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.
JDS to supply Popeyes® Jordan with Micros Point of Sale Cloud Solution
Jordan Data Systems (JDS) has concluded an agreement to support 23+ Popeyes® Louisiana Kitchen sites across the country with the Oracle Hospitality (Micros) Point of Sale solution, among other products. The agreement signed was with Arab Food Catering Co. who own the Popeyes® Louisiana Kitchen – Jordan brand.
The work to integrate the solution into Popeyes® sites will take place during Q2, 2021. “The agreement is a tribute to the customer’s trust in Oracle Hospitality (Micros POS) products and JDS experience in the food and beverage technology industry. The customer chose the best solution, which is carefully tailored for the fast food industry,” said Rami Madanat, Sales Manager – Hospitality, from JDS.
“Not only that, the Oracle solutions chosen allow scalability in terms of future expansion, higher accessibility from anywhere in the network of POS sites, a secured cloud environment, and it allows restaurants to know the exact cost, and gets online accurate data to help them make proper and fast decisions,” added Rami Madanat.
Arab Food Catering Company, AFCCO, are the operators of Popeyes® in Jordan. AFCCO GM, Mr Hisham Al-Ansari, added, “We selected Oracle Hospitality (Micros) POS due to the system’s capabilities of answering our evolving KPI needs for monitoring and enhancing our operations.”
The Oracle solutions being supplied across Popeyes® Jordan sites also offer fast, easy and cost-effective deployment, delivering a faster time to market, lower upfront investment and faster ROI for the customer.
ICT becomes first Microsoft Azure Windows Virtual Desktop advanced specialist in Qatar
Information and Communications Technology has become the first Microsoft Azure Windows Virtual Desktop advanced specialist in Qatar, following an in-depth Microsoft audit.
Windows Virtual Desktop enables a secure, remote desktop experience from anywhere. Since the growth of remote working over the last 12 months, such technology has become increasingly important in the Enterprise sector.
According to Tarek Hadla from ICT, the team was well prepared and had readily available documentary evidence with appropriate deliberations and demonstrations. ICT accepted some development points, and demonstrated a keen interest in continual improvement. The team showed excellent technical competency and passed the audit successfully.
In addition, the following organizational strengths were noted during the audit:
ICT has a technically competent team in MS WVD and is able to provide optimized solutions that meet customer requirements
ICT has an excellent project implementation document used systematically across different customers
More about MS WVD
Microsoft Partners who demonstrate deep knowledge, extensive experience, and proven success in deploying, optimizing, and securing virtual desktop infrastructure on Azure with Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) may seek the Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop advanced specialization.
The Windows Virtual Desktop advanced specialization allows partners with an active Gold Cloud Platform Competency to further differentiate their organizations, demonstrate their capabilities, and build stronger connections with customers.
iSTYLE Lebanon goes live with new e-commerce site
A new e-commerce site has been launched for iSTYLE Lebanon at istyle.com.lb. where customers can place orders and the transactions are integrated with the iSTYLE PoS system – and there’s free delivery in Beirut!
The secure and responsive site builds upon an older web presence, a catalog site, which was not equipped for e-commerce.
The online store is upgraded with the latest version of iSTYLE’s e-commerce engine and design is aligned with the rest of the websites in the Middle East, Africa and Central Eastern Europe.
More about iSTYLE
Established in 2005, iSTYLE Apple Premium Reseller operates one of the biggest chains of Apple stores in CEMEA (Central Europe Middle East & Africa) running 59 dedicated Apple points of sale. As an Apple Premium Reseller, the iSTYLE team live and breathe the Apple experience, offering the full range of Apple products, coupled with unmatched Apple expertise, advice, and proficiency.
New website for Jordan Business Systems goes live
A new website for Jordan Business Systems (JBS) has gone live at – https://jbs.com.jo/
The website is mobile responsive and has attractive graphics, engaging images and a smart design in addition to being interactive and informative for prospective customers/partners.
The website has also been enriched with targeted keywords which will enable it to rank highly on Google over the next few months using SEO technologies.
