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A DESERVING APPLAUSE FOR WINNERS OF INTEGRATOR ICT CHAMPION AWARDS
By Editor
The winners of the Integrator ICT Champion Awards were chosen through a polling activity of votes during a 3 week long online survey, hosted on www.varonline.com and winners were decided on the basis of maximum votes polled
The Integrator Awards were launched last year to recognize outstanding achievements in key categories representing the value side of the ICT industry. This is in parallel to the VAR COC Awards that saw its 9th edition held at the Meydan hotel in March. These awards are now being consolidated under the common banner of ‘The ICT Champion Awards’.
The award winners were chosen through a polling of votes from industry particpants during a 3 week long online survey, hosted on www.varonline.com and winners were decided on the basis of maximum votes polled. There was a great participation from the industry in the voting process.
The vendor nominees were shortlisted initially on the basis of top names in specific domains and among them the active ones in this region were then requested to send in their nominations for relevant categories of the survey. For distributor and integrator categories, the names were shortlisted on basis of known activities that have been broadcast over the year as well as past communication of the editorial team with those companies.
The winners thorougly deserve the applause. Please find below the list of 2014 winners of the Integrator ICT Champion Awards.
Winners of the Integrator ICT Champion Awards 2014:
Cloud Computing Vendor of the Year
Winner: Microsoft Gulf
The winner in the category is a company that has listed cloud as one of its key areas of focus and has an extensive array of cloud versions of its products which are promising to make more money for its partners.
Virtualisation Vendor of the year
Winner: VMware
The winner in the category is a company that has played a key role in providing customers and partners in the region to reduce costs and enhance agility through Cloud and virtualization solutions.
SMB Storage Vendor of the Year
Winner: NetApp
The award goes to a vendor who employs the strategy of partnering to deliver the functionality and value of Enterprise Data Management Solutions which are ideal for mission-critical IT applications to the Mid-Market cost effectively.
Enterprise Storage Vendor of the Year
Winner: EMC
The winner is a company that has a comprehensive suite of enterprise storage solutions and is a worldwide network-attached storage (NAS) and unified storage, as well as leading storage provider for key applications and virtual environments.
?SMB Networking Vendor of the Year
Winner: D-Link
A vendor focused on this segment needs to provide a range of products inclusive of switches, routers, and gateways that meet the growing aspirations of the smaller sized companies.The winner in the category is a company which has been consistent in its regional strategies and is reaping the rewards for that commitment.
Enterprise Networking Vendor of the Year
Winner: Cisco
The winner in this category is a company that has dominance across several main segments of enterprise networking and is still believed to command close to 75% of the enterprise router market, and about 70% of the enterprise switch market.
Unified Communications Vendor of the Year
Winner: Avaya
The winner in the category is a company that focuses on productivity solutions that are innovative in the UC space. It focuses on bringing flexible, multi-medium communications tools into a single strategic asset for enterprises and SMBs
Video Conferencing Vendor of the Year
Winner: Polycom
The winner in the category is a company that has long been known for its quality hardware products– conference phones, video endpoints, telepresence systems and so on and is well placed to make further gains through its strategic vendor partnership in the UC space.
Data Management & Analytics Vendor of the Year
Winner: SAP
The winners of the category is a company that provides a single platform for advanced real-time analytics, data warehousing, visualization and reporting and enterprise applications.
Disaster Recovery and Backup Software Vendor of the Year
Winner: Symantec
The Winner in this category is a vendor that has effectively been able to offer disaster recovery and backup solution, both hardware and software based, designed for both virtual and physical environments.
Client Security Software Vendor of the Year
Winner: Kaspersky Lab
The winner of the category is a company whose enterprise security portfolio now includes a new expansion for Virtualization, which brings security technologies to virtual endpoints that were previously difficult to secure without sacrificing network performance.
Network Security Vendor of the Year
Winner: Dell
The winner in the category is a vendor that offers an end to end portfolio from a next-generation firewall to other leading security solutions including Data Protection and Encryption and Security Services, making it a great value proposition for its partners.
WAN Optimisation Vendor of the Year
Winner: Riverbed Technology
The winner is a company that has unique WAN optimization solutions able to span mobile workers, branch offices, and data centres, both physical and virtual, allowing the distributed workforce to collaborate in real time and is also rebranding its end-to-end product portfolio, seeking to broaden its reach beyond the WAN optimization market.
