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.