More about Jordan Business Systems
JBS’s roots come from a partnership with some of the world’s most renowned and respected names in the IT industry. A business partner of IBM, Cisco, Diebold and Lenovo in Jordan and Palestine, JBS was formed in April, 2005 continuing more than 20 years of ICT operations to meet the emerging demands of economies for development. JBS is part of the Midis Group.
Micro Conseil International launches new website
A new MCI website is now live at www.microconseil.com. The site’s design and tone of voice have been built keeping in mind MCI communications strategy and the Apple spirit. The site is neat, modern, and easy to navigate.
Amongst the new features, the new site contains:
– A secure Partner Portal where they can find offers related to their country and check their status of account
– French and English versions to cater to all target markets
– CTA button all over the site for visitors to contact MCI
– An interactive “Resellers page”
– Responsive on different devices
– Incorporates High Search Volume keywords to increase website traffic on search engines
– An integrated social platform for LinkedIn.
More about MCI
Micro Conseil International has been the exclusive distributor of Apple, the Apple brand which revolutionized and established the digital lifestyle in the world for more than 30 years. MCI covers the fast growing markets in Africa and the French overseas departments and territories (DOM-TOM).
Being Apple’s trusted Partner and with in-depth knowledge of the African market, MCI provide the business ecosystem necessary for the proper development of partner companies. MCI supports partners in the development of sales and marketing of the brand’s products as well as the selection and management of Apple resellers.
Mindware to distribute Google Nest Thermostat in the UAE
Mindware, the Gulf regional leader in Value Added Distribution, has signed a distribution agreement with Google to promote and market the innovative Nest Thermostat in the United Arab Emirates through its extensive channel partner ecosystem.
Elaborating on this latest vendor partnership, Nicholas Argyrides, General Manager – Gulf at Mindware commented “Being a leader in web services since its launch over two decades ago, Google is now an established household name. Over the years, the company has developed a high degree of expertise in artificial intelligence, an area that is radically and positively impacting the way we live and work. Accordingly, the vendor has been regularly introducing a highly successful portfolio of consumer devices, featuring the confluence of AI and of IoT. The Google Nest Thermostats are a flagship product line, providing an unmatched experience to users at home.”
“Our partnership with Google is in line with our commitment of introducing best-of-breed technologies into the Middle East market. Needless to say, such exceptionally unique products are bound to capture the imagination of techno-savvy consumers across the country. We are eager to work closely with the vendor and our partners in putting together a strategic action plan, aiming for the same success that Google has experienced in other markets across the globe” he added.
Google’s Nest Thermostat is a smart appliance that is user-friendly and can save considerably on electricity and cooling bills. The thermostat, which takes 30 minutes or less to install, is easy to control and program from anywhere with the Google Home app. The revolutionary Nest Learning Thermostat is the first thermostat to get “ENERGY STAR” certified. It learns what temperature ranges an individual typically chooses and automatically adapts, building a schedule based on personal preferences and user habits.
More about Mindware
As one of the leading distributors of the finest IT products in the Middle East and Africa, Mindware’s extensive portfolio includes top-class global brands reaching out to over 4,000 resellers. Mindware’s comprehensive offering includes a selection of infrastructure, networking, security, and storage leading brands. As part of its VAD methodology, Mindware also offers supplementary value-added services to its reselling partners including pre-sales consultancy, implementation services, local technical support, marketing enablement tools, and multiple channel-enabling programs. Headquartered in Dubai UAE since 1991, Mindware has been uncompromisingly serving its customers for more than three decades.
Midis Group runs #ChooseToChallenge photo event for International Women’s Day on March 8
To show support for International Women’s Day, Midis Group ran a #ChooseToChallenge photo campaign across as many affiliates and Group offices as possible asking for willing volunteers to participate. As a result, hundreds responded by sending their supporting snaps of themselves and teammates from all parts of the Midis Group – an amazing response.
The Midis HR team called out for photos in an email around the Group:
“We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias inequality.
We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements.
Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world.
Individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions – all day, every day.
From challenge comes change, so let’s all choose to challenge.”
Midis Group has long been a supporter of women’s achievements and the Group is proud of the gender-makeup of Midis. By 2020 women made up 40% of executives in leading roles across the Group.
