Redington Celebrates 25 Years Of Democratizing Technology In MEA
Opening the day, Redington's Managing Director and Group CEO, V.S. Hariharan, reflected on the company's evolution to a purpose-led digital platform. Hariharan said, 'We didn't start as a tech giant, but today we stand as the leading tech distributor in MEA, trusted by a large network of global brands and channel partners. What sets us apart is not just scale, but the strength of our ecosystem – channel partners, vendors and customers – working in gravitational harmony. That's how we've grown, and that's how we'll continue to democratize technology for decades to come.'
The La Perle, Dubai theatre was packed with over 700 attendees – channel partners, technology vendors, and longtime collaborators – each of whom has played a role in Redington's remarkable growth story. The event's sponsors featured Microsoft, Fortinet, AWS, HPE, Aruba, Intel, Qlik, Nutanix and Confluent.
Narayanan KV, Head of Omni Channel for the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, and Africa at HP Inc., delivered a heartfelt tribute to HP's 25-year partnership with Redington during his keynote address, highlighting the strength, trust, and shared success that have defined the journey.
The packed agenda also featured keynote addresses from Rachel Lashford, Vice President, Marketing at Canalys; Adi Morun, Director – Data & AI Business, CEMA, Microsoft and Shadi Shidvash, EMEA Distribution Sales Director at Intel.
Lashford shared compelling insights with channel partners in the room on emerging opportunities in AI, Cloud, SaaS and beyond in her keynote session, highlighting how partners can stay ahead in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Morun delivered thought-provoking takeaways on 'Innovation in the Era of AI', offering a clear vision of how data and AI are reshaping industries and unlocking new possibilities for partners.
Shidvash presented an engaging keynote titled 'Intel Inside, Great Partnerships Outside', emphasizing the power of collaboration in driving innovation, performance, and ecosystem-wide impact.
Three power-packed panel discussions set the tone for forward-looking conversations during Redington ReInspire.
There was a panel that brought Redington's new leadership team on stage for a deep dive into the company's strategy, culture, and next phase of growth. Moderated by the CEO of Redington MEA Viswanath Pallasena, the Redington panellists included Ramesh Natarajan, Chief Executive Officer, IME; Sayantan Dev, Global Head – Software Solutions Group; Serkan Celik, Chief Executive Officer, (Turkey, Africa, Egypt, CIS Region) and Serkan Kutlu, Global Chief Strategy Officer.
Pallasena said, 'Over the last 25 years, Redington has made a real mark on the market. However, we're not standing still – we're evolving with it. As the needs of our partners and customers change, we're gearing up for what's next, embracing a digital-first mindset, and staying aligned with where the industry is headed.'
Natarajan said, 'What we've built over time is powerful, but what we're building next is transformative. Together with our partners, we're reimagining and reinspiring the business of technology to be faster, more open, and deeply human.'
The next panel, 'Building Intelligent Ecosystems in a Software-Defined Era', moderated by Sayantan Dev, explored how technology providers and partners can enable smarter, more adaptable businesses. The panellists included Andy Parkinson, Senior Director, Distribution Head EMEA / Channel Sales Leader META & CIS, Qlik; Vinod Krishnan, Head, Partner Management, META, AWS; Shane Grennan, Senior Director of Partner Sales and Business Development, MET, Fortinet; and Raif Abou Diab, Country Manager – UAE, Oman, Pakistan, Yemen & Sub-Saharan Africa at Nutanix
Dev said, 'Redington has been committed to building intelligent ecosystems by bridging global innovation with regional opportunity. Redington ReInspire's venue, La Perle, Dubai, much like our vision, blends creativity with impact—an ideal setting to discuss what it means to thrive in a software-defined era. We are no longer talking about individual solutions. We're building interconnected ecosystems, where software, infrastructure, and services converge to deliver lasting value.'
In another panel, Powering Technology That Matters, Redington invited leaders from Microsoft, HPE, Intel, and HPE Aruba to examine how AI, infrastructure, and connectivity can align with purpose and performance. This panel, presented in partnership with Intel, included Shadi Shidvash, EMEA Distribution Sales Director at Intel; Syed Mansoor Hussain, Device Partner Sales Lead UAE, Microsoft; Michael Langeveld, Head of Technology & Business Development (Emirates & Africa), HPE; and Ahmed AlSayed, Regional Channel Sales Manager, MEA, HPE Aruba.
The event honored over 60 long-standing vendors and channel partners with Legacy Loyalty Awards, recognizing those who have stood with Redington through every transformation
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