Citrix Reimagine 2025 Summit scores a success in Johannesburg, South Africa
CITRIX REIMAGINE 2025, Citrix’s flagship event, brought together thought leaders, technology strategists, and industry professionals for two powerful days of collaboration, learning and innovation at the Axiz Office in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Citrix Reimagine, held in-person on June 10 and 11, was more than just an event. According to the Citrix team, over the course of the two days, 100+ attendees delved into conversation with our Citrix speakers and team members around secure, intelligent workspaces, shared insights on enhancing productivity, and discussed strategies for building secure, scalable, and flexible IT environments in the African subcontinent. The sessions were rich with knowledge, and the networking opportunities were invaluable.
Day one of the event was Partner Day. This was a closed-door session dedicated to Citrix valued partners, focusing on enablement, strategic alignment, and go-to-market success.
Day two was Customer Day – a dynamic day of immersive discussions and solution showcases for end customers, highlighting Citrix’s commitment to driving business transformation in high-growth markets.
“Technology has never just been about systems; it’s more about shaping the way we live and work. That’s why I’m proud to be part of Citrix, where we’re reimaging work and workplaces with purpose” said Pierpaolo Taliento, GM, EEMEA – Cloud Software Group (CSG). Pierpaolo led the event, with his keynote bringing key executive insights into building resilient digital strategies across the dynamic markets of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Shehzaad Noormahomed introduced the Citrix Vision and Strategy for Sub Saharan Africa. Photo credit: Citrix
Shehzaad Noormahomed, Regional Sales Director SSA – CSG examined the Citrix Vision and Strategy for Sub Saharan Africa. Other important inputs came from Francois van Deventer, Director and CTO – Emerging Markets – Eastern Europe, Turkey, MENA, Africa, Citrix, who presented ‘Citrix Vision and Strategy – a Roadmap to Success.’
Andre Combrinck, Lead Sales Engineer at Cloud Software Group, spoke about ‘Securing Your Citrix Environment’ and Daniel Botha, Customer Success, Cloud Software Group, joined Francois van Deventer to explore an ‘Introduction to the Citrix CSM program.’
Pravin Singh, Account Technology Strategist at Cloud Software Group, joined Mark Apker, Sales Engineer, Cloud Software Group and colleagues Daniel Botha, Andre Combrinck to present insights including ‘Modernize & Automate Your Citrix Environment’ and ‘Optimizing Your Citrix Environment for Performance.’
Other speakers taking part in the event included Terence Barter, Executive Head of Product, Axiz, who delivered the Sponsor keynote that began proceedings on Day One. The Sponsor keynote on Day Two was delivered by Kurt Goodall, Technical Director at Troye Computer Systems, which has decades of experience in secure digital workspaces and intelligent infrastructure. Kurt delivered key thoughts on achieving agility, resilience and security by optimizing Citrix environments.
Vicky Rentzepi gave the closing address. Photo credit: Citrix
Vicky Rentzepi, Senior Director Operations & Sales Commercial EEMEA – CSG, closed the event and summed up the progress of the two days of discussion and collaboration.
Some important points emerged during the two days:
A clear roadmap of Citrix’s strategic vision tailored to emerging African markets.
Proven approaches to modernize and secure digital workspaces.
Actionable insights to boost digital performance and user experience.
Smart automation tools designed for efficiency and scalability.
Strategies to extract maximum value from existing Citrix investments.
On the Cloud Software Group Africa, Eastern Europe and Middle East LinkedIn profile, a spokesperson said this about the success of the event in Johannesburg: “A heartfelt thank you to all our customers, partners, sponsors and speakers who made this event a resounding success. Your passion and commitment to innovation are what drives our industry forward. Looking ahead, the momentum from Citrix Reimagine 2025 will undoubtedly inspire continued collaboration and advancement in the digital workspace landscape.”
100+ speakers, attendees and Citrix team members made the event a big success. Photo credit: Citrix
MiCloudSW Ltd (an Affiliate of Midis Group) is Cloud Software Group’s Strategic Partner for the majority of Africa, Eastern Europe and Middle East. Geographically, MiCloudSW will be the exclusive representative for CSG, Citrix and TIBCO in Eastern Europe, SSA and Middle East.
MiCloudSW take responsibility for all Citrix business across these territories, and all Tibco business in Sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern Europe – all distributor and partner agreements transfer to MiCloudSW, as well existing employees. We are investing and deploying further dedicated sales, technical and channel management resources within the territory with specialist skills to support partners and customers. As a result, Cloud Software Group and its partner community will see greater focus, agility and support.
The team from MBCOM Technologies, Broadcom Representative, were a key presence at Broadcom Regional Partner Summit 2025, which they hosted this year in Budapest, Hungary. The two-day Summit from June 11 to 12 was aimed at eastern European and CIS Partners.
Hosting the event was a proud moment for the team at MBCOM. It was a chance to bring together brilliant minds, bold ideas, and a shared commitment to shaping the future of tech. From next-gen cybersecurity strategies to reimagining infrastructure and unlocking new levels of network visibility, every session pushed the envelope.
Aytek Karagozoglu – Vice President of EMEA Partners and Commercial Sales, Broadcom – presents an overview of the Broadcom and MBCOM Technologies partnership. Photo credit: MBCOM Technologies
The event began with a welcome keynote by Nehme Mouchantaf – Vice President, MBCOM Technologies, who passed the stage over to Aytek Karagozoglu – Vice President of EMEA Partners and Commercial Sales, Broadcom, for an overview of the Broadcom and MBCOM partnership. Ashraf El Beainy – Regional Channel Manager, MBCOM Technologies then took the moment to describe opportunities around the Partner Program and Certification.
After a coffee break other speakers followed, including Hisham Malak – Head of Support; Marijeta Dolsak – Regional Renewals Manager, both from MBCOM Technologies, and Arnaud Taddai – Global Security Strategist, Broadcom. Further sessions took place after lunch and the day ended with a City Adventure Program and a boat trip. The evening was reserved for a Gala Dinner and Award Ceremony.