Watch out across social media for more IWD 2021 campaign messages and content by following this hashtag #ChooseToChallenge and visit internationalwomensday.com.
Midis Group donates 88 Oxygen Concentrators to Red Cross to help COVID-19 patients breathe
Midis Group has donated 88 Oxygen Concentrators to the Red Cross in Beirut. One hour after the delivery, a quarter of the machines, which help chronically-ill patients breathe, were already being used in ERs in the city.
“It was a natural step for Midis Group to be in the front line, fighting COVID-19, and we will continue to do so for as long as it will take to beat the pandemic,” said Daniel Pharaon from Midis Group.
Unpacking the machines – they were quickly pressed into service. Photo credit – Midis Group
According to the World Health Organization, provision of oxygen to support the breathing of COVID-19 patients in difficulty has become a worldwide problem, with shortages of bottled gas in many countries. Oxygen concentrators tackle this problem; they are small, portable units that generate a continuous oxygen supply from the air all around us.
“It has been estimated that around one in five people with COVID-19 suffers respiratory distress sufficient to require oxygen therapy,” said Dr Priyanka Relan, a COVID-19 clinical management expert in a recent WHA blog. “Without that therapy, COVID-19 can be fatal.”
As a leading international business headquartered in Beirut, Midis Group were approached to help with Oxygen Generator supply and the Group were pleased to respond positively – and quickly.
The donation was part of the organization’s way of contributing to Lebanon’s COVID-19 response and mitigating its impact on the health system. On arrival, the oxygen concentrators were quickly distributed to multiple individuals as there was a long waiting list.
Earlier last year, after the tragedy of August 4, Midis Group was part of international efforts to support the rebuilding of the city, as part of the Together for Beirut initiative.
MDS UAE runs successful COVID-19 vaccination drive in Abu Dhabi
MDS UAE conducted a COVID-19 vaccine drive at their Head Quarters in Abu Dhabi on February 3.
MDS UAE began the drive by conducting a company wide survey to gauge its employees’ understanding of Covid-19 vaccine, and to help resolve any queries. The HR department created the survey to see if any educative sessions were required in order to better align with employees and address their concerns regarding getting vaccinated.
Right after the survey, the company began the COVID-19 vaccine drive with five doctors from Reem Hospital administering the Sinopharm vaccine, at Midis UAE HQ at Addax Tower on Reem Island, Abu Dhabi. Around 70 employees volunteered to register for the vaccine.
The Sinopharm vaccine was used for the vaccine drive. Photo credit – MDS UAE
MDS UAE has been very active towards Corporate Social Responsibility activity and been regularly conducting drives to benefit its employees, partners, stakeholders and the society at large. This demonstrates the company’s commitment towards making a positive impact in society, focusing on all forms of social awareness with an aim to enhancing the lives of those it serves.
MDS UAE management, along with the HR department, is now planning to roll out the same drive in Dubai, in order to help employees gain access to Covid-19 vaccine as well as encouraging more employees in UAE to get vaccinated.
JBS, Panduit and Trident partner to deliver major Network Data Center solutions for Orange Jordan
Jordan Business Systems (JBS), Panduit and Trident Technology Services have worked together to successfully deliver major IT Infrastructure and Network Data Center solutions for Orange Jordan. The company commissioned the partnership to build two state-of-the-art data centers located in the capital, Amman.
The Marj Al Hamam data center was a new build and the former AI Hussein Medical Center was renovated and became the second site. The refurbished building included an ITN infrastructure and a space for co-location businesses. Now completed, the new hosting facilities have become the biggest and most advanced in Jordan, working 24/7 with no downtime.
Both data centers connect to the Orange Jordan MPLS network and the global internet via fully diverse and protected links to ensure robust availability and scalability to meet growing business needs. To optimize the Marj Al Hamam data center, Orange Jordan were clear they had to reduce power consumption from cooling operations and to cap operational expenses. Further requirements included high levels of security and reliable physical infrastructure management.
Considering the business aspects of co-location spaces, it was important to have the ability to monitor and control power consumption per rack, as well as facilities for invoicing and reporting back those capabilities and costs per customer. The new data centers also had to be deployed quickly to ensure there was no break in service for current customers.