Power Solutions Vendor of the Year
Winner: APC by Schneider Electric
The winner is a company that offers solutions to manage the power and cooling of business critical infrastructure and is among the top three in datacenter infrastructure management.
DCIM Solutions Vendor of the Year
Winner: ManageEngine
The award in this category goes to a vendor that provides the software tools required to monitor and manage various aspects of the data centre such as the network, servers, applications, storage infrastructures etc as well as non-IT parameters of the facilities infrastructure and environmental parameters such as humidity and temperature via sensors
Enterprise VAD of the Year
Winner: APTEC – an Ingram Micro Company
The winner in this category is a Distribution pioneer of the region that has continued to lead through very positive and beneficial VAR relationships and is highly regarded by resellers in the region and beyond.
SMB VAD of the Year
Winner: Redington Value
To cater for the SMB and their needs requires a delicate balancing act between quality and price and the winner of the category therefore has to be a company that has successfully maintained a vendor portfolio of brands that are able to offer scalable solutions as these businesses grow.
Networking VAD of the Year
Winner: WestconGroup
System integrators will require multiple complementing hardware and software. It is a great advantage to them if they can access all these services and products from a single supplier to ensure speedy delivery and unified contact source. The winner in this category has successfully brought key vendors together ensuring a total 360 degree integrated solution for clients.
Security VAD of the Year
Winner: ComGuard
The category recognizes a generalist Value Added Distributor that has a broad suite of solutions for the Enterprise and is bringing a great focus to its security hardware appliances and software portfolio.
UC Infrastructure VAD of the Year
Winner: FVC
By aligning with leading brands in the UC space and bringing to its partners a broad communication suite that includes high definition and high quality communication hardware and services, the winner in this category has brought to clients the ability to collaborate and enhance productivity, while also creating sizeable cost savings.
Storage VAD of the Year
Winner: StorIT Distribution FZCO
Winner of the award for a second year in a row, StorIT Distribution FZCO has allied with leading storage vendors and continues to provide a suite of solutions & services that enable enterprises large and small to store, protect & manage business critical data, and harness the value of information.
KVM Solutions VAD of the Year
Winner: Wave Tech
The winner of the category is Wave Tech, a distributor of networking products and with a strong portfolio of KVM connectivity solutions which are an integral part of a data center’s infrastructure.
Information Security Solutions VAD of the Year
Winner: Spire Solutions
Recognizing the growing eminence of Information Security, this category applauds a domain specialist distributor who is focused only on the Information Security software solutions niche and focuses on solutions ranging from SIM to vulnerability management and penetration testing etc.
Emerging VAD of the Year
Winner: FDC ProValue
This award recognizes a company that is fast building a strong value add focus though alliances with leading Technology vendors. The company has a strong broadline division but its value division is a recent venture but started off on a strong footing, focusing on key verticals.
Visionary VAD of the Year
Winner: SNB Middle East
This is an award that applauds a young distributor for its vision in developing a focused strategy and successfully executing it.
Managed Services Provider of the Year
Winner: Dimension Data
The winner in this category is a company that offers an extensive managed services portfolio which includes several globally standardised managed services products in specific technology domains – including networks, data centres, security, visual communications, unified communications and collaboration and contact centres.
Networking Integrator of the Year
Winner: Alpha Data
As one of the largest multi-disciplined systems integrators in the region, the winner of this category has accreditation with some of the biggest names in this space ensuring a very high level of confidence for clients and is reputed for its ability to serve clients across the whole business spectrum from SMBs to large government bodies
Storage Integrator of the Year
Winner: CONDO PROTEGO
The winner of the category is a company that brings a consultative approach to the fore and has alliances with the top tier Brands in storage.
Telecom Integrator of the Year
Winner: Prologix
The winner is a company that is focusing on delivering solutions for different industry verticals and has a strong reach in the Telecom sector with a wide range of products suitable for the telecom segment.
Security Integrator of the Year
Winner: Paramount Computer Systems
The award category recognizes the SI who has a focused practice around providing a comprehensive suite of security solutions and services to customers across all verticals and is allied with leading vendors in the security space.
Software Solutions Integrator of the Year
Winner: Finesse
The winner is a company that provides Technology Solutions and services to Banking, Education, Energy, Healthcare, Hospitality and Retail segments
Emerging System Integrator of the Year
Winner: Intelligent Business Technologies
This award goes to a young SI company that provides turnkey solutions, is showing a swift growth and has customers across the region.