Dick O’Brian – Principal Intelligence Analyst at Broadcom – presents ‘AI and Cybersecurity Risks and Opportunities.’ Photo credit: MBCOM Technologies
Day two began with important insights into ‘AI and Cybersecurity: Risks and Opportunities’ from Dick O’Brian – Principal Intelligence Analyst at Broadcom. Dick’s presentation was backed up by Jaromir Slesinger – Chief Technology Officer, MBCOM Technologies (on Agile Operations Division strategy) and Jakub Kolacny – Senior Consultant, MBCOM Technologies who presented ‘AI puts traditional management tools to next level.’
A coffee break followed, and further sessions took place: Dubravko Hlede – Senior Technology Consultant at MBCOM Technologies presented ‘A solution guide to NIS2 compliance’ and Albert Jurisic – Managing Director, Piopet spoke about ‘Experience driven network operations with AppNeta.’ Rafal Syryt – Solution Consultant, MBCOM Technologies ended the morning session with ‘Enhancing DLP with Automated Security Incident Remediation.’
Lukas Jezek – Consultant, CATTA Consulting began the afternoon’s proceedings with insights about Enterprise-wide investment portfolios management. Martin Trávníček – Co-owner, Zymestic Solutions and Štefan Pivoda – Senior Consultant, MBCOM Technologies then followed with ‘Transformation of monitoring to full stack observability.’ Last speaker of the day was David Mateju – Senior Technology Consultant, MBCOM Technologies who explored how ‘Privileged Access Management can be set up in one day.’
Nehme Mouchantaf – Vice President, MBCOM Technologies thanked the speakers for their efforts as he closed the successful event.
At the end of day two there was time for a group photo of attendees, speakers and the MBCOM Technologies and Broadcom teams. Photo credit: MBCOM Technologies
On the MBCOM Technologies website, a spokesperson summed up the feeling of success after the event: “A big thank you to our loyal partners and distributors for coming with us to Budapest for the Partner Summit, where they could listen to news in the field of security and information, about our partner program, support and renewals, or Enterprise Security Group and AOD strategies, in two days. The discussion with our salesmen, technicians and senior managers across regions was also beneficial.
The event has been an excellent opportunity to connect with our partners and discuss the future of security in an evolving threat landscape. Talking with colleagues we had many meaningful conversations, shared insights, and strong collaboration was at the heart of the event. We are grateful for the chance to exchange ideas and strengthen the relationships that drive innovation and customer value.
One highlight? The powerful exchanges that reminded us: innovation doesn’t happen in isolation – it thrives in partnership. Huge thanks to our incredible partners, speakers, and attendees for making it such a memorable experience. Onward and upward!”
One of the highlights of the evening of day one was a boat trip. Photo credit: MBCOM Technologies
MBCOM Technologies is a subsidiary of the Midis Group and is the sole distributor for Broadcom Software (including CA and Symantec software solutions) in five substantial territories – the Middle East, Turkey, Africa, Eastern Europe and CIS.
K-tuin opens new APP store in Alicante, Spain
On Thursday, June 12, K-tuin proudly inaugurated its newest Apple Premium Partner store in Alicante—marking the opening of the 46th location for the K-tuin group. Located in the vibrant Plaza Mar 2 shopping center, this new store becomes the second K-tuin outlet in the city, alongside the existing location on Calle Alemania, and the third in the Alicante province.
As with previous K-tuin launches, the opening reception was extraordinary. Hundreds of Apple and K-tuin fans enjoyed the event and were entertained with music, contests, gifts and raffles. The first keen Apple customers arrived early in the morning and many waited all day until the opening at 7 p.m.
“We’re excited to open our second store in Alicante — especially in such a premium location like the Plaza Mar 2 shopping center” said Juan Fernández Martinez, Marketing & Ecommerce Manager at K-tuin. “The new store has everything you’d expect from an Apple Premium Partner: sleek design, ample space, and most importantly, the expert advice and services that make K-tuin so successful in the city. You just have to look at how many people came to join us for the opening, amazing!” said Juan Fernández Martinez.
The full range of innovative and stylish Apple products are available at the new K-tuin store at Plaza Mar 2. Photo credit: K-tuin
The new store offers everything you can expect from an Apple Premium Partner: a large exhibition space with all the brand’s products and accessories and a friendly team ready to help customers. And, of course, a spectacular space in which to live an authentic Apple experience.
The store will offer the full range of services available in other K-tuin locations: expert advice, technical support, training, workshops, a setup service and all the K-tuin specialized services for B2B and education.
It’s the team that make the business run so well. Photo credit: K-tuin
As the seconds ticked down before the grand opening, the in-store team was really excited about the warm welcome from Apple fans. “Thanks to all my colleagues, for their dedication, effort, and commitment to every detail in setting up this new K-tuin store” said Sofía Ruiz, Store Manager at Plaza Mar 2. “Together we’re going to create a space where the Apple experience is lived with warmth, empathy, and passion. And of course, a huge thank you to everyone who came to today’s opening — we can’t wait to get started!”
One of the largest Apple distributors in Europe, K-tuin was founded in 1994 by Juan Fabre, with its first store opening in Madrid, followed by numerous expansions. It became the first Spanish company to achieve Apple Premium Reseller status, the highest classification among Apple resellers at the time.
Since its acquisition by the Midis Group in 2019, K-tuin’s growth has accelerated significantly. Now boasting 46 stores in the group, it has established a strong presence across Spain, including the Canary Islands, where it expanded further with the acquisition of four Banana Computer stores in 2023. And this is just the beginning—several advanced projects are already in motion, promising even more store openings in the near future.
ABC clinches double victory at Google Cloud Summit Doha 2025
Doha, Qatar, June 2025: Advanced Business Computing (ABC) Qatar made headlines at this year’s Google Cloud Summit in Doha, taking home two prestigious awards that spotlighted its rising influence in the region’s digital transformation landscape.
Around two thousand delegates enjoyed the summit event and the following award ceremony at the Qatar National Convention Center which shone a spotlight on twelve partners from Qatar. ABC was recognized as the Fastest Growing Partner of the Year and Apigee Partner of the Year, underscoring its rapid growth and technical excellence in API management and cloud integration.
