News in the Channel - issue #29

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Issue #29

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NEWS: The latest news and product news from the Channel – pages 6-10 2023 PREVIEW:: Crystal balls at the ready – page 15 INTERVIEW:: Richard Wells embracing 30 years of change – page 26 SCANNING GATEWAYS: Hybrid working is driving the growth of digitising documents – page 46 BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE:: How FX rates affect toner pricing – page 50 NEWS: The latest news and product news from the Channel – pages 6-10 2023 PREVIEW:: Crystal balls at the ready – page 15 INTERVIEW:: Richard Wells embracing 30 years of change – page 26 SCANNING GATEWAYS: Hybrid working is driving the growth of digitising documents – page 46 BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE:: How FX rates affect toner pricing – page 50

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COMMENT

Keeping it safe Several high-profile cyberattacks on retail businesses and school authorities have made headlines in the past month and should sound a warning to all about the necessity of strong network protection – and resellers should be ready to help.

Cybersecurity has hit the headlines several times in the past month, with a variety of high-profile attacks on well-known businesses and school authorities causing chaos and extended periods of downtime for those affected. The severity of the attacks and the nature and size of those affected demonstrate that any organisation is vulnerable to an attack. While the cost of these attacks will be difficult to quantify, it is certain that the retail businesses will have lost significant sums due to them – and the reputational damage will also take a long time to repair. It also shows how imperative it is for all businesses to have effective cybersecurity measures in place. In particular, legal firms need to ensure that their cybersecurity is as watertight as possible, given the highly confidential nature of much of their work – and resellers have a vital role to play in ensuring they get the right solutions in place. Read more on p40. Another increasing priority for many businesses is sustainability. Now, it isn’t just about saving energy, it is about the entire lifecycle of a product, which is why interest is growing in the circular economy, where resources are reused

and recycled as much as possible. OEMs are responding to this demand, and resellers need to be alive to it too. Find out more on p22. Resellers should also be looking to make the most of the opportunities presented by peripherals to boost their bottom line. Peripherals

Dan Parton

should not be seen as optional extras, but important equipment that can boost employee

productivity and experience, whether they are in the office or working at home. Read more on p54. Elsewhere in this issue, we have an interview with Xvantage’s Sanjib Sahoo. The man who won the Personality of the Year award at last year’s Stockies shares the latest updates from Xvantage but also gives an insight into what makes him tick and how his passion is influencing others and helping to drive Xvantage forward. Read more on 18. As always, I hope you enjoy the issue. News in the Channel is for all those involved in the channel, so if there is something you want to see covered in a future issue – or you want to get involved in editorial or send through a press release or opinion piece to be considered for publication – please drop me a line at dan@newsinthechannel.com.

See the 2025 Categories

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CONTENTS

News You should know p8 Product Launch Lenovo Thinkpad P14s and P16s p14 Sanjib Sahoo Xvantage Passion brings success p18 Circular Economy Opportunities for resellers p22 AddOn Networks Cable commitment p29 STOCKIES 2025 Award categories p31 Regulation NIS2 and DORA p35 AI PCs A paradigm shift p38 Security for Legal Firms IT Confidential p40 Cover Story HP in healthcare settings p46 Reseller of the Year Teqex p48

Sanjib Sahoo Xvantage – p18

Peripherals – p54

Getting employees the right peripherals to help them do their job effectively can make a big difference to productivity for a business – and they can also make a difference to the bottom line for resellers.

Sanjib Sahoo won Personality of the Year at last year’s Stockies, and his passion and drive are helping to ensure that Xvantage continually develops to provide an optimum platform for partners and customers.

Circular Economy – p22 As environmental concerns grow, more businesses are looking to recycle devices at the end of life and buy new products containing recycled materials, meaning that there are growing opportunities for resellers in the circular economy.

Product Launch: Lenovo – p14

AddOn Networks – p29

AddOn Networks provides a range of cabling solutions and is finding that its products are in greater demand as more devices are being used than ever.

Eagle Eye BI Surveliiance systems p52 Peripherals Productivity p54 On the move p58

Lenovo has refreshed its ThinkPad portfolio, including launching the

ThinkPad P14s and P16s, which have been designed to handle complex workloads for professionals, including harnessing the power of AI.

CONTENTS

Teqex – Reseller Profile – p48

Last year was significant for Teqex as the company navigated a challenging market to secure strong growth and win the Reseller of the Year (Turnover up to £5 million) Award at the Stockies.

