Nicholas Tan (Tech Data)
Tech Data has been appointed as a Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (Indirect) in Singapore, as the distributor expands services capabilities through the channel.
The move is designed to primarily add Microsoft Azure to Tech Data’s line-up of cloud services, allowing partners to leverage enhanced offerings to drive digital transformation agendas at customer level.
In addition to Azure, key solutions available via Tech Data across the city-state now include Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365, in addition to Enterprise Mobility Suite, Power BI and Windows offerings.
“In Singapore, a digital-first approach has proven to help boost productivity and innovation,” said Nicholas Tan, country general manager of Singapore at Tech Data. “Cloud computing plays a foundational role in driving successful digital transformation initiatives, and this agreement will enable our channel partners to transform and scale their cloud business strategically to meet market demand.”
The new indirect status builds on Tech Data’s existing partnerships with Microsoft across the Americas, Europe and other parts of Asia Pacific.
According to Tan, Tech Data is building out plans to become a leading “cloud solutions aggregator and orchestrator” across the region through increased market investment, evident through cloud proprietary platform, StreamOne.
StreamOne allows partners to manage and deploy cloud subscriptions on behalf of customers, in addition to performing white-labelled quoting alongside billing and analytics to track customer subscriptions in real-time, supported by the recent addition of 'Click-to-Run' for Azure solutions.
“We look forward to working with Tech Data to empower Microsoft partners of all sizes to rapidly build profitable cloud businesses amid growing demand for cloud-based solutions and services,” added Gerald Leo, chief partner officer of Singapore at Microsoft.
“Tech Data’s investments in their data and AI Lab will also accelerate growth to help the partner community in Singapore and find new pathways to drive innovation in the data analytics and artificial intelligence space leveraging Azure as their platform of choice for intelligent cloud and edge.”
Specific to Singapore, the distributor will also aim to increase collaboration with traditional value-added resellers providing cloud solutions for the first time, as well as cloud service providers with existing cloud managed services offerings.
Now that its US$5.4 billion acquisition by affiliates of private equity firm Apollo Global Management has reached completion, Tech Data recently unveiled plans to invest around $750 million in digital transformation initiatives over the next five years.
The investment will underpin its strategy to accelerate innovation in ways that the distributor hopes will deliver improved experiences and greater agility for businesses across the technology ecosystem. Digital transformation initiatives are focused on delivering state-of-the-art automation, platforms and analytics aimed at allowing the business to be more agile and responsive to the rapidly evolving needs of channel partners.
The transformation program includes building a hyper-scalable digital business platform and a cloud-based digital marketplace that are designed to support Tech Data’s “ambitious” growth plans and serve emerging technology markets and consumption models.