“These awards are a testament to the dedication and expertise of our team, and the strong partnerships we’ve built with our clients and Google Cloud” said Bassem Shatila, General Manager, Advanced Business Computing.
The summit gathered industry leaders, innovators, and cloud experts, highlighting the peak of ABC’s ongoing collaboration with Google Cloud. ABC has a long-standing partnership with Google and is recognized as a Premier Partner. ABC provides a comprehensive suite of Google technologies and services, including Google Workspace, Google Cloud, Apigee, Gemini, AgentSpace, NoteBookLM, SecOps, and more.
Advanced Business Computing W.L.L. is a leading provider of Information Technology products and services in Qatar. The company collaborates with top industry vendors and holds several prestigious partnerships, including being a Google Cloud Premier Partner, a Dell Technologies Titanium Black Partner, an Nvidia Partner, a VMware by Broadcom Partner, a Gold Trellix Partner, and an Apple Authorized Reseller. With extensive experience and a strong reputation as a trusted IT partner in the Qatari market, ABC is known for delivering exceptional products, solutions, and services, all complemented by outstanding customer care.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium presents successful Intelligent Data conference
The conference, held on May 27, focused on Hybrid Cloud innovations, HPE GreenLake, AI, Networking, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery, and Data Security, featuring solutions such as HPE Zerto and HPE Aruba Networking. The event featured lectures, case studies, and partners presentations, showcasing how technology can enhance business efficiency.
Photo credit: Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium
Over 200 attendees appreciated the elegant and exceptional ambience of the Kaptol Boutique Cinema & Bar for the leading vendor event, which was aimed principally at the Croatian market.
“Thank you to all users, partners, and distributors who contributed to this event, making it once again a place to share knowledge and socialize through their enthusiasm and engagement” said Tajana Hašperger, Director, Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium.
“And special thanks to our sponsors: Cohesity, Kioxia, Vertiv, and HPE Zerto – thank you for your support and shared vision of the future. Together, we’re exploring how technology can enable smarter, faster, and safer businesses. See you next year!”
HPE VM Essentials software in action. Photo credit: Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium
The conference offered valuable insights into today’s key technological topics. Special emphasis was placed on tangible applications within the real business environment which further underscored the significance of innovation in everyday business.
The conference commenced with a welcome keynote from Tajana Hašperger and Boris Bauk, Managing Director for South East Europe, Hewlett Packard Enterprise.
This was followed by a presentation from Tomislav Lukačević, Presales Consultant for HPE Aruba Networking and Servers at Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium. His keynote was entitled ‘Your Network. Smarter.’
The next presentation, titled ‘Enterprise AI. Accelerated,’ was delivered by Denis Stanarević, Solution Portfolio Lead for the HPE Global Service Providers business at Hewlett Packard Enterprise.
Following this, Tomislav Alpeza presented ‘Hybrid Cloud. Simplified.’ Tomislav serves as the Hybrid Cloud and HPE Storage Presales Consultant at Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium.
Denis Stanarević using LEGO bricks to simulate how AI models work. Photo credit: Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium
After a coffee and networking break, the day continued with case studies on Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery, presented by Egemen Konu, Sales Leader – Central & Eastern Europe, Balkans, Turkey, Caucasus & Central Asia, Hewlett Packard Enterprise.
Next on the agenda was a joint presentation titled ‘AI Powered Partnerships: Vertiv & HPE’s Joint Innovation’ delivered by Ante Maršić, EMEA Sales Director, IT Alliances, Vertiv, and Tomislav Lukačević from Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium.
The final presentation of the day was ‘How HPE GreenLake – Selectium Program is changing the Cloud game’ presented by Martina Matoš, ESE HPE GreenLake – Selectium Program Lead, Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium, and Tomislav Alpeza.
Platinum, Gold and Silver Partner Ready Program plaques were awarded to representatives from partner companies. Photo credit: Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium
Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium serves as the local representative of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) in Bulgaria, Croatia, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Serbia and Slovenia. It is a renowned technology company with a comprehensive range of high-quality IT solutions, services, and products designed to assist customers in optimizing their IT environments. It provides innovative technologies that empower organizations to transition to a hybrid infrastructure, safeguard and manage business data, and foster increased productivity and essential agility in the market. In today’s business landscape, these capabilities are indispensable for successful operations.
Mindware expands Autodesk relationship to drive digital transformation in the Gulf and KSA
Mindware has announced an expansion of its relationship with Autodesk. Already an authorised Autodesk distributor in the Levant and RoME (Rest of Middle East) regions, Mindware will now extend its expertise to the Gulf and Saudi Arabia (KSA), bringing Autodesk’s industry-leading solutions to a wider audience and accelerating digital transformation across the Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operations (AECO), manufacturing, and media & entertainment sectors.
“This is a natural evolution of our long-standing relationship with Autodesk” said Philippe Jarre, President, Mindware Group. “Our proven expertise in the Levant region has positioned us as a trusted partner, and we are excited to bring that same commitment to the Gulf and KSA. With Autodesk’s world-class solutions and our extensive channel ecosystem, we are creating unparalleled opportunities for businesses to thrive in the digital era.”
Mindware will provide a comprehensive suite of value-added services, including partner enablement, technical support, consulting, and go-to-market strategies to drive Autodesk adoption. The partnership will also focus on reseller training, industry-specific workshops, and live demonstrations, ensuring businesses can maximise the benefits of Autodesk’s AI-driven automation, cloud-based collaboration, and data-driven design capabilities.
Globally, Autodesk has been central to delivering the solutions that enable the AECO and manufacturing industry’s digital transformation. In the GCC, digital twin technology and smart infrastructure are gaining ground in the AECO sector, as well as in manufacturing, where AI-driven automation is revolutionising production processes.
“We are thrilled to strengthen our collaboration with Mindware and expand our reach in the GCC” said Claudette Reuter, Senior Manager, Emerging Markets Channel Sales, at Autodesk. “With Mindware’s regional expertise and strong partner network, we are empowering businesses to embrace innovation, enhance efficiency, and drive sustainable growth.”