Quoted in a Case Study about the project, Mr. Bahjat Al Adwan, Data Centers and Environment Engineering Manager, Orange Jordan, said, “Our ultimate goal was to achieve a solid power and cooling strategy, and to prioritize analytics and reporting while optimizing space utilization, capacity management, and automation.”
To deliver the project, Orange Jordan used the Panduit IT Infrastructure and Network Data Center Solution. In addition to Panduit’s knowledge and expertise, JBS was the system integrator and distributor for the project. JBS executed the design and deployment promptly, making it simple, consistent, organized, and secure.
Trident Technology Services, the exclusive Sales and Marketing Representative of Panduit in the Middle East and Africa, also participated in the project. As the exclusive local representative for Panduit, Trident supports growing sales opportunities in Panduit’s key market sectors of data center, enterprise, industrial automation, and electrical.
Nazim Assasfeh, Deputy General Manager, Jordan Business Systems welcomed the successful project outcome. “We at JBS are proud that we met the expectations of our valued customer, Orange Telecom Jordan, and that we were part of this great team who achieved this great success, where real business values were accomplished, efficiency of resources utilized, and for being the first DC certified Tier III facility in the region,” said Nazim Assasfeh.
“Working with Panduit, Trident, and JBS was a fabulous experience. The alignment between communication, computing, control, power, and security led to an agile physical infrastructure that minimizes risk, increases flexibility, and delivers maximum performance throughout our business,” said Bahjat Al Adwan from Orange Jordan in the Case Study.
According to the Case Study, Panduit, Trident, and JBS collectively demonstrated the strength of the partner ecosystem. From design to project management to installation, the partners came together to provide Orange Jordan with the solution it required within a tight timeframe. Each partner played a significant role that allowed the overall project to flow seamlessly and to the complete satisfaction of the customer.
Mindware signs partnership with Rubrik for MENA region
DUBAI – UAE, 25th January, 2021. Mindware, the leading Value Added Distributor, announced an agreement with Rubrik to promote and distribute the vendor’s solutions through its vast reseller network across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This new partnership and the addition of Rubrik’s best-in-class data management solutions for Microsoft 365 applications and Azure cloud environments also positions Mindware to provide increased value as a strategic Microsoft distributor.
“Cloud computing is seen today as an integral part of an organization’s digital transformation strategy, especially with the remote working trend. In this scenario, Microsoft 365 cloud-based collaboration tools including productivity apps and security services and Microsoft Azure cloud computing service, when used together, unlock opportunities to help organizations transform their business. In addition, Microsoft’s two cloud regions in the UAE have delivered an increased performance for the company’s cloud services and this has further accelerated adoption and strengthened vendor-customer base,” said Philippe Jarre, CEO, Mindware.
“As a strategic partner of Microsoft, we saw that organizations that consumed Microsoft cloud services are looking to invest in technologies that manage and secure cloud data and applications, to maintain business continuity. After a detailed market analysis, we decided to add Rubrik to our portfolio, since the vendor has purpose-built data management and protection solutions of Microsoft 365 and Azure, and both companies share a strong technology collaboration. With this partnership, Mindware adds a modern, cloud friendly data protection solution provider to its portfolio. Our two companies together will present great opportunities for our regional business and technology partners to collaborate and add value in the next phase of cloud data management,” he added.
Rubrik will sell its entire product portfolio – comprising cloud data management, cloud backup and recovery, security and compliance and NoSQL database protection – through Mindware’s extensive reseller network across MENA. As Rubrik’s distributor in region, Mindware will offer several of its value-added capabilities and services to its partners buying Rubrik, including facilitating technical and sales training sessions on Rubrik solutions, and selling Rubrik’s offerings together with other cloud and infrastructure software technologies, to offer solutions and create value for MENA customers.
“We are delighted to welcome Mindware as our trusted Rubrik distribution partner and to work together to promote the adoption of modern and cloud friendly data protection and recovery solutions across the Middle East. We look forward to working with Mindware to enable partners to take advantage of the rising demand for the Rubrik cloud management platform throughout the region,” stated Jan Ursi, Sr. Director, Channel & Alliances, EMEA at Rubrik.