Written permission from the publisher is required before any part of News in the Channel can be reproduced. © 2025 In the Channel Media Ltd. Market Analyst Wickus Bester wickus.bester@ stockinthechannel.com Publishing Director Justin Penn 07816 573 186 justin@ newsinthechannel.com Editorial Dan Parton 07941 979 845 dan@ newsinthechannel.com Advertising Sales Martin Jenner-Hall 07824 552 116 martin@ newsinthechannel.com Liz Newbury 07756 069297 liz@newsinthechannel.com

The STOCKIES 2025 Award Categories and sponsorship packages have been announced .

Security for Legal Firms – p30

Threats from cyber criminals are ever-growing and legal firms, with their wealth of confidential data, are naturally targets. This means network security is imperative and resellers have a crucial role to play in ensuring firms get the right solutions.

Regulation – p35

Cover Story – p46

As the NHS faces increasing financial pressure and growing security threats, HP’s laser printers provide unmatched value, clinical compliance and peace of mind through advanced security and risk- free trial offers.

Published by: In the Channel Media Ltd Company registration number: 14363401 Registered office address 14-18 Heddon Street,

New legislation concerning regulation and cyber risk governance has come into effect recently, but research shows that many companies are not prepared for it – and this provides an opportunity for channel partners.

Mayfair, London, United Kingdom, W1B 4DA In conjunction with:

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NEWS

VIP and j5create sign distribution agreement

Tech distributor VIP has been appointed as the official distributor of connectivity solutions provider j5create. This strategic partnership enhances VIP’s product offerings, introducing new categories and expanding its lineup with items such as cables and chargers, monitor arms, laptop stands, docking stations and web cameras. As a global OEM manufacturer, J5create has been ranked No. 1 in the US for docking stations for the second consecutive year, and No. 2 for cables.

Their award-winning products are known for their high build quality, low return rates, and margin-rich offerings, ensuring excellent value for resellers. Chuck Akins, SVP, global sales of j5create, said: “We are excited to open a new chapter with VIP Computers in the UK at j5create. The thriving IT industry in the UK is highly attractive for us as a primarily North American company, and we know we have the best partner with VIP Computers’ expertise and reputation as a premium distributor.”

Chuck Akins

j5create.com

Exertis Cybersecurity now offers protection from Avast Exertis Cybersecurity has announced a new partnership with Avast, a global leader in digital security and privacy and part of Gen™. Exertis Cybersecurity now offers its partners Avast solutions for endpoint protection and easy-to-

has a dedicated Endpoint and Threat Intelligence team skilled in Avast and other complementary solutions. Avast products and services are available from the Exertis Flex marketplace, a self-service platform built for managed service providers that are a part of the Exertis Flex program. Dominic Ryles, Exertis Cybersecurity sales and alliance director, said. “[I] look forward to working with our partners to integrate these solutions into their cybersecurity

use patch management; available with flexible monthly billing, making cybersecurity more accessible and manageable than ever. Avast’s award-winning endpoint solutions, combined with advanced patch management, offer partners a powerful, consumption-based approach to cyber resilience. Exertis Cybersecurity

Dominic Ryles

offerings and drive long-term protection to their customers.”

Click to read the full story

exertis.co.uk

Kite partners with Hexnode

Hexnode has announced a partnership with Kite Distribution that will see Kite serve as Hexnode’s sole distributor for UEM solutions in the UK. Hexnode and Kite will equip UK enterprises with advanced endpoint management solutions, helping them bolster security and maintain compliance. Hexnode’s UEM solution provides a unified console to manage and

secure endpoints across multiple operating systems. With features such as Patch Management, Application Management, Remote Monitoring, and AI-driven Automation, Hexnode helps businesses streamline IT operations while maintaining a strong security posture. The platform offers specialised solutions such as Kiosk Management, BYOD Management and Rugged Device

kitedistribution.co.uk

hexnode.com

CONTINUED

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NEWS

CONTINUED

Management. Blake Neate, UK sales director at Hexnode, said: “Finding the right distribution partner was paramount in signalling Hexnode’s channel focus and Kite was the perfect fit to enable this

and complement our approach. This partnership allows Hexnode to utilise the value Kite brings in the process and will ensure Hexnode’s name is recognised in conjunction with the maturity of the platform.”