By expanding their relationship, Mindware and Autodesk are set to accelerate the digital transformation journey of the Gulf and KSA, enabling enterprises to design, build, and innovate with greater speed and intelligence.
Mindware, a leading IT distributor in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, takes pride in offering top-quality global brands to over 7,500 partners with legal entities in 13 countries. With a rich history dating back to 1991 and headquartered in Dubai, UAE, Mindware’s unwavering commitment spans over three decades, empowering businesses with cutting-edge IT solutions, AI technologies, and fostering digital transformation. Mindware’s comprehensive offering encompasses a selection of leading brands in infrastructure, networking, security, storage, and artificial intelligence solutions.
As part of its Value-Added Distribution (VAD) methodology, Mindware goes the extra mile to provide supplementary value-added services to its reselling partners including pre-sales consultancy, implementation services, local technical support, AI enablement, marketing enablement tools, and multiple channel-enabling programs. Supported by strategically positioned logistic centres in key locations, Mindware ensures seamless distribution across all channels, efficiently catering to the needs of its esteemed partners and customers in both traditional IT and emerging AI landscapes.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium scores a big success with ‘Presenting HPE NPI 2025’ event
Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium recently hosted its annual enablement event, ‘Presenting HPE NPI 2025,’ for key partners and distributors. Prominent HPE Alliance Partners, including Kioxia, Microsoft and Cohesity supported the New Product Information event.
The company’s biggest event of the year took place at the Bohinj ECO Hotel in Bohinjska Bistrica, Slovenia, on May 15. The primary focus of the day was to provide insights into HPE’s strategic vision and emphasize the significance of the partnership community. Throughout the day, attendees were immersed in a series of engaging sessions and presentations covering a wide range of topics relevant to the HPE ecosystem.
Boštjan Kosi, Director at Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium. Photo credit: Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium
The event began with an opening speech by Boštjan Kosi and Matej Čehovin, Partner Business Manager at Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium, who provided an overview of the day’s agenda and presented a brief strategic overview of the HPE brand, emphasising the importance of partnership within the community.
Next Boštjan Kosi and Klemen Mihelčič introduced the new generation of HPE servers, providing insight into the HPE Compute portfolio. Tomislav Kelava presented the HPE Storage & Backup portfolio, including an overview of HPE Zerto. Tomislav then explored the foundations of secure hybrid cloud.
Boštjan Kosi introducing the new generation of HPE servers. Photo credit: Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium
In a session titled “From nAIvety to Real AI Usability in Practice”, Iztok Renčelj (EdgeTech d.o.o.) and Luka Stopar (Solvesall d.o.o.) led a compelling discussion exploring the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and its practical impact on businesses. The presentation showcased three industrial use cases of artificial intelligence and optimization algorithms.
It began with a digital twin for the production of heat exchangers which automated production planning and designed product stacking. This was followed by the Pošta POI solution for automatic delivery zone planning, which utilised GPS trace analysis to determine delivery points, time profiles, and workload metrics, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the postal network and the quality of the central address register. The third example was a RAG platform for remote campervan management, which combined IoT hardware with a conversational agent to control devices and support the user.
Photo credit: Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium
A coffee break allowed the participants to recharge before diving into the next session. Petar Hucman (Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium) highlighted the HPE GreenLake portal and Morpheus. This was followed by VM Essentials, presented by Nemanja Milutinović (HPE). He introduced usto the new virtualisation platform on the market – the HPE Morpheus VM Essentials platform reduces your expenses and brings capabilities you are familiar with, such as quick VM deployment, online VM migration, and high availability. It brings a comprehensive alternative hypervisor platform and easily integrates with your current one through a common management interface.
Gorazd Kikelj, Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium, then discussed securing hybrid cloud networks using HPE Aruba Networking Solutions. The session concluded with Primož Tolar highlighting the key offerings within HPE Services.
As the day progressed, partners participated in a prize quiz, which was very popular. The quiz winners were rewarded with a range of exciting prizes. The lunch break provided an opportunity for networking and informal discussions, further fostering connections within the community. Participants had time to rest and refresh before transitioning to leisure activities.
Photo credit: Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium
Leisure time was reserved for bowling along with sounds from a DJ, providing a perfect opportunity for partners to unwind, relax and engage in friendly competition. The event continued on Friday, May 16, with breakfast, followed by a roundtable discussion encouraging deeper engagement and collaborative dialogue among attendees.
The importance of this event cannot be overstated. It serves as a catalyst for accelerating the sales pipeline, identifying new market opportunities and driving overall pipeline growth. Attendees had the chance to witness firsthand the latest innovations from Hewlett Packard Enterprise, gaining a competitive edge in the ever-evolving IT industry.
Feedback from the partner community was overwhelmingly positive, as they recognized that HPE is moving in a direction that can help them succeed in the market. This event served as a platform to showcase HPE’s commitment to its partners and joint success, emphasizing the invaluable role partnerships play in shaping the future and implementing advanced solutions in the IT industry.
Photo credit: Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium
Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium serves as the local representative of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) in Bulgaria, Croatia, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Serbia and Slovenia. It is a renowned technology company with a comprehensive range of high-quality IT solutions, services, and products designed to assist customers in optimizing their IT environments. It provides innovative technologies that empower organizations to transition to a hybrid infrastructure, safeguard and manage business data, and foster increased productivity and essential agility in the market. In today’s business landscape, these capabilities are indispensable for successful operations.
Mindware expands footprint into East Africa with strategic launch in Nairobi
NAIROBI, KENYA: As part of its strategic expansion, Mindware, a leading value-added distributor (VAD) in the Middle East and Africa, marked a powerful new chapter in its growth journey with the official launch of its East Africa operations, celebrated through a high-energy event in Nairobi on May 27, 2025.
Bringing together over 200 channel partners, industry leaders, and top vendor representatives, the event served as a clear declaration of Mindware’s commitment to empowering East Africa’s digital future. The Nairobi office, now fully operational, will serve as the company’s strategic hub for East Africa covering Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Ethiopia.
