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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Despite the uncertainty of global elections, shifting policies, and layoffs in the tech community, the industry outlook is positive, suggests John Marrett, Director of Financial Risk for the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). In this episode of Beyond Distribution with GTDC, he joins host Frank Vitagliano to discuss a variety of factors impacting world and regional markets and IT demand.

Marrett will share his expertise on this topic and deeper insight into the Asia Pacific IT markets in a keynote discussion at the GTDC APJ Summit in Singapore on November 19th. From the impact of global elections and financial policies to the outlook for new technologies and business model changes, he will highlight the issues and opportunities that tech executives should focus on in 2025 and beyond.

How will new leaders affect the IT community? Will growing demand for AI and cybersecurity drive faster technology refresh cycles?

Listen to this episode of Beyond Distribution with GTDC for all those answers (and more).   

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

Sustainability remains a high priority for business leaders across the globe, with increasing awareness driven by regulations and societal concerns. However, the roadmap and tracking options for compliance remain unclear. In this episode of Beyond Distribution with GTDC Manuel Aguirre, Senior Manager of Global Sustainability for TD SYNNEX, and Dominique Deklerck, Sustainability Project Lead for GTDC discuss those issues and opportunities with host Frank Vitagliano.

The trio explores sustainability as a competitive driver and the value of these initiatives for attracting investors and young talent, especially in the global tech community. Aguirre and Deklerck also highlight some of the advances in GTDC’s data project and the need for more industry collaboration and engagement to ensure long-term success.

Why is sustainability such an important focus for the IT community? How can vendors and distributors get more involved? Listen to this special episode of Beyond Distribution with GTDC for those answers (and more).

 Be sure to check out the GTDC Knowledge Hub to access more than 40 additional podcast episodes and a host of other valued industry resources.    

Larry Walsh, CEO and chief analyst at Channelnomics, emphasizes that the value proposition for distribution continues to grow stronger due to vendors' expansion goals, and even more so with the increasing focus on data intelligence and digital transformation. In this episode of Beyond Distribution with GTDC, he discusses partner expansion and the shifts in global go-to-market strategies with host Frank Vitagliano.

 How will greater data synergies and analytics affect sell-through? What effect will digital marketplaces have on partner engagement and sales growth? How has the value of distribution been affected by cloud expansion and hyperscalers? Hear the answers to those important questions and more in this episode of Beyond Distribution with GTDC.  

 Be sure to check out the GTDC Knowledge Hub to access more than 40 additional podcast episodes and a variety of other valued industry resources.