Redsquid acquires Itek

Redsquid has acquired Itek Systems Management, based in Fife, Scotland. This marks Redsquid's third acquisition in the last month and sixth in the past 12 months. With the integration of Itek, Redsquid gains valuable expertise and resources that contribute to its mission of transforming business operations for customers through cutting-edge consultancy and support services. “I am very pleased to continue our investment in Scotland, and grow the Redsquid community across the wider

UK,” said Sohin Raithatha, CEO of Redsquid. “The Itek team will seamlessly join our operations, and we look forward to bolstering our opportunity for having more people on the ground in Scotland to continue our presence as a local partner. Together, we look forward to driving growth and success in the evolving IT landscape.” Euan Fielder, founder of Itek, remains as managing director of Itek and looks forward to moving into a new phase with The Redsquid Group. Click to read the full story

redsquid.co.uk

itek.co.uk

Nuvias UC portfolio expands with Neat

Nuvias UC, a specialist in converged communications, has expanded its portfolio with the addition of Neat, a provider of innovative and sleek video collaboration devices. Through this partnership, Nuvias UC will distribute Neat’s latest video hardware, including Neat Bar Pro, Neat Board Pro and Neat Center – designed to elevate virtual meeting experiences through seamless integration with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and other major collaboration platforms, and Neat’s App Hub is available to Nuvias

UC partners. Joel Chimoindes, CEO, Nuvias UC, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Neat to the Nuvias UC portfolio. Their innovative, design led approach to video collaboration perfectly aligns with our mission to deliver best in class UC solutions to the channel. With Neat’s hardware, Pulse management software and rich suite of apps, engaging meetings continue to grow. This partnership ensures we stay at the forefront of UC innovation.” Click to read the full story

Joel Chimoindes

nuvias-uc.com

NEWS

Cantarus acquires CRM specialist FlexRM

Full-service digital agency Cantarus has acquired UK-based FlexRM, a specialist Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM integrator. The founders and owners of FlexRM will retain shareholdings in the business and no personnel roles have been or will be eliminated. With this acquisition, Cantarus offers a comprehensive suite of services that integrates CRM and its digital experience services into a single package, providing clients with CRM, web design and development, mobile app and online

community projects, digital publications, creative design, UX, branding, consultancy, data services and cloud hosting. “When our CRM product is integrated with the digital platforms Cantarus delivers, it has a transformational impact on our clients’ growth, value delivery and agility,” said Steven Madden, commercial director and co-founder of FlexRM. “The need for full integration has become more and more profound and urgent for clients and is one of the key reasons why we have joined the Cantarus fold.”

cantarus.com

Philips Evnia 25M2N5200U available mid-May

With an overclocked 390Hz refresh rate and 360Hz native refresh rate for smooth gameplay, and up to 1ms GtG response time for sharp, precise images, this brand-new esports-focused model from the Evnia 5000 Series, the Philips Evnia 25M2N5200U, is designed specifically with competitive esports players in mind. The 24.5″ (62.2cm) fast IPS FHD display delivers vibrant, high-quality visuals and the height-adjustable stand provides extra

comfort and convenience. “The Philips Evnia 25M2N5200U is built for the esports scene, delivering the speed, precision, and responsiveness that competitive gamers need to perform at their best,” said Xeni Bairaktari,

marketing director of Philips Evnia.

Click to read the full story

Philips Evnia 25M2N5200U

Westcoast and Qualcomm Technologies collaboration Westcoast is bringing devices with

the Windows Copilot+ PC experience, empowering professionals to work smarter, more efficiently and securely. Westcoast’s client director, Paul Hamilton, said: " With AI computing accelerating and businesses preparing for the Windows 11 transition, this is the perfect time for our partners to explore devices with Snapdragon X Series. These PCs deliver the performance, power and security needed to drive productivity and innovation in today’s workplace, while expanding and complementing our partners’ existing device offerings."

Snapdragon® X Series processors to the UK channel – delivering cutting-edge performance, power efficiency and AI- driven capabilities. Market demand for faster, more intelligent and energy-efficient PCs is on the rise. The addition of Snapdragon® X Elite and Snapdragon® X Plus processors will help Westcoast’s reseller partners keep pace with these demands. With high-speed AI processing and advanced security features, these next-generation processors are designed to support

Paul Hamilton

westcoast.co.uk

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NEWS

VOW Wholesale team to climb Ben Nevis

VOW’s managing director, Adrian Butler, EVO group logistics director Martin Weedall and a small team of enthusiastic colleagues are undertaking a challenging nine-hour ascent of Ben Nevis, the United Kingdom's highest peak. The expedition is dedicated to raising funds for the evo Foundation and takes place on 5 June. The team will face the rigors of sustained hiking on steep terrain, climbing 1,345 metres to the summit. Speculation mounts as to whom among the team will be the first to reach the summit…