Rubrik is an award-winning Microsoft ISV partner and the fastest growing Azure storage partner in its history. Whether an organization is running on-premise or in Azure, Rubrik delivers all aspects of data management with consumer-grade simplicity and policy-driven intelligence across all Microsoft apps – physical or virtualized Windows, SQL Server, Hyper-V, Office 365, OneDrive, and Azure.
About Rubrik
Rubrik, the Cloud Data Management Company, enables enterprises to maximize value from data that is increasingly fragmented across data centers and clouds. Rubrik delivers a single, policy-driven platform for data recovery, governance, compliance, and cloud mobility. For more information, visit www.rubrik.com and follow @rubrikInc on Twitter.
Rubrik is a registered trademark of Rubrik, Inc. Other marks may be trademarks of their respective owners.
About Mindware
As one of the leading distributors of the finest IT products in the Middle East and Africa, Mindware’s extensive portfolio includes top-class global brands reaching out to over 4,000 partners. Mindware’s comprehensive offering includes a selection of infrastructure, networking, security, and storage leading brands. As part of its VAD methodology, Mindware also offers supplementary value-added services to its reselling partners including pre-sales consultancy, implementation services, local technical support, marketing enablement tools, and multiple channel-enabling programs. Headquartered in Dubai UAE since 1991, Mindware has been uncompromisingly serving its customers for more than three decades.
The new site features Mindware’s vision to become the distributor of choice for vendors and partners in the MEA region. It allows business users to access the whole range of Mindware’s solutions, services and marketplace.
According to the company, no rebranding has been done but as Mindware expand their portfolio and solutions, a new look and feel was necessary to reflect the changes and growth.
There will be more website additions as Mindware move forward in 2021 and the company looks forward to giving more news when the time comes.
More about Mindware
As the leading Value-Added Distributor of Top IT technologies, Mindware strive to establish long-term, mutually-beneficial partnerships with vendors and channel organizations in the Middle East and Africa, by combining industry-leading integrated solutions with an uncompromising commitment to delivering the world-class, human-centric services and support their partners need to succeed.
Headquartered in Dubai, UAE since 1991, Mindware have expanded their distribution reach regionally while growing their network of Partners:
The secure website features the QuanTech identity, brand and business services, solutions, skills and expertise that the company offers across the Levant region.
It has a modern design, is responsive to most devices, and consolidates High Search Volume keywords to increase website traffic on search engines like Google.
The site also integrates the LinkedIn page of QuanTech and includes call-to-action opportunities all over its pages to ensure lead capturing.
More about QuanTech
Established in 1995 to represent IBM in Lebanon, QuanTech, part of Midis Group, is one of the largest Systems Integrators in the Levant region.
QuanTech have developed a services portfolio to help implement Technology components as part of a global Digital Transformation engagement and to solve specific focused Business challenges.
Over the course of its years in business, QuanTech has established itself as a trusted partner of choice to help clients throughout their Digital Journey. Services and Solutions ranging from Digital Transformation, Client touch point services, Data Center Solution, Electronic payments, Omnichannels, Devops and Data Security.
QuanTech serves clients horizontally in all market segments from Financial Services, Telecommunication Services, Healthcare and General Purpose businesses.
It accompanies its clients through the various stages required to achieve an ultimate objective of Digitally re-inventing their institutions and participate in the next wave of Digital Economy.
New website launched by Qatar Site & Power
The launch of a new website for Qatar Site & Power – QSP – has been announced at www.qsp.com.qa. The site showcases the company’s expertise in Data Center solutions and services, with the support of highly-skilled and specialized teams.
The website is easy to navigate with a modern design that is responsive on different devices, allowing clients to have a seamless digital experience while exploring the site.
It consolidates High Search Volume keywords in order to increase traffic in search engines such as Google, as well as boosting page ranking higher.
In addition to the freshly-designed website there is also a new QSP Linkedin profile – please visit and like or comment.
More about QSP
With 30 years experience QSP have been able to forge a remarkable presence in the Qatari market in three major sectors: Data Centers, Diesel Generators and UPS systems. Today QSP has around 100 employees, and they are the leaders in their core line of business.
