News
Redington’s new path-breaking initiative
The Integrator talks to Ramkumar Balakrishnan, President, Redington Value Division and Sayantan Dev, Redington Gulf Vice President to understand their new data analytics practice.
Distribution in the region has seen various changes over the last couple of years with the most significant being the shift from product based to solutions-based.
Redington Value, a leader in the value-added distributor channel saw the opportunity for expansion and growth by becoming a services aggregator and solutions provider for the channel. The driving force behind this change has been to keep up with their customer’s behaviour and the way that they want to consume technology. Hence, the journey began from providing products and solutions that the channel needed to a trusted partner that delivers outcomes to their customers.
To take on the issue of going from successfully selling hardware, software, licenses and subscriptions to reselling cloud services, Redington set up their own market place which currently serves over 900 odd customers. They play the role of an aggregator by re-selling the services from AWS, Microsoft and several other vendors that they have on board their market place. Citrus Consulting was set up to be able to efficiently provide implementation, support, managed services through the channel.
Data Analytics opportunity
Then began the next phase of setting up their next initiative around data science and advanced analytics. According to Gartner, by the end of 2020, the advanced analytics market is forecast to grow to $22.8 billion.
“Between different market reports the analytics, addressable markets for Middle East and Africa is anywhere between 3 to 4 billion US dollars including all the products, all the services, this is a sizeable business opportunity in front of our partners. Our whole idea about setting up this practice was creating the capacity in terms of skills which can become complimenting to what our partners can deliver and jointly we can go and address this 4-billion-dollar market.” says Ramkumar Balakrishnan, President, Redington Value Division. The fundamental basis upon which this practice has been set up is to enable their channel partners to move up the value chain and address these opportunities, he further adds.
Sayantan Dev, Redington Gulf Vice President went on to explains what this practice is going to bring to the forefront. “Unlike any infrastructure business, we went straight into the customer premise and tried to find out from the customer side. It starts with a business problem that the customer wants to resolve with the help of other IT solutions what we call the data science or to be more precise decision science.” The sources of data available largely depends on the customer. The structured or unstructured petabytes of data comes in and is given to the models which would be able to provide extremely accurate outcomes. Redington Value will soon be revealing the few world class vendors they have signed on.
One of a kind
This model of distributing big data analytics practice has neve been done before regionally and perhaps globally. A year and a half of work has gone into this initiative and for Redington it has been an immense learning curve, but they have taken the challenge head on to feature this pilot model globally along with their vendors. Before signing on global vendors, a lot of confidence had to be built. These vendors used to use the classic value add models to be able to sell their products. They will now benefit from a better more well put together structure. A team of 25 people is being put together under data science, where no one on the team is from a distribution background. The team is made up of people from consulting background and or a background of services, people who understand business more than technology. Additionally, there are several people who will be hired for Citrus from a delivery stand point. These people are divided into consultants – they are either technology consultants or domain consultants, technical pre-sales, sales. They will consult the end customer along with the partner.
There are two kinds of technical people – people who will write the algorithm i.e.; data scientists and then you have the coders. The people who are well versed with being able to write the right codes to create the right structure around big data.
Training programs
Redington Value makes training one of its core functions which they deliver to vendors and partners. Hosting around 500-600 training sessions in a calendar year for various vendors which includes certification trainings, enablement trainings, training for end customers hands on for what products they have bought and various kinds of trainings and have various calendars that keep coming out. “We are an authorised training centre for several of our vendors also. Now with the analytics and the new practice, education, enablement and training is going to be most critical.” says Ramkumar Balakrishnan. With customer success being a very important area of the practice.
Doubling digits
Redington has seen a window that this is a multimillion dollar business opportunity for their partners who will be delivering a major chunk of the services, this opportunity must be significant. If they are to take on VAR’s and System Integrators, this practice can become million dollars in a few years’ time. The real value relies on the services and not the product itself.
Redington is going to invest on creating horizontal technology specialisation then leverage Citrus to bring in vertical specialisation. But the partner cannot take on this investment by himself. For a partner it’s about picking a vertical, bringing in the domain expertise and then selecting one or two areas of technology, having the right amount of investment and then leveraging Redington says Ramkumar Balakrishnan.
News
GFH Partners Manrre REIT (CEIC) PLC and Palmon Group unveil new temperature-controlled chemical warehouse in JAFZA
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.
News
Big Ticket joins DP World ILT20 Season 4 as Official Partner
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.

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