To sponsor the daring VOW climbers CLICK HERE

HP expands availability of WXP in the UK

HP’s Workforce Experience Platform (WXP) is an AI-powered platform that offers new capabilities across device management, sentiment analysis, and predictive lifecycle planning. It delivers real-time recommendations, intelligent analytics and persona-based optimisation for each employee’s needs. “The way people work is changing rapidly, and businesses need to keep up,” said Lee Elliot, director of workforce solutions, HP Northwest Europe. “Productive and engaged

employees are at the heart of successful businesses. With WXP, we are helping our customers shift from firefighting to forward-planning by supporting remote, hybrid, and in-office teams with equal agility. By reducing IT friction, simplifying operations and lowering total cost of ownership, WXP empowers organisations to deliver seamless technology experiences that drive

performance and improve employee satisfaction.”

Click to read the full story

HPE expands ZTNA HPE Aruba Networking Central introduces advanced, intuitive cloud- based access control. The new capabilities accelerate enterprise- grade zero trust security by treating users, devices and applications as potential threats until verified, using robust policy capabilities to bolster protection.

Click to read the full story

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PRODUCT LAUNCH LENOVO ThinkPad P14s and P16s

Premium power Lenovo has refreshed its ThinkPad portfolio, including launching the ThinkPad P14s and P16s, which have been designed to handle complex workloads for professionals, including harnessing the power of AI.

As professionals working in a wide range of sectors look to use artificial intelligence (AI) to bring new dimensions to their work, they are seeking laptops that can provide the power they need to make the most of this emerging technology. Manufacturers are responding to this need, such as Lenovo, which has unveiled a refreshed portfolio of ThinkPad devices that it says have been engineered to meet the evolving needs of professionals from content creators and engineers to knowledge workers and hybrid teams. The lineup includes powerful Copilot+ PCs, such as the ThinkPad P14s Gen 6 AMD and ThinkPad P16s Gen 4 AMD mobile workstations. Lenovo says the new ThinkPads reflect the company’s commitment to delivering smarter, more adaptive solutions that support advanced workloads, sustainability goals, and flexible work models — whether users are building complex simulations or collaborating across teams.

Starting at 1.39kg and 16.13mm thin, the ThinkPad P14s AMD is the thinnest and lightest mobile workstation in Lenovo’s portfolio, while the ThinkPad P16s AMD combines premium performance and portability, offering advanced AI experiences for professionals tackling complex workloads on-the-go.

Lenovo says the new ThinkPads reflect the company’s commitment to delivering smarter, more adaptive solutions...

Both workstations offer premium performance with AMD Ryzen™ AI PRO 300 Series processors up to Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370 with 5.1GHz and 12 cores. These processors deliver up to 50 NPU TOPS, enabling AI-accelerated productivity and seamless multitasking for mobile professionals. The ThinkPad P14s and P16s are built for the CAD and BIM workloads of engineers and architects, as well as educators and students in these fields, offering powerful and cost-effective solutions. Powered by AMD “Zen 5” technology and integrated graphics built on the AMD RDNA™ 3.5 architecture, these new P series workstations provide enhanced performance for complex engineering and creative workloads without compromising battery life. With up to 96GB of memory, these workstations ensure that even the most

Power meets portability

As AI reshapes industries, the demand for powerful, efficient and AI-ready computing solutions has never been greater. The latest additions to the Lenovo ThinkPad P series are rising to the challenge.

PRODUCT LAUNCH LENOVO ThinkPad P14s and P16s

and easier to manage. Features vary by model, but together they reflect a shared commitment to enhancing user experience through: 👉 Enhanced collaboration features: including 5MP RGB+IR cameras and Dolby Atmos® audio with Elevoc® noise suppression 👉 Flexible, modern connectivity: with support for Wi-Fi 6E/73, optional 4G LTE4, and dual Thunderbolt™ 4 ports 👉 More customer-replaceable (CRU) components: enabling easier repairs and extended life cycles (CRU battery, keyboard, WWAN, speakers, and fan depending on the model) 👉 Accessibility and design 👉 Built-in software tools: like Lenovo Commercial Vantage, which allows users to personalise and manage device settings with ease, and Lenovo View, which uses AI to enhance video calls with features like auto-framing, background blur and eye contact correction 👉 ThinkShield security features: offering BIOS-level protections, enhancements: such as tactile keyboard markings, plastic-free packaging and use of recycled materials in select parts secure wipe, and integrated privacy controls to help safeguard sensitive data and ensure enterprise-grade security. “Lenovo is defining the new era of AI computing for professionals with advanced workstation solutions that empower the workflows for people that design and build amazing things,” said Rob Herman, vice president, Worldwide Workstation and Client AI Business at Lenovo. “With exceptional performance in a mobile form factor for compute-heavy, AI-driven applications, the newest ThinkPad P series workstations accelerate innovation and productivity.” n