QSP is part of Midis Energy, providing a wide variety of Data Center, Power/Cooling and Site Preparation solutions, supported by a large team to install, manage, maintain and repair products in the Middle East.
From design to construction, maintenance and support, their highly specialized and factory-trained engineers and technicians can manage all aspects of partner Power/IT infrastructure requirements.
Since 1990, QSP has been the official distributor of KOHLER-SDMO Generators and Vertiv (ex- Emerson Network Power), who remain major partners at all levels: design, commercial, technical and support services.
New Southcomp Polaris website launched
A new French-language website for Southcomp Polaris has been launched, complete with partners sign-in zone, at www.southcomp-polaris.com. An English version to cater to the English-speaking African countries will be coming soon.
Design of the site is modern, neat, easy-to-navigate and is balanced between modernity, technology and the partnership approach at the core of the ‘SP style’ and the African markets covered by the company.
The website also features a revamped company logo and branding.
Amongst new features, the new site contains:
a secure Partner area allowing companies to check offers related to their country and the status of their accounts
a call to action button present all over the site allow visitors to contact the SP team
integrated social platforms for LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
a news page featuring the latest news and events concerning SP and its vendors
a responsive design on different devices, and incorporates High Search Volume keywords to increase website traffic on search engines.
More about Southcomp Polaris
Founded in 1993, Southcomp Polaris is a leading distributor of leading brands of e-business infrastructure, software and hardware solutions for professionals in the African continent. By establishing full transparency and consistency in their services, Southcomp Polaris has built a solid reputation as a value-added distributor, offering its partners a wide range of competitive products and solutions.
Mindware Joins Avnet to Bring IoT Solutions to Middle East and North Africa
Leading global technology solutions provider Avnet and Mindware, the major value-added distributor (VAD), are partnering to bring Avnet’s IoTConnect® Partner Program to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Mindware will leverage the program, part of Avnet’s IoTConnect Solutions Suite, to drive digital transformation initiatives of partners and customers and contribute to successful IoT project implementations across the region.
“Mindware will be a strong ally going forward providing access to Avnet’s IoTConnect solutions across the MENA region,” said Hari Kalyanaraman, Director, Product Management at Avnet. “This enables Avnet to expand our market and geographic reach while bringing new IoT technology capabilities to companies looking for scalable cost-effective solutions.”
Besides having a wide network of regional resellers and system integrators that helps with market penetration, Mindware adds significant value to its channel ecosystem through its vast and diversified solutions team, comprising an active and highly qualified base of solutions and IT architects. Partners benefit from Mindware’s expert resources to speed time to market and reduce cost.
“IoT is a big focus area for Mindware going forward, considering the fact that it is a powerful agent to accelerate the pace of digital transformation. We have identified Avnet as one of the key vendors in this space as it offers comprehensive IoT capabilities through one partner. The company helps customers in the early stages from component sourcing to hardware design and production. Additionally, with its IoTConnect Platform, it seamlessly connects devices to the cloud and generates insights through apps and AI. With this new partnership, customers can now rely on Avnet and Mindware for end-to-end capabilities to deliver actionable business insights. We are excited to collaborate with Avnet, which helps us diversify our IoT portfolio and introduce new and innovative technologies into the region,” says Philippe Jarre, CEO of Mindware.
Both Avnet and Mindware closely collaborate with Microsoft and leverage its secure cloud computing services, Azure, AI and IoT capabilities. This makes the Avnet-Mindware partnership even stronger. Avnet’s IoTConnect Platform optimizes Microsoft’s Azure IoT suite, which provides secure and scalable infrastructure and open edge-to-cloud IoT solutions including storage, compute and microservices of stream units, data and AI services that connect, monitor, and control billions of IoT assets. It also includes security and operating systems for devices and equipment, along with data and analytics that help businesses to build, deploy, and manage IoT applications. Mindware was the first VAD to distribute Microsoft products in the Middle East.
