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2017 COC Awards ceremony felicitates winners

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The 11th VAR COC Awards Gala was held on 26th April at the Shangri-la hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. The event felicitated winners in different categories of the industry’s most prestigious channel awards.
The sponsors of the event were Dell, Toshiba, Seagate, WD, AOC, Zoook, Kaspersky Lab, PNY, Touchmate, Dlink and Linksys.
The VAR COC Awards included nominations from the industry that were followed by online voting on www.varonline.com. The channel voted for their preferred choices and a select Jury vote helped validate the results. The survey ran from March until the second week of April and winners were declared on the basis of the survey results.
The Awards ceremony included a short address by Mr. Vivek Sharma, the CEO and founder of JNS Media International and publisher of VAR Magazine. During his address, he recalled the growth of the awards and the pioneering impact they have had in the region as the first ever awards for the ICT channel by a Media company.
Among the categories, the ‘Innovative Projector Brand of the Year’ was won by Epson, a brand that continues to be one with a wide array of projectors for all user segments and is constant with innovations
HP came on top as the Innovative Printer Brand of the Year, duly recognized for the new innovations continued reach into the channel and the market along with an extensive portfolio of printers and MFPs. AOC, a manufacturer that has one of the largest portfolios of monitors addressing all the segments was the Innovative Display Brand of the Year.
The ‘Innovative Storage Devices Brand of the Year’, a closely fought category went to Seagate, a recognition of its considerable storage devices/media portfolio, continued innovations and channel reach. The ‘Innovative Networking Brand of the Year’ was won by Linksys, a brand that is at the forefront of innovations that reimagine the way we think of networking devices for home and SMB segments.
The winner in the ‘Innovative Laptop Brand of the Year’ category was Dell, a manufacturer that has unveiled innovations across the spectrum in the category and continued to be a powerhouse in the segment. Sony, a brand that offers outstanding design and functionalities in several of its models was the winner of the ‘Innovative Smartphone Brand of the year’.
Belkin, a brand that offers an extensive portfolio of accessories and is known for its exquisite designs was the winner of the ‘Innovative Accessories Brand of the Year’.
EPOS, a regional manufacturer of PoS Systems, Touch Screens, Receipt Printers, Barcode Scanners, Banking Equipments, etc emerged on top of contenders for the category Innovative POS Solutions Brand of the Year.
Asus, a brand that has had a successful sub-brand focused on gaming for over 10 years won the Gaming Laptop Brand of the Year’ category.
Samsung, a brand that is playing a pioneering role in taking AR & VR technologies solutions to market was the winner of ‘AR & VR Innovation Brand of the Year’.
The winner of the ‘Home & SOHO Networking Brand of the Year’ was TP-Link, a that has been building and consolidating its presence in the local market for the past few years and now has a sizeable reach in channel. D-Link, with an extensive portfolio for the SMB segment and a strong channel, the winner of the ‘SMB Networking Brand of the Year’ category.
The ‘Consumer NAS Brand of the Year’ category saw WD, one of the powerhouses of the storage market and has an extensive NAS range for consumers emerge the winner. On the other hand, the winner of the category ‘Business NAS Brand of the Year’ was QNAP, a company that has a vast range of NAS solutions upto enterprise scale.
Kaspersky Lab, a Brand that has built up considerable market presence globally and in the region and has consolidated over the past several years, won the category ‘PC Security Software Brand of the Year’
The global consumer endpoint security market to grow at a CAGR of 11.81% during the period 2016-2020. One of the major trends observed in the market is the increasing demand for integrated endpoint security suites.
ESET, a brand that has been one of the strong contenders in the segment and has a considerable local presence in retail was the ‘Mobile Security Software Brand of the Year.’
E-City, a company that has done a rebranding initiative, is focusing on innovation in terms of layouts and has also added digital pricing won the ‘Innovative ICT Retailer of the Year’
In the first of the awards presented to distributors at the event, Asbis was awarded ‘Mobility Distributor of the Year’ for its Mobility and retail focus. Trigon, a distributor that has a strong networking portfolio was the ‘Networking Distributor of the Year’ winner while FDC International came ahead of other contenders and won the ‘Components Distributor of the Year’ category.
With largest number of votes in its favour, AB Vision Electronics was winner of the ‘AV Distributor of the Year’
The winner in the ‘Retail Distributor of the Year’ category was National Store, one of the leading distributors of the region that has been associated with some strong brands and has been instrumental in contributing to their market success. Touchmate, a brand that offers a vast range of ICT products from tablets and laptops to peripherals and accessories, was yet again the winner of the category ‘Regional Brand of the Year’.
New Trend Computers LLC, a company that is reputed for its focus on selling networking products and is associated with leading networking brands emerged the winner in the category ‘Networking Reseller of the Year.’
COMPUTRONIC TRADING LLC was the winner of the ‘Mobility Reseller of the Year’ while the ‘Champion Reseller of the Year’ winner was Al Ershad Group. Linksys, a brand that continues to expands vision for the industry and has strengthened its presence in the region’s reseller channel and retail market won the ‘Brand of the Year’ category’.
Among Editor’s choice categories of the year, the ‘Innovative Product of the Year’ went to Toshiba for its innovations including the ‘CANVIO for Smartphone’. The winner of the Emerging Accessories Brand of the Year was Zoook, a brand that has an inspiring range of mobile accessories positioned towards various user segments. The last award of the day was won by PNY in the category ‘Fast Growing Brand of the Year’.