demanding applications run smoothly, providing ample space for large datasets and complex simulations. This extensive memory capacity enhances overall system performance, allowing professionals to work efficiently without interruptions. Copilot PCs The ThinkPad P14s and P16s are Copilot+ PCs, the fastest and most intelligent PCs ever, designed to optimise AI-powered workflows with increased performance and extended battery life. They also feature a unified memory architecture that allows for flexible memory allocation between the CPU and GPU. This allows up to 75% of the system memory to be dedicated to the GPU, providing exceptional responsiveness and seamless multitasking for graphics-intensive tasks. In addition, the graphics driver is certified by ISVs for key industry applications providing optimal performance, with essential stability and reliability. With up to 82 TOPS of heterogenous AI processing power, the new mobile workstations effortlessly run AI assistants that can streamline document management, expedite email responses, enhance virtual meetings and accelerate content creation. Built for personalised, productive, protected work Across the latest ThinkPad portfolio, Lenovo has introduced a cohesive set of innovations designed to make devices smarter, more accessible

Rob Herman vice president,

Worldwide Workstation and Client AI Buisness

lenovo.com

“

Lenovo is defining the new era of AI computing for professionals with advanced workstation

solutions that empower the workflows for

people that design and build amazing things,

”

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SANJIB SAHOO XVANTAGE

Passion brings success

SANJIB SAHOO XVANTAGE

When Sanjib Sahoo starts talking about Xvantage by Ingram Micro, his passion for it is clear, in the animated way he talks and his clear message about the advantages it brings to those that use it. His passion and pride in Xvantage shine through as he has overseen it from its ideation and development days and continues to oversee the Global Platform Group driving Ingram Micro to become a platform company. But for Sanjib, passion for what he does is a key part of his personality. “I have passion in everything I do, because if I don’t have the passion, I don’t have the purpose,” he says. “I do what I do because I love what I do. I wake up every morning with my passion to do something." This passion was part of the reason why he won the Personality of the Year Award at the Stock in the Channel Awards – aka the Stockies – last year. “I was humbled with that, especially as there was a lot of competition in the category,” he says. “It’s not just another executive award or a design award, it’s personal. So, this award is incredibly special to me because it's about who I am, not what I am. It is my personality that was acknowledged, not what I do for the channel. That’s why I’m humbled for the recognition.” But passion is only part of what makes Sanjib, there is also fashion – he is noted for being a sharp dresser. “You have to combine passion with a little bit of fashion,” he adds with a smile.

“But it is also important to have compassion. You must not be arrogant but compassionate because everybody has good in them, every company has good, everything has good, and they have also bad in them. It’s our choice to be compassionate about the bad and focus on the good in them. “Finally, you must also have execution – you must deliver what you say and say what you deliver. These four things – passion, fashion, compassion and execution – are what makes me and drive me on to try and make things better for people.” Xvantage journey It is these qualities that Sanjib uses to lead his team on Xvantage and travel the world to extol its virtues to all those involved in the channel and encourage them to join the platform. Global integration is integral to the Xvantage story – and not just because it is a global product. While it was launched more than two years ago, Sanjib likens Xvantage to a journey, as it is constantly evolving. “We’re on a journey to become a B2B platform ecosystem company,” he says. “Every day we are building Xvantage, every day we are launching Xvantage, every day we are listening to our partners about Xvantage. “We started with the vision of not building fragmented marketplaces, but connecting the ecosystem between our OEMs, vendors, us in the middle and our channel partners who then connect

“

You must not be arrogant but compassionate because everybody has good in them, every company has good, everything has good, and they have also bad in them. It's our choice to be compassionate about the bad and focus on the good in them.