“This launch is not just about opening doors, it’s about opening possibilities” said Spiros Rafailovits, Territory Manager, East Africa at Mindware. “We are here to co-create the future of technology in East Africa by investing in people, forging trusted partnerships, and delivering cutting-edge solutions that accelerate growth across the region.”
Since announcing its East Africa expansion earlier this year, Mindware has made bold strides; doubling its local workforce, onboarding regional vendors, and hosting partner enablement sessions across key markets. These actions reflect Mindware’s strong momentum and growing relevance in the region.
The launch event went beyond the traditional format, with inspiring keynote addresses, forward-looking panel discussions, and networking sessions that enabled stakeholders to explore Mindware’s expanded portfolio and strategic roadmap. In line with its partner-first strategy, Mindware has rolled out technical and sales enablement programs, and is working with vendors to deliver certification courses tailored to local market needs.
With new partnerships already signed with regional ICT providers, Mindware is set to announce several new vendor collaborations in the coming weeks further expanding its portfolio in cloud, cybersecurity, networking, and enterprise technologies.
Partners Voices
“Mindware’s setup in Kenya has brought a new level of professionalism and opportunity to the local IT channel. Their commitment to partner success is evident in every interaction. As it is said, ‘focusing on customer satisfaction is crucial to building lasting relationships’, this is exactly the game changer that Mindware has brought to the Kenyan market. We can’t ask for anything more” – Cornelious Anjichi, Chief Finance Officer at Down to Earth Technologies
“Working with Mindware has been a game-changer. Their local presence means faster support, better access to new technologies, and a new partnership approach that helps us grow” – Peris Kabora, Supply Chain and Administration Manager at Sybyl Kenya Ltd.
Mindware, a leading IT distributor in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, takes pride in offering top-quality global brands to over 7,500 partners with legal entities in 13 countries. With a rich history dating back to 1991 and headquartered in Dubai, UAE, Mindware’s unwavering commitment spans over three decades, empowering businesses with cutting-edge IT solutions, AI technologies, and fostering digital transformation. Mindware’s comprehensive offering encompasses a selection of leading brands in infrastructure, networking, security, storage, and artificial intelligence solutions.
As part of its Value-Added Distribution (VAD) methodology, Mindware goes the extra mile to provide supplementary value-added services to its reselling partners including pre-sales consultancy, implementation services, local technical support, AI enablement, marketing enablement tools, and multiple channel-enabling programs. Supported by strategically positioned logistic centres in key locations, Mindware ensures seamless distribution across all channels, efficiently catering to the needs of its esteemed partners and customers in both traditional IT and emerging AI landscapes.
ICT Qatar sweeps three major industry awards in a single month
Doha, Qatar, May 2025: in a month of milestones, Information & Communication Technology (ICT) Systems – Qatar has reinforced its position in the region’s technology landscape, securing three prestigious partner awards from Red Hat, Veeam, and HPE Aruba Networking.
In the world of data protection and backup, ICT rose to the top as Veeam’s ‘Gulf Top Partner of the Year.’ This award honors ICT’s leading role in delivering high-performance, resilient cloud and backup solutions that protect mission-critical business continuity across the Gulf.
The ICT team accept their trophy from HPE Aruba. Photo credit: ICT W.L.L.
Recognized for its excellence in network innovation and customer-first solutions, ICT was named ‘SME Partner of the Year’ by HPE Aruba. The award reflects ICT’s unwavering focus on transforming infrastructure into intelligent, secure, and scalable ecosystems.
Bachir Skaf, General Manager, ICT, (right) accepts the Red Hat trophy for Partnership Leadership Excellence. Photo credit: ICT
ICT also claimed two standout honors from Red Hat:
Strategic Deal of the Year – for sealing a game-changing partnership that reflects bold enterprise modernization.
Partner Leadership Excellence – awarded to ICT’s General Manager, Bachir Skaf, for visionary leadership and for forging strategic digital transformation paths in the region.
“This triple recognition is more than a series of wins—it’s a validation of our strategy, our partnerships, and the extraordinary people who bring ICT’s vision to life every day” said Mr. Skaf.
As the tech industry continues to shift rapidly toward AI-driven, cloud-first, and data-secure models, ICT stands out not only as a solutions provider—but as a trusted, forward-thinking advisor to enterprises in Qatar and across the region.
Information and Communication Technology is part of the MDS System Integration Group. Over the years, ICT has been able to build on its long experience to address customer business requirements and challenges with cutting-edge infrastructure solutions. By capitalizing on its business and technology knowledge, ICT effectively contributes to the local IT evolution and development that the State of Qatar is witnessing.
To develop a focus on digital transformation, ICT offers its services portfolio through two divisions: ICT- Systems (hardware and systems), and ICT-Digital (software and digital services). ICT-Digital offers a set of services to enterprise customers such as: Cloud/multi-Cloud solutions & services, Data Platforms, Big Data Analytics, IoT/IIoT, Cybersecurity, Digital transformation advisory services, industry-specific digital business use cases and more.
Cybersecurity: Threats, Solutions and Outlook
Husni Hammoud and Demes Strouthos from ESET both talked to Tahawultech.com at GISEC 2021 about the challenges of the last year and the prospects for the cybersecurity industry in the year ahead.
Husni Hammoud, Managing Director of ESET Middle East, spoke to TahawulTech.com about the cybersecurity landscape in 2021, the changes in the organization’s security preferences and the importance of innovation in developing cybersecurity products.
According to Husni in the interview, the move towards remote working has exposed many to increased cybersecurity risks, which are growing exponentially.
“People have had to work from home and they have had to have access to their information to be able to communicate with their customers and this has been heaven for hackers, and let’s say, the bad guys.”
Demes Strouthos, General Manager of ESET Middle East, spoke to TahawulTech.com at GISEC 2021 about the most popular cybersecurity solutions this year and his outlook for the future of the industry.
Demes followed up Husni’s interview by outlining some of the ESET solutions that are helping businesses mitigate the growing dangers of cybersecurity attacks.
