ring for us in knowing who stays in and who stays out. Second, enablement will play a key role. We will look to ensure that partners are duly empowered to become trusted advisors as I mentioned. Profitability of the partners is the third element. That will ensure that they stay committed. Our channel program will bring clarity as to how this is driven. In a nutshell, Focus, enablement, profitability and a channel program will be the key aspects of our engagement with the enterprise segment channel.

What are the kinds of partners who will suit your focus?

We are looking at partners who specialize in verticals and technologies and can add value to our Business. The market is wide enough – there is the government sectors, large enterprises and then the commercial segment. Not all our products and solutions fit into each and every element. We need to be careful in selecting partners who cover a vertical.

We are assessing the market space in this area. We are talking to some large systems integrators who cover enterprise spaces like enterprises, public safety, oil & gas, and the large government sectors. We are talking to many mid-market players who have good reach into the space and are good with mid-market solutions.

How will you ensure the balance between widening market reach as well as ensuring partner profitability?

We will have a good number of partners which is sustainable from the profitability point of view. We are focusing on achieving a consistent progress. At the end of the day, it is going to be one Huawei approach – for instance, the enterprise partners will have strengths that we would like to utilize in the commercial space.

The final number of the partners will depend on market size and our requirements. We have four tiers- we have tier one partners called VAP ( value added partner) and this type of partner engages directly with us. Then there are distribution led partners whom we categorize as Gold, Silver and Registered. Typically, between VAP and Gold, we will look to have not more than 3-4 key integrators. From Gold to Silver, we will look to 15 in these markets like the UAE and Saudi Arabia. There is the much wider space in the silver and registered partner ecosystems, where we will like the distributors to increase our channel breadth, enabling as many partners as possible to tap as many customers. At the same instance, we would want to ensure that partner profitability is taken care of.

Do partners have any stake in the telecom Business?

Telecom is a direct Business and is taken care of by the Carrier Business Unit. We have three Business units – carrier BU, Enterprise BU and consumer BU. That is a different engagement model over a longer period of time. The service model is also different and we need to deploy our own teams.

Has the partner program been revamped and what have been the key features of the refresh?

There has been a refresh and one of the aspects we focused on was partner profitability. The focus was on differentiating our rebates program. We have created a model for our partners to use our marketing funds to create demand. We are giving rebates to our partners on the basis of revenues generated, specialization basis and third on Marketing basis where we are supporting them on all their marketing initiatives. There are two kind of funds used – one is the Partner development fund which is wholly funded by Huawei and the other is co-funded on 50-50% basis. The rebates program is therefore structured to ensure profitability for partners while dealing with Huawei.

We have a rebate based program for our distributors and this is classified on a product basis.  We are encouraging distributors to specialize and where we see that a significant level of investment is required, we will reward them on that basis.

Discuss your distribution and geographical focus?

From an enterprise Business group perspective, we cover from mid-market to enterprise and in terms of the territories that we oversee include GCC including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan. Our distributors cover the regional markets for us. As of today, we have Enterprise Systems, Huawei, Empa and Stor IT. Optimus is specialized on UC, Empa on IT and Enterprise Systems is across the board and StorIT on storage.  Our partner program is across the region but focused on certain markets. We want to enhance our partner program further and take it to the next level.

The channel is looking for a change and the channel has great confidence in Huawei to be the change because of the vast product portfolio that we offer. We cover end to end solutions portfolio and there is no other vendor who has that range under one umbrella. From computing to storage, networking and the voice video IPT portfolio, we offer solutions across.

Elaborate on your enablement focus for the channel?

We are selecting partners on basis of solutions focus and verticals focus. Based on these, we are enabling them. We offer sales training for the sales teams from resellers and equip them with product knowledge so that they can talk in detail about the products Huawei offers and understand the key selling points. We enable the pre-sales partners where we focus more on transferring the technology knowhow. The third area is certifications for post sales resources. There is a hands on training wherein Huawei assists the partner in the first implementation scenario so that the partner gets enabled on site. We also have certifications programs running.

Apart from these, Stage 2 is our authorized training partner here and in Saudi Arabia. Certifications given out include sales Associate, Sales Expert, Network experts, design experts, implementation experts etc. These cover our key areas of focus.

How do you view the opportunities in emerging technologies and what’s Huawei’s value differentiation?