News
Deep Dive Dubai Launches Sunken City Walk, a Cinematic Underwater Experience that Makes Adventure Just a Step Away
Deep Dive Dubai has unveiled its newest attraction for experience seekers with the launch of Sunken City Walk. The guided underwater activity invites guests to step into a cinematic cityscape filled with surreal details. From an underwater swing and motorbike to a café table that looks straight out of a movie scene, this is Dubai’s latest must-try attraction.
The hour-long journey begins with a full briefing and safety overview, followed by guests changing into wetsuits and equipment provided on-site. They then join trained instructors for a 20-minute guided underwater walk through the Sunken City—an accessible, certification-free experience that requires no swimming skills, making it ideal for guests aged 10 and above. Currently offered at an introductory price of AED 600, with an optional 30-second keepsake video for AED 200, the experience is currently available in four daily slots at 11 AM, 12 PM, 2pm, and 3pm.
Jarrod Jablonski, Director, Deep Dive Dubai, said that “With Sunken City Walk, we’re continuing to shape Dubai’s reputation as a city of unforgettable experiences. It’s a unique attraction that reflects Dubai’s spirit, where visitors can discover adventure in ways they never thought possible.”
The launch reflects a global trend that travellers are choosing experiences over possessions. Supporting this, Shamal’s Experience Economy Report stated that 75% of UAE residents are more willing to spend on experiences, with 80% allocating a dedicated monthly budget. The launch also aligns with Dubai’s commitment to strengthening its global tourism appeal. According to Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), the city welcomed 9.88 million international visitors in the first half of 2025, a six percent increase year-on-year, reinforcing its position as one of the world’s leading lifestyle and tourism hubs. Sunken City Walk at Deep Dive Dubai adds a new way for visitors to experience the city’s spirit of reinvention, where adventure is always just a step away.
While Sunken City Walk offers a first taste of underwater adventure, guests can plunge into the incredible world of diving at Deep Dive Dubai, choosing from experiences such as scuba diving, freediving, and specialised diving courses.
Staying hydrated just got easier, and greener, thanks to Ourwatr, that’s launching a nationwide free mineral water programme starting June 2025. It’s a first in the region: clean, refreshing mineral water made freely available across the country, delivered through a unique model that blends sustainability, community care, and social impact.
From metro stations and shopping malls to parks and government offices, thousands of chilled bottles of mineral water, sourced locally from Dibba, Fujairah, will soon be within everyone’s reach, every day. Ourwatr’s mission is simple: hydration is a right, not a privilege.
“At Ourwatr, we believe that drinking water should be accessible to all,” says Abhinav Murali, Co-founder.
“That’s why we’re giving away premium mineral water for free, and every bottle supports communities in need. It’s hydration with heart, proudly made right here in the UAE.”
Stamp of UAE quality
All Ourwatr bottles carry the prestigious EQM (Emirates Quality Mark) certification, guaranteeing they meet strict UAE national and international quality standards. When you grab a bottle, you’re assured of top-quality water, safe, pure, refreshing and approved by the country’s standardisation authority.
Mission in a bottle
With temperatures rising across the UAE, especially during summer, access to clean drinking water is more important than ever, for workers, families, children, and the elderly alike.
“In our desert climate, hydration isn’t just healthy; it’s life-saving,” adds co-founder Bharath Mohan.
“Each bottle we provide is a small act of kindness toward our community.”
Ourwatr is more than just a startup, it’s a mission in a bottle. Launched by three young, UAE-based entrepreneurs, the idea was sparked by a simple but powerful observation: access to free, convenient hydration isn’t always a given.
Wanting to change that, the trio built a business with heart at its core. The team is also in talks with various UAE charitable organisations and government agencies to expand its reach and impact. For every bottle distributed, a portion will be donated to local charities, turning everyday hydration into a meaningful act of giving.
A Model Built on Purpose and Sustainability
Ourwatr isn’t just about water, it’s about doing good. Instead of selling to consumers, the company partners with brands and organisations who cover the production and distribution costs. In return, sponsors co-brand the bottles, using them as a platform to share positive messages and shared values, while making a real difference.
“Sustainability isn’t just about less waste, it’s about creating lasting, meaningful change,” explains Sharat Nair, Co-founder.