“I would say that we see a big focus and demand on EDR solutions, on multi-factor authentication solutions and on email security. One of our latest business security offerings, ESET cloud office security, is a Security as a Service (SaaS) offering, which provides advanced anti-malware, anti-spam, and anti-phishing protection for Microsoft Office 365 applications.”
“We’ve seen an increase in investment in cybersecurity because companies realize its importance and its value and at the same time they realize the potential financial impact of a cyberattack. Companies needed to rethink and adapt to the current threat landscape.”
Incorta Partners with MDSap to expand global Go-To-Market
CAIRO – Incorta, the Direct Data Platform™, has announced a multi-year partnership with MDSap, a sub-holding of Midis Group, a global leader in redistributing and reselling, to expand its go-to-market in the Middle East, Turkey, and Eastern Europe and address the region’s growing need for modern analytics and business intelligence.
The partnership will provide MDSap’s 400 global enterprise customers with a fast and scalable data analytics solution, bringing Incorta’s Direct Data Platform to key regions such as the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey and Eastern Europe.
The COVID-19 pandemic spurred a rapid increase in the need for advanced technology, and Incorta’s presence in the Middle East is expected to grow by more than 100% this year – a market valued at $11 billion in 2020 and expected to reach $28 billion by 2026. The partnership will help replace outdated, legacy solutions, bringing modern data analytics to new and existing customers at unprecedented speed and scale.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Incorta to bring their state-of-the-art data analytics solution to our enterprise customers,” said Tony Achkar, group managing director of MDSap.
“As the Middle East, Turkey and Eastern Europe regions continue to experience rapid digitization, our customers need a modern solution to help them keep up with today’s pace of business. Incorta is allowing them to analyze their data at a level of speed and scale they’ve never seen before.”
As SAP’s gold partner, MDSap leverages SAP technology and other solution providers to help businesses run smoothly and efficiently. Making a smart, data-informed decision is a key part of operating a business, as MDSap customers require the ability to quickly analyze, ingest and then act on their data in order to gain crucial insights about their business. Incorta’s Direct Data Platform will enable users to analyze massive sets of data at lightning speed, allowing them to maximize the full value of their data.
“The Middle East presents exciting opportunities for digital transformation and growth, especially in the data analytics market,” said Incorta CEO Scott Jones. “We are proud to be partnering with MDSap to help more companies in the region innovate and thrive with tools for making the most of their business data.”
About Incorta
Incorta is the only unified data analytics platform powered by Direct Data Mapping™. Purpose-built to help companies stay ahead of the accelerating rate, volume, and complexity of modern enterprise data, the platform delivers unmatched speed and visibility. Incorta is built with open standards and integrates with cloud-friendly tools and platforms, making it easy to consolidate data in the cloud and extract meaningful insights.
By making any data source continuously available for analytics, the platform helps business leaders, business teams, and data scientists make more accurate, timely and transparent decisions with faster access to richer data sets. Backed by GV (formerly Google Ventures), Kleiner Perkins, M12 (formerly Microsoft Ventures), Telstra Ventures and Sorenson Capital, Incorta powers analytics for some of the most valuable brands in the world, including Broadcom, Credit Suisse and Shutterfly. To learn more and try it for yourself, visit www.incorta.com.
About MDSap
MDSap, a gold partner of SAP and expert in SAP’s banking solutions, has over 25 years of in-depth experiences helping customers manage, integrate, analyze and mobilize business mission critical data across the enterprise. The company has an exceptional track record providing turnkey IT solutions across the Middle East, Turkey & Central Eastern Europe to over 400 enterprise customers and government entities. MDSap is part of the Midis Group and is a member of EPM International and currently operates 10 offices across the Middle East, Turkey and Central Eastern Europe.
IDC MarketScape positions MIDIS SI as a Major Player in GCC Professional Security Services 2020
The latest IDC MarketScape report positions MIDIS SI as a Major Player in GCC Professional Security Services 2020 vendor assessment.
The report analyses data produced via the IDC MarketScape vendor analysis model and is intended to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT suppliers across a range of markets.
“This is a major recognition of the excellence and growing market position of the Midis SI Group and our Security Offerings in these challenging times,” said Sami Abi Esber, President of Midis SI Group. “While digital transformation has accelerated, the threat landscape has become more complex. Working together, we stand ready to meet these challenges.”
Security-centred subsidiaries mentioned in the report include Computer and Power Technology (CPT), MDS Dubai (Falcon 971, which is its dedicated security services unit), and eHosting Datafort in the UAE, MDSCS in Saudi Arabia, and ICT in Qatar.
In the introductory summary the IDC MarketScape report authors detail some of the ongoing factors resulting in security challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic lead logically to an acceleration in digital transformation (DX) initiatives and a rapid increase in cloud adoption across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. As a result, organizations in both public and private sectors ‘…are being exposed to an increasing number of attacks and must manage complex data and security regulatory compliance and monitoring requirements alongside the protection of disparate endpoints used by staff working from home.’
The IDC MarketScape vendor analysis model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor’s position within a given market. The Capabilities score measures vendor product, go-to-market and business execution in the short-term. The Strategy score measures alignment of vendor strategies with customer requirements in a 3-5-year timeframe. Vendor market share is represented by the size of the circles. Vendor year-over-year growth rate relative to the given market is indicated by a plus, neutral or minus next to the vendor name.
According to the report, “the MIDIS SI Group currently has more than 50 security vendor partners and is constantly looking at enhancing its partnership ecosystem around cloud security, security analytics, security orchestration and automation, container security, and security as a service.”
The IDC MarketScape report noted some key strengths of the Midis SI Group:
“MIDIS SI Group’s broad domain coverage and skilled professional staff with security credentials enable it to provide end-to-end, turnkey projects to its customers by leveraging synergies across the group subsidiaries.”
MDS UAE ranked #1 in IDC market share report on leading UAE IT services companies
MDS UAE was recently ranked #1 in terms of revenue for 2019 in the IDC market share report on leading UAE IT services companies.