Definitely, there are opportunities in the market in areas like cloud, BYOD, VDI, Big Data etc and customers are looking for such solutions and there are implementations. We want to enable our partners in such emerging areas. We have some good cloud solutions. For instance, Huawei FusionCube is an IT infrastructure platform based on an open and integrated architecture. It integrates blade servers, distributed storage devices, and switches into its 12 U subrack. Distributed storage, a virtualization platform, and cloud management software are also factory installed which makes it an ideal product for a cloud provider or a cloud integrator. We have launched a product called OceanStor 9000, suitable for Big Data. Using a symmetric distributed architecture, the OceanStor 9000 delivers large-scale horizontal expansion capabilities, and a super large single file system to provide shared storage for unstructured data.

We are wrapping our products with a solutions focus as well as a vertical focus. Partners are looking for profitability and who cares for them. Our partner program takes care of such aspects and today what we offer is one of the best in the

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GFH Partners Manrre REIT (CEIC) PLC and Palmon Group unveil new temperature-controlled chemical warehouse in JAFZA

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GFH Partners Manrre REIT (CEIC) PLC (“Manrre” or “the Fund”), managed by GFH Partners Ltd. (“GFH Partners”),  together with its development manager Palmon Group FZCO (“Palmon Group”), today announced the opening of a specialised temperature-controlled chemical warehouse in Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), further expanding the Fund’s Grade A logistics portfolio.

The inauguration ceremony was held in the presence of Mr Abdulla Bin Damithan, CEO and Managing Director, DP World GC, alongside senior officials and dignitaries from Jebel Ali Free Zone, GFH Partners, and Palmon Group.

Purpose-built and developed by Palmon Group to meet stringent international safety and compliance standards, the new facility reflects the rising regional demand for certified chemical storage infrastructure that supports manufacturing, energy, industrial services, and third-party logistics. The warehouse is situated on a 180,000sq ft plot with a built-up area of 112,000 sq ft, divided into three temperature-controlled chambers that reach a maximum height of 13 metres. The warehouse has been designed with advanced Early Suppression Fast Response (ESFR), and in-rack sprinkler systems to ensure safety and resilience across all operations.

The facility’s layout allows storage of a diverse range of hazard-classified chemicals. One chamber is configured for UN Class 3 and 4 chemicals, a second accommodates UN Class 5 chemicals, while the third has been developed for UN Class 6, 8, 9 and non-regulated materials. The warehouse offers capacity for 17,400 pallets and includes nine loading docks and three loading bays. The office space has been intentionally limited to three percent of the total built-up area, maximising operational efficiency and warehouse utility.

Speaking on the launch, Kunal Lahori, CEO of Palmon Group and Board Member of Manrre, said: “This new facility brings together precision engineering, regulatory compliance, and long-term value creation. Specialised chemical storage requires a high degree of control and risk management, and we have developed this warehouse to meet those expectations while offering flexibility and scalability for tenants. As one of the earliest developers in Jafza, Palmon Group remains committed to supporting the UAE’s logistics and industrial growth.”

Mohamed Ali, Head of GCC at GFH Partners, said: “The opening of this warehouse marks another important milestone in the expansion of the GFH Partners Manrre REIT portfolio, particularly in mission-critical industrial and logistics assets that serve high-growth sectors. The UAE continues to see strong demand for specialised storage solutions, and this facility reinforces our strategy to develop resilient, future-ready assets that deliver long-term value for our investors.”

The logistics hub is now fully operational and is leased to Safe Logistics. The new facility is expected to play a significant role in strengthening regulated supply chains and supporting Dubai’s position as one of the region’s foremost logistics and industrial hubs.

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Big Ticket joins DP World ILT20 Season 4 as Official Partner

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A professional cricket player for the Desert Vipers in mid-swing during a match. The batsman is wearing a dark green and black patterned jersey with red accents, a red helmet, and black protective leg pads. He is holding a wooden cricket bat high in a follow-through motion after playing a shot. The background shows a crowded stadium with purple and blue seating and a "DP World" branded wicket.

Big Ticket, the largest and longest-running guaranteed raffle draw in the Middle East (known for cash prizes, dream luxury cars, gold bars and coins) has joined the DP World International League T20 Season 4 as an Official Partner.

In recent years, Big Ticket has become more than just a raffle, it has gained the reputation of being a brand built around rewarding dreams and celebrating ambition, growing into one of the region’s largest and one of the most anticipated monthly draws in the UAE.