”

CONTINUED

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SANJIB SAHOO XVANTAGE

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to their end customers, all seamlessly through a platform. We also wanted to solve key challenges such as how do we price real-time, how do we provide a personalised experience for every single persona, and the same platform for every entity’s different persona? How do we use AI and data to find opportunities? How do we create a new and better experience for our partners on a single pane of glass, and how do they build their business via our platform ecosystem?” While the vision was huge, so was the drive to make it a success. To this end, a lot of talent was brought in from Silicon Valley to focus on developing the experience-first approach that Xvantage has. “It starts with customer experience, and then automation second,” Sanjib adds. “We worked on how to create a B2C experience in a B2B envrionment. It’s not easy: B2B is hard. How do you create the consumerised experience? We are learning all the time to get closer to that for partners. So that’s the journey we are on. “The journey is about every day understanding what works well but also what does not work so well, to take feedback and keep on listening to our partners to be better. We will never be perfect with Xvantage. It’s a journey that we’re on to become a B2B platform ecosystem and connect our partners seamlessly to our vendors. And the way we can prove it is by solving those complex problems in this industry through

Xvantage. It is not a tool, nor a website or a marketplace, but a journey and a platform ecosystem through which our partners can build their business.” Technology delivering value Of course, the technology Xvantage uses is constantly evolving too, but any new technology must have a benefit, Sanjib adds. “I’m not a believer in using shiny technology that no value,” he says. “Many times, for instance with AI, a lot of the industry try to work on some AI algorithm, then try to find a business problem that they can solve with it. In my mind, that’s not the right approach. You identify and really understand a business problem and then you find what technology can do to try to solve it.” Data foundation The foundation of the Xvantage platform is data. “It’s not just about building another data lake,” Sanjib says. “It’s about creating an operational data mesh that we have patents for. We have more than 30 patents pending. We have created an AI centre of excellence. “We are not building a fragmented marketplace. We want to have hardware, software, cloud, subscriptions and everything in one single platform, creating a unified experience for our partners. We are not just transacting, but looking at data insights, looking at every single technology, finding opportunities, and then helping our customers to grow." AI is central to Xvantage and has been from the beginning. “We started with data as a foundation,” he says. “My first hire was bringing a chief data officer to build the data foundation, and we then focused hard on AI models to create a different experience. “Today, it’s not about how we are using AI in Xvantage. Xvantage is AI and we are solving complex problems using AI. For instance, we are using AI to build our pricing models.

As we build, then we operate and deploy and create value. We create value through technology and capture value through operation and build it together. “ ”

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SANJIB SAHOO XVANTAGE

“We are using AI as a tool to make every decision on the platform. We have emails to orders using AI. We have PDF to SKUs using AI. We have integration times that have gone from months to minutes by using AI. We have complex quotes that have gone from taking minutes to produce to seconds using AI. “Is it always perfect? No. It’s an iteration. It learns over time and is getting better over time. It is imperfectly perfect, but it’s a little more perfect every single time. The biggest mistake we make is needing AI to be perfect from the start.” Xvantage Integration Hub One of the latest innovations is the Xvantage Integration Hub, which is an AI-powered platform designed to facilitate quick and secure SaaS integrations. Its aim is to simplify the process of connecting to Xvantage with business systems such as CRM and ERP. “If you have a login, within a few minutes, you can connect to us and get access to Xvantage,” says Sanjib. “You can automatically connect to it without going through an API or an integration process. It’s automatically connected to you. If you are a partner, you can go into Xvantage Integration Hub and connect sales for the account within a minute or two, then immediately access Xvantage data, quotes and the like. “The Xvantage Integration Hub uses our machine learning and AI model framework, which we call Vendor Customer Agnostic Framework. I’m super excited about it because IT integration in B2B is hard. It takes a lot of time, resources and focus and the Xvantage Integration Hub takes that complexity out. What used to take months can now be done in minutes.” Future When it comes to the future of Xvantage, Sanjib is just as excited. “We are constantly working to innovate,” he says. “We are

working on building a better experience for resellers to go to their end customers. “We have our teams talking to our partners about what they need Xvantage to do for them and we then come back to them with the art of feasible. You can’t always jump on the next cool feature. There’s a healthy balance between the art of the possible and the art of the feasible to create what I call the art of the viable. We are constantly providing new iterations of our capabilities for our customers, rolling out in different countries, adding components, but also thinking about the groundbreaking technology to solve more problems for partners and customers. “Xvantage will never be 100% finished because we will always keep on working on it, we are not doing something and moving on to the next thing. We perform as we transform. Our roadmap is developing these capabilities but also listening to our partners and continually improving their experience. “We touch almost 90% of the world’s population in an industry that is one of the most complex ecosystems. And that’s what excites me every morning to wake up. Are we perfect? No. But if we can improve a partner’s experience, and they email us and talk about how about the platform changed their life and business, that is what I’m here for. That is what makes me happy; how we can change things and make