The IDC report, ‘Competitive Profiles and 2019 Analysis of Leading IT Services Players in the United Arab Emirates’ notes that MDS UAE achieved a 12.9% market share on revenues of $329.9m, more than double the share of the next competitor.
“Once again, the heritage of achievement and the continuing excellence of MDS UAE has been recognised by our peers,” said Sami Abi Esber, President of Midis SI Group. “The report notes the leading position of MDS across many key IDC market categories – that’s a great testament to the hard work that our people continue to deliver across all sectors in challenging times.”
The IDC study examined the principal 96 UAE IT services providers, including their market shares, based on their respective performances in 2019. Focusing down, the report went deeper into the relative performance of the top 10 providers in the UAE. The report also looked across the sector to appraise market size and to define shares for the top 10 vendors as seen within IDC’s 12 foundation market categories.
More about MDS UAE
Mideast Data Systems UAE (MDS UAE) is a holding company that has more than 24 companies under its umbrella operating in the United Arab Emirates. With its Head Office in Abu Dhabi, MDS UAE is one of the leading Information Technology companies in the UAE. With over 35 years of experience, MDS UAE has now been nominated by IDC as the number one IT Services Company in the UAE for more than ten years.
MDS CS announced as an Elite Pure Storage Partner in Saudi Arabia
MDS for Computer Systems (MDS CS) recently announced it has achieved the status of Elite Pure Storage Partner in Saudi Arabia.
Pure Storage is a leading name in the Information Technology sector. Based in Mountain View, California, United States, it develops all-flash data storage hardware and software products.
On its LinkedIn profile, MDS CS commented on the achievement: “With this partnership, we strive to provide the best modern data experience in the KSA market.”
More about Pure Storage
Pure Storage (NYSE: PSTG) gives technologists their time back. Pure delivers a modern data experience that empowers organisations to run their operations as a true, automated, storage as-a-service model seamlessly across multiple clouds.
One of the fastest-growing enterprise IT companies in history, Pure helps customers put data to use while reducing the complexity and expense of managing the infrastructure behind it. Pure Storage was named a Leader in the 2020 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Primary Storage.
More about MDS CS
Founded in 1982 by Sheikh Mohammed Mansour Al-Rumaih as Mideast Data Systems, today MDS CS is a well-known and highly reputable organization with a team of professional engineers and technicians, with a large base of satisfied customers including significant numbers of large turnkey projects.
MDS CS brings a highly professional approach to meet each of its customers’ unique business requirements. Its commitment in terms of financial investment and customer support is aimed at a long-term relationship with its customers.
LiveRoute has earned Modernization of Web Applications to Microsoft Azure Advanced Specialization
LiveRoute recently announced it has earned the Modernization of Web Applications to Microsoft Azure Advanced Specialization, a validation of a solution partner’s deep knowledge, extensive experience and proven expertise in migrating and modernizing production web application workloads, and managing app services in Azure.
Only partners that meet stringent criteria around customer success and staff skilling, as well as pass a third-party audit of their web workload deployment and management practices, including their ability to implement Azure App Service, are able to earn the Modernization of Web Applications to Microsoft Azure advanced specialization.
As companies look to modernize their applications and take full advantage of the benefits that cloud computing can deliver, they are looking for a partner with advanced skills to assess, plan, and migrate their existing workloads to the cloud.
Habib Matta, General Manager, LiveRoute, said, “Our partnership with Microsoft continues to strengthen and we are excited to have earned the Modernization of Web Applications to Microsoft Azure Advanced Specialization.
This advanced specialization validates LiveRoute as an advanced Microsoft Gold partner with the necessary skillsets to assist customers in assessing, planning, and migrating their workloads to the cloud.
LiveRoute is a trusted name in the Azure space. This advanced specialization further reinforces our promise to our current and future clients with the assurances of advanced Azure capabilities.”
Rodney Clark, Corporate Vice President, Global Partner Solutions, Channel Sales and Channel Chief at Microsoft added, “The Modernization of Web Applications to Microsoft Azure advanced specialization highlights the partners who can be viewed as most capable when it comes to migrating, modernizing, and managing web applications in Microsoft Azure. LiveRoute clearly demonstrated that they have both the skills and the experience to offer clients a path to start enjoying the benefits of being in the cloud.”
iSTYLE relaunches two Apple Premium Reseller stores in Czech Republic and Hungary
iSTYLE has redesigned and relaunched two flagship Apple Premium Reseller stores in the Czech Republic and Hungary. The Revoluční store in Prague welcomed customers again on March 8, and the iSTYLE Westend Mall store project was completed in April.
The current international situation has seen an increase in consumer appetite for technology, integrating it in almost all areas of life. As a result, pressure on technology retail companies has increased; iSTYLE has reacted by exploring innovative approaches, but also by improving existing retail solutions to be as close as possible to consumer needs.
“Providing a high standard of Apple experience to Apple customers under the iSTYLE brand is always our main focus. Even in challenging times, we always do our best to anticipate, identify and meet our customer’s needs” said Vít Goluch, Regional Manager for Czech, Slovakia and Hungary.
“We are always searching for new development strategies. Through the last year, we learned that online development is even more important, but we are not forgetting what we know how to do best – serving Apple customers in the best environment around” added Vít Goluch from iSTYLE.
iSTYLE Revoluční in Prague – now looking slick and with cutting-edge design.
Back in 2006, Revoluční store was the first point-of-sale site in the iSTYLE network to open for Apple fans in the Czech Republic. Positioned in a popular location in Prague, the store’s last refit took place more than seven years ago.
Now re-designed and executed in strict compliance with Apple Premium Reseller standards, the store is welcoming customers into a showroom of 150 sqm. With new technologies, and some special sparkle and shine, iSTYLE customers can discover and experience the full range of Mac systems, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV, as well as various premium quality accessories that complete the Apple ecosystem.
The front desk and service center at iSTYLE Revoluční in Prague – where skills and knowledge help grow the satisfied customer base.