DP World ILT20 – the 34-match cricketing extravaganza – the biggest T20 tournament in the region featuring some of the most renowned global cricket stars is currently being played at the Dubai International Stadium, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

A cricket player from the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders standing at the crease, ready to receive a ball. The player is dressed in a purple and gold uniform with matching gold-colored leg pads and a gold helmet. He holds the bat upward in a standard batting stance. The stadium background features blue seats, a "UAE Cricket" sign, and another player in an orange uniform in the distance.

DP World ILT20 Head of Partnerships Ishan Chopra: “We are delighted to welcome a UAE born raffle giant like Big Ticket as an Official Partner of the DP World ILT20. Their legacy of helping dreams come true aligns perfectly with our vision of delivering unforgettable, fan-first experiences across the league. This partnership strengthens our commitment to creating moments of excitement both on and off the field, and we look forward to elevating Season 4 together. With a household name like Big Ticket on board, we are confident of unlocking even more opportunities for fans to engage, celebrate and go All In for Cricket.”

Meanwhile, DP World ILT20 match tickets across all categories are available for the remaining tournament matches. Various spectator stand tickets start at AED 20 and hospitality packages start from AED 325. Fans can also book the new Sixes Lounge experience for AED 395, which includes unlimited food and beverages. Tickets can be purchased by visiting tickets.ilt20.ae or Virgin Megastores.

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The Maritime Standard Awards 2025 winners list showcases high levels of innovation and operational excellence across the maritime sector

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The maritime sector’s leading awards event, The Maritime Standard (TMS) Awards 2025, has announced this year’s winners, honoring outstanding companies and industry leaders from across the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent. The Awards showcased achievement and innovation in 25 categories covering shipping, logistics, ship repair, offshore services, marine technology and related sectors, as well as a series of special awards for individual achievement. The prestigious event took place at Atlantis The Palm, Dubai on October 29th, attracting over 1000 senior executives, decision-makers and industry leaders, from the region, and across the globe.

Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, the event recognised organisations and individuals for setting new standards in operational excellence and leadership in the sector amid significant shifts in the industry, including decarbonisation, digitalization, and a renewed emphasis on supply chain resilience. From clean-fuel projects and AI-powered port operations to international collaborations that boost trade efficiency, the 2025 Awards showcased the industry’s progress in turning goals into tangible outcomes.

The evening was hosted by Yalda Hakim, a renowned international correspondent and documentary filmmaker, whose engaging presence added distinction to the occasion. The keynote address was delivered by Captain Abdulkareem Al Masabi, CEO of ADNOC Logistics and Services, who shared valuable insights on the evolving maritime landscape and the UAE’s leadership in advancing sustainable and innovative practices across the sector.

Clive Woodbridge, Editor of The Maritime Standard and Chairman of the Judging Panel, stated, “This year’s competition was exceptionally tough, and we received an unprecedented number of entries across all categories. Each finalist demonstrated remarkable achievements and operational standards over the past year, which underlines the significant advances that continue to be made in the regional maritime sector.”

A rigorous assessment process was conducted as part of the award selections, and this was supervised by an independent panel of distinguished judges that included some of the most prominent names in the maritime industry.

Trevor Pereira, Managing Director of The Maritime Standard, commented, “These Awards are not just about celebrating success, but also about encouraging excellence. This year’s event recognised innovative concepts, exciting new initiatives, and outstanding performance standards. As the region continues to expand its maritime infrastructure and digital port systems, with significant developments across the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent, events like The Maritime Standard Awards play a key role in reinforcing its position as a global leader in shipping and maritime.”

 Reaction from the individual winners on the night of October 29th was highly appreciative. Captain Mohamed Al Ali, Senior Vice President, Operations (Offshore Logistics), at ADNOC L&S, who received the Outstanding Achievement Award, added: “It was one of the greatest honours of my professional career to receive this Award. It really means a lot to me to have TMS recognise the years of dedication and hard work.”

Tony Dagher, the Founder and Managing Director of TMC Shipping Group was the recipient of the Young Person in Shipping and was similarly honoured. He said: “I have been fortunate to have had great support from many people during my journey in shipping, and to have a fantastic team around me now. This Award is as much for them as it is for me.

Over the past 12 years The Maritime Standard Awards has consolidated its standing as one of the most prominent annual gatherings within the global maritime calendar, gaining worldwide recognition for recognising excellence and promoting a more resilient and sustainable maritime future.

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