The bottles are crafted from recyclable materials, aligning with the UAE’s zero-waste goals and green agenda.
Backing UAE Vision 2030
Ourwatr’s initiative supports the UAE’s Vision 2030 goals around health, sustainability, and quality of life. The startup is already collaborating with local authorities to expand water access and reach as many people as possible.
More than just water, Ourwatr is delivering hope, equality, and care, one bottle at a time.
Ardee Developments has announced the launch of sales for Fairmont Residences Al Marjan Island, its highly anticipated branded residential offering in partnership with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts.
Official sales will commence on 1 June 2025 with expression of interest starting 15 May 2025, marking a major milestone in the evolution of Ardee Al Marjan Island, the company’s flagship, multi-billion-dirham development set to redefine coastal living in Ras Al Khaimah.
Fairmont Residences Al Marjan Island will comprise 523 upscale residences — including apartments, townhouses, and sea villas — ranging from one to six bedrooms and spanning 86 m² to over 300 m². Every home is thoughtfully designed to embody refined beachfront living, with uninterrupted sea views and elegant interiors that reflect timeless sophistication.
Bringing together the prestige of the Fairmont brand with the ease of resort-style living, residents will enjoy exclusive access to a private beach, the Fairmont Fit Fitness Centre and Studio, family & kids pool, adults sky pool & terrace & bar, dedicated boardroom and private dining room, resident’s owners lounge as well as wellness facilities including treatment rooms, screening room, games room, kids club and seamless connectivity to the adjacent Fairmont resort.
Further enriching the offering is a tailored suite of à la carte services. From in-home catering and private chef experiences to childcare, dog walking, housekeeping, personal concierge support, and a home maintenance program while residents are away, every element is designed to simplify and enhance everyday living. In addition, residents will enjoy exclusive access to the Accor Owner Benefits Program. This includes Diamond status in the Accor Live Limitless (ALL) programme, the ability to gift Gold status to family and friends, and VIP privileges at over 5,700 hotels and resorts around the world.
With prices starting from AED 2.49 Million, Fairmont Residences Al Marjan Island offers an exclusive opportunity for discerning buyers seeking long-term value, effortless luxury, and a lifestyle defined by exceptional quality in one of the region’s most iconic coastal destinations.
Beyond the residences, guests were given an exclusive look at the next phase of the Ardee Al Marjan Island masterplan. The development is progressing into a fully integrated coastal destination that blends residences, hospitality, leisure, retail, and entertainment on an unprecedented scale.
Key components of the masterplan include branded and serviced residences, private villas, townhouses, a flagship luxury hotel, and a vibrant retail and F&B promenade. The destination will also feature a variety of curated lifestyle offerings — from wellness hubs and gaming lounges to family entertainment zones and waterfront experiences — all designed to create a future-ready, immersive community.
Prioritizing walkability, nature access, and sea connectivity, the project will boast expansive green spaces, direct beach access, and panoramic views, setting a new standard for contemporary island living in Ras Al Khaimah.
Vishal Mehta, CEO of Ardee Developments, added: “As we prepare to open sales of Fairmont Residences Al Marjan Island this June, we are proud to invite buyers into a community that reflects excellence at every level. In partnership with Al Marjan Island, Fairmont Hotels, and Christie’s International Real Estate, we are shaping a new era of luxury coastal living in Ras Al Khaimah — one defined by world-class design, hospitality, and lifestyle, brought together in a truly integrated destination.”
To support global sales efforts, Ardee Developments has appointed Christie’s International Real Estate Ras Al Khaimah as the exclusive master agency. Christie’s will lead GCC and international outreach and client servicing, ensuring a seamless buyer journey.
“This is a vibrant and integrated coastal lifestyle community that combines natural beauty, unparalleled hospitality and leisure not seen in the area before,” said Jackie Johns and Dinesh Chhatwani, Managing Partners at Christie’s International Real Estate Ras Al Khaimah. “Ras Al Khaimah’s momentum as a global hospitality and investment hub, and its rapidly growing real estate market, makes it the ideal launchpad for Ardee Developments to execute its grand vision.”
Deep Dive Dubai Launches Sunken City Walk, a Cinematic Underwater Experience that Makes Adventure Just a Step Away
Inclusive Design Thinking in Commercial Interiors
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