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Dhruva to Rebrand as Ryan Across the Middle East, Signaling Unified Global Brand

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Dhruva will adopt the Ryan brand across the UAE and Saudi Arabia by the end of 2026, uniting the practice with Ryan’s global identity and international platform.

Dhruva, a leading tax consultancy firm in the Middle East, and Ryan, a leading global tax services and software provider, today announced that Dhruva will transition to the Ryan brand across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The rebranding will be completed by the end of 2026, bringing the practice under Ryan’s global identity and reinforcing its position as part of the world’s leading global-scale specialist in business tax.

The transition marks the next phase of the strategic joint venture announced in 2025 and reflects the continued integration of Dhruva’s regional capabilities with Ryan’s global platform, technology, and international resources. Clients across the Middle East will continue to benefit from the same trusted advisory teams, enhanced by access to Ryan’s worldwide expertise and service capabilities.


“The Middle East has been a strategic growth market for us for many years, and we have built a strong advisory practice founded on deep client relationships, technical excellence, and local market understanding,” said Dinesh Kanabar, Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Dhruva Advisors and Vice Chairman, Ryan.

“The transition to the Ryan brand marks a significant milestone in our journey and reflects the strength of our partnership. By combining our regional expertise with Ryan’s global scale, technology, and international capabilities, we are creating an even stronger platform to support clients across the region as they navigate an increasingly dynamic and evolving tax landscape.”


“The Middle East is one of the most important growth markets for tax advisory services globally, and we are investing in the region with a long-term view,” said Tom Shave, President of Ryan’s European and Asia-Pacific Operations. “Uniting under the Ryan brand strengthens how we serve clients across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Europe—bringing seamless access to our global expertise, technology, and international resources through one trusted platform. This transition marks an important milestone in our integration and reinforces our commitment to the region’s future.”


Ryan will continue to invest in its Middle East operations, expanding its team, capabilities, and regional presence across key markets, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh. The practice provides comprehensive tax advisory services spanning corporate tax, value-added tax (VAT) and indirect tax, transfer pricing, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) tax structuring, research and development (R&D), and cross-border compliance.


“The response from our clients over the past year has been the clearest validation of this partnership,” said Nimish Goel, Leader, Middle East, Dhruva, a Ryan Affiliate. “From the outset, our teams have been integrating Ryan’s global capabilities in technology, specialized expertise, and best practices into the work we already lead in the region. Adopting the Ryan brand is the natural next step. It is the same people and the same trusted relationships, now carrying the name of the largest Firm in the world dedicated exclusively to business taxes.”


The rebranding will be implemented in phases during the second half of 2026, with signage, visual identity, and digital properties transitioning to the Ryan brand across the region.

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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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