“We are delighted to see Avnet and Mindware coming together to further enhance and enable highly secure Microsoft Azure IoT applications and solutions across the Middle East and North Africa. The explosion of data and devices has changed the way we collect and analyze data – and how we think about security. We look forward to building on our collective knowledge and expertise to further enhance our broad portfolio of capabilities and unlock customer value through innovation,” said Bruno Delamarre, General Manager, One Commercial Partner, Microsoft Middle East and Africa.
Avnet’s IoTConnect Partner Program enables system integrators and original equipment manufacturers to build new solutions and service models for their practice. It enables developers to enhance these solutions with Avnet’s smart applications, access devices certified for use on the IoTConnect Platform and enjoy easier proof-of-concept deployment. Participants in the program can leverage proven applications in combination with Avnet’s extensive ecosystem of experts to accelerate and scale their IoT solution development.
Avnet is a global technology solutions provider with an extensive ecosystem delivering design, product, marketing and supply chain expertise for customers at every stage of the product lifecycle. We transform ideas into intelligent solutions, reducing the time, cost and complexities of bringing products to market. For nearly a century, Avnet has helped its customers and suppliers around the world realize the transformative possibilities of technology.
More about Mindware
As one of the leading distributors of the finest IT products in the Middle East and Africa, Mindware’s extensive portfolio includes top-class global brands reaching out to over 3,000 resellers. Mindware’s comprehensive offering includes a selection of infrastructure, networking, security and storage leading brands. As part of its VAD methodology, Mindware also offers supplementary value-added services to its reselling partners including pre-sales consultancy, implementation services, local technical support, marketing enablement tools and multiple channel-enabling programs. Headquartered in Dubai, UAE, since 1991, Mindware has been uncompromisingly serving its customers for more than three decades.
Housing Bank signs ATM agreement with Jordan Business Systems
Housing Bank, the largest and most widely spread bank in the Kingdom of Jordan, has signed an agreement with Jordan Business Systems (JBS), and Diebold Nixdorf in Jordan and Palestine, for the purchase of 185 state-of-the-art ATM’s equipped with the latest technology.
The initiative aligns with the bank’s strategy to provide its customers with the latest and most advanced technologies and services in the banking sector and is the largest of its kind at local and regional levels in Jordan. It is consistent with the Housing Bank’s plans to keep pace with latest developments in the global banking market, enhancing its digital services chain, and provides an integrated banking experience and innovative services. The result will be added value for its customers, as well as contributing to enriching their banking experience.
Installation of the new ATMs, equipped with the latest advanced technologies, will begin in all governorates of the Kingdom during the first quarter of 2021. This step will enable Housing Bank customers and all users of ATMs to obtain new and distinguished comprehensive services and a seamless self-service experience.
Housing Bank HQ: the Group are regarded by many as pioneers in the modern banking industry in the region. Photo credit – Housing Bank
Commenting on this step, the Chief Business Officer at the Housing Bank, Vasken Ajamyan, said: “At Housing Bank, and within our strategic plans to adopt the latest banking services technology, we are keen to provide the most innovative services and to keep pace with qualitative additions that will support our journey towards digital transformation. We will provide a banking experience that is unique and distinctive to our customers, enabling them to easily complete their transactions aligning with fast-paces changes imposed by the digital era.”
Ajamyan added: “Housing Bank is always ahead in its ability to respond effectively to the changing requirements of its customers, as it worked over the past years to optimally update its infrastructure to support the shift to digital transformation. Today we thrive to implement our digitally-driven plans by replacing our ATM network with the latest endpoints, and most developed ones, locally and internationally.”
Emad Suwan, General Manager of Jordan Business Systems (JBS) in Jordan and Palestine, said: “This agreement provides Housing Bank, regarded by many as pioneers in the modern banking industry in the region, with advanced technologies in order to adapt to the current and future requirements through the digitization of transaction banking.”
Emad Suwan emphasized that the Housing Bank choice to deal with Diebold Nixdorf, a leader in manufacturing and developing Automatic Teller Machines, will help deliver the latest banking services to Housing Bank customers, making it an enhanced positive experience befitting the customers of this large banking organization.
The new ATMs are modern devices with multi-touch screens, supporting contactless technology, and will bring to customers several additional services such as instant cash deposit, instant check deposit and other services.