In the redesign, iSTYLE also aimed to meet the developing needs of sales consultants with more storage space and a bigger service area. The project started in January and lasted almost two months; after completing construction, there was a new challenge to prepare the store to re-open in just three days.
The re-opening took place on March 8, but because of Covid-19 measures, the plan is to celebrate it next year on the first anniversary of the relaunch.
From the outside, iSTYLE Westend in Budapest looks like a spaceship that has landed in the Mall. Just right for a hi-tech store. Photo credit – iSTYLE
Following closely on from Revoluční, during April, iSTYLE Hungary refitted one of the most popular of its Apple Premium Reseller stores in Budapest. The store is located in the Westend Mall in the capital city and is renowned for its minimalistic industrial design, fashioned mainly from glass and steel.
The refit lasted for three weeks and a new floor, modern LED lighting and new furniture were the main improvements in-store, all of them bringing a fresh new look for the spectacular central location. The store re-opening was handled carefully, with a high focus on protecting the customers and the employees.
The iSTYLE offer – trained Apple experts are always at hand to help give the best advice. Photo credit – iSTYLE
iSTYLE Westend in Budapest is not just a commercial space but the best place to discover the Apple ecosystem with the help of a full team of specialists. Whether Apple fans want to get the most out of their personal Mac or if company owners want to find the right solution for employee needs, iSTYLE Apple-trained staff can always give objective, professional recommendations. In addition, iSTYLE provide a wide range of services, from repairs to financial and leasing programs.
iSTYLE, part of the Midis Group, is the largest Apple Premium Reseller network in nine countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Through its 48 retail and online stores, iSTYLE offer the full range of Mac, iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch and Apple TV along with an impressive but carefully selected portfolio of accessories and software.
Telekom Slovenije and Aruba at the Women’s Ski Jumping World Cup
The tenth FIS Ski Jumping World Cup for women – Ljubno 2021 – took place in Ljubno ob Savinji, Slovenia in January 2021. To ensure a fast, secure and reliable wireless network, Telekom Slovenije teamed up with Hewlett Packard operated by Selectium from Slovenia, and used the technology of the world’s leading network solution provider, Aruba, owned by Hewlett Packard Enterprise.
Telekom Slovenije is a leading Slovenian technology company and offers comprehensive ICT solutions and state-of-the-art networks. The project made use of Aruba AP-315 Wi-Fi 5 internal access points and Aruba AP-375 external access points to establish the FIS network at the Women’s Ski Jumping World Cup. The latter assemblies are IP66 / IP67 and ASTM B117-071 certified and are intended for use in bad weather conditions or in humid, dusty and salty environments and at extremely low or high temperatures.
Installing the access points – they can operate stand-alone or in a cluster, with or without a wireless network controller, and the network can be centrally managed and controlled locally or from the cloud. Photo credit: Telekom Slovenije
In 2020, Aruba was once again ranked by IT industry analysts as a leading provider of network solutions. For the 15th year in a row, Gartner, a leading IT consultancy, has ranked Aruba among the leaders in the »2020 Magic Quadrant for the Wired and Wireless LAN Access Infrastructure Report«.
Aruba has developed the Aruba Edge Services Platform (ESP) which integrates all elements of the Aruba Unified Infrastructure, automates network fault detection, automatically eliminates and simplifies operational tasks (Aruba AIOps), and enables secure connection of users and their network devices (Zero Trust Security). The platform is the basis for an intelligent network and advanced business solutions that bring more than just a connection to the world.
Lenovo ISG signs BlueTech as distributor for North, West & Central Africa market
April, 2021 – BlueTech Holding Ltd has expanded its relationship with Lenovo and signed a distribution agreement with the company’s Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) for 21 countries across North, West and Central Africa.
BlueTech Holding is part of the Midis Group and provides end-to-end technology advisory solutions for business partners across the Levant, Gulf and Africa.
As part of the agreement, the distributor will develop and enable a partner ecosystem for Lenovo that can design, promote and deploy the company’s enterprise data center, networking, hyper-converged, edge, cloud, storage and AI solutions.
Providing insight into the partnership, Mr. Toni Azzi, General Manager at BlueTech Holding Ltd. comments “Ever since Lenovo entered the data center market in 2014 with the acquisition of IBM’s x86 server business, the company has been pioneering and leading innovation in transformative data center and infrastructure technologies.
Its expertise lies in being able to provide tailormade, software agnostic, end-to-end solutions in high performance computing, 5G, artificial intelligence, internet of things, edge computing, cloud, and software defined networking. Companies across the world have been using Lenovo ISG products and solutions to modernize their IT infrastructures and create competitive advantages whilst driving digital transformation within their organisations.”
“As a valued Lenovo ISG distributor in the Levant region over the past six years, this new agreement is a natural progression of BlueTech’s relationship with the company. With enterprises in Africa embarking on their digital transformation journeys, we are providing our channel partners with a world class solution portfolio that caters to the demands of the market. By this, we are creating growth opportunities for the channel, as well as playing a role in the digitization of enterprises in Africa and the country as a whole.”
The new distributor partnership will expand the reach of Lenovo ISG and BlueTech into Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Senegal, Togo and Tunisia.
“Lenovo is uniquely positioned to help our business partners, and customers, meet diverse requirements in the enterprise market. Through smarter data centre solutions and our open ecosystem of partnerships with leading IT providers, Lenovo ISG is able to provide robust, reliable and personalised solutions for any business requirement. Our partnership with BlueTech marks a pivotal phase in our expansion where we will be leveraging Lenovo ISG’s latest offerings and BlueTech’s regional foothold and expertise to drive and support digital transformation in North, West and Central Africa,” said Dr. Christopher Cooper, General Manager, Lenovo Infrastructure Solutions Group, Middle East & Africa.
BlueTech will have an active engagement with Lenovo ISG to ensure alignment on the go-to-market strategy including partner mapping, recruitment and enablement activities conducted via webinars, workshops and partners summits. With a view to educating the market about the latest data center trends and new solutions offerings, the two companies will jointly host CIO roundtables and end-user events focusing on key verticals like banking and finance, oil and gas, education, government and telecommunication among others.
