Despite global economic uncertainty, the value of ICT distribution continues to strengthen with new technologies, services and platform investments. In episode 53 of Beyond Distribution, host Frank Vitagliano moderates an insightful conversation on what the future holds for the channel as well as its rapidly changing ecosystem with a panel of European distribution executives. This session was recorded live at the recent GTDC Summit EMEA event in Madrid, Spain. From expanding portfolios and digital platforms to incorporating AI everywhere, the group touched on a number of critical channel topics, including the opportunities and challenges of operating in today’s disruptive global environment.

The executive panel included:    

•  Ali Baghdadi, SVP & Chief Country Executive, Ingram Micro (MEA focus)

• Nick Bannister, President ECS EMEA, Arrow Electronics

• Alessandro Cattani, CEO, Esprinet

• Frank Salmon, CEO, CMS Distribution Ltd.

Where are distributors investing their resources? How will innovation spur their sales and support capabilities? Listen to this extraordinary episode of Beyond Distribution with GTDC to find out.  

Geopolitical changes are creating uncertainties across the globe, from new policies and tariffs to potentially temporary supply chain moves. Despite those reservations, the IT industry have several reasons to be optimistic this year, suggests Emily Mansfield, Regional Director, Europe, Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The 2025 GTDC Summit EMEA speaker joins host Frank Vitagliano for an interactive discussion on European and worldwide concerns and factors that could boost (or impede) IT spending in episode 52 of Beyond Distribution with GTDC.

How will tariff threats, the Ukrainian conflict and other political uncertainties affect markets and buying capabilities? What impact could positive trends in inflation and interest rates have on consumers and businesses?

Hear the answers to those questions in this episode of Beyond Distribution with GTDC.

 Visit the GTDC Knowledge Hub for access to additional podcast episodes and other valued industry resources.  

Rapid change deeply impacts the channel, and IT distributors are orchestrating those transformations. In episode 51, Frank Vitagliano moderates an insightful conversation on that topic with a panel of the top distribution executives in North America, recorded live at the February GTDC Summit NA in Oceanside, CA. The group touches on a number of critical channel topics, including upstream and downstream advances with AI and collaboration opportunities with hyperscalers, and discuss the challenges of the current global environment. Frank’s guests include:   

• Sean Kerins, President and CEO, Arrow Electronics 
• Dan Schwab, Co-President, D&H 
• Paul Bay, CEO, Ingram Micro 
• Patrick Zammit - CEO, TD SYNNEX 

 What can channel expect from distributors in the future? How will AI impact sales, marketing, support and other operations? Check out this special episode of Beyond Distribution with GTDC to hear their answers. 

From the early pick-pack-and-ship operations to modern-day cloud and innovation incubators, IT distribution has undergone a major transformation, according to Steve Raymund, retired chair and CEO of the former Tech Data (now TD SYNNEX). The channel pioneer joins host Frank Vitagliano in this special 50th episode of Beyond Distribution to discuss milestones in the IT industry’s evolution, channel dynamics and the origins of the GTDC.

They discuss the company’s founding by Raymund’s father in 1974 as a data supply retailer with a handful of employees, as well as his personal experiences leading and reshaping the organization from the 1980s through his retirement in 2017. From reselling components and computers before the internet to the introduction of multi-vendor solutions and the cloud, their conversation covers a lot of historical ground.

Which investments, innovations and trends had the greatest impact on the industry? How did the needs and abilities of the IT community shift since those early days of distribution? Get those answers and learn how the transformation from hardware-centric to services-driven IT businesses reinvented the channel in this episode of Beyond Distribution with GTDC.   

 Check out the GTDC Knowledge Hub to access previous episodes of the podcast and other valued industry resources.  

Cloud transformation continues to shake up and reshape the technology channel, and vendors and solution providers are looking for easier ways to scale these offerings, according to Eric Nowak, President of Global Enterprise Computing Solutions at Arrow. He joins host Frank Vitagliano in episode 49 of Beyond Distribution with GTDC for an interactive discussion on that topic and shares his thoughts on the current and future direction of IT distribution.

What role will AI and data analytics play in rolling out new technologies? How can vendors leverage digital platforms to optimize their distribution ROI and quickly scale revenue streams and solution adoption? Check out this episode of Beyond Distribution with GTDC for those answers and more.

 Be sure to visit the GTDC Knowledge Hub for access to all episodes of the podcast and other valued industry resources.

Supporting tech innovation in an area with multiple cultures and languages and many geographic barriers is challenging for even the largest vendors. According to Ali Baghdadi, SVP and CEO for the Middle East, Turkey and Africa (META) for Ingram Micro, those are key reasons why those companies look to distributors to build and support strong channel efforts in those communities. He shares his insight on overcoming those obstacles and the region’s growing demand for innovation, including AI, digital transformation and cybersecurity with Frank Vitagliano in episode 48 of Beyond Distribution with GTDC.  

What are the largest technology opportunities in this region? How can vendors gain the most traction with their investments? Which advanced technologies are in high demand in different parts of the region? Listen to this episode of Beyond Distribution with GTDC for those answers and more.   

 Go to the GTDC Knowledge Hub for more podcast episodes and other valued industry resources.  

Digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity are expected to drive technology sales for years to come. However, relatively few vendors have the resources to scale sales and adoption of these innovative offerings on their own. At the recent GTDC Summit APJ event in Singapore, CEO Frank Vitagliano discussed those challenges with top distribution executives and highlighted the major benefits of indirect go-to-market strategies.

This episode of Beyond Distribution is a live recording of that conversation, which also covered the latest trends in technology and business trends, and many of the ways IT distributors help vendors and solution providers optimize their operations and increase revenue.

What are the biggest challenges and opportunities in the APJ region? How are IT distributors investing to advance sales and market adoption for their vendor and solution providers? Hear the answers straight from the top in this interactive discussion with moderator and GTDC CEO Frank Vitagliano and executives from the largest IT distributors. Those panelists included:

• Patrick Aronson, Chief Marketing Officer & Head of APAC, Westcon-Comstor
• S. Hariharan, Group CEO, Redington Limited
• Luis Lourenco, SVP & Chief Country Executive ASEAN & Hong Kong, Ingram Micro
• Jaideep Malhotra, President, Asia Pacific & Japan, TD SYNNEX
• William Ong, Group CEO ASEAN and Executive Director, VST ECS  

Visit the GTDC Knowledge Hub for access to additional podcast episodes and other valued industry resources.

According to IDC Group Vice President of Domain Research Avneesh Saxena, Asia Pacific is strategically important to the IT industry, with many emerging companies taking risks to drive innovation in the digital-first global environment. In this episode of Beyond Distribution with GTDC, he joins host Frank Vitagliano to discuss regional sales trends, new technology opportunities, and the shifting worldwide IT landscape.

Saxena also provides a sneak peak of his keynote presentation at the GTDC Summit APJ event in Singapore, including the effects of AI and cybersecurity advances on technology sales. From the regional impact of China and the latest opportunities with AI, digital transformation and innovation, he highlights what tech executives need to know today to make strategic decisions that will impact their future success.

 What comes next for the APJ IT community? How will the region drive global sales and adoption of AI and other advanced technologies? How will services impact overall IT revenue growth in the next few years?

Check out this episode of Beyond Distribution with GTDC for those answers (and more). To view the IDC slides Saxena mentions in this discussion, see the full video on the GTDC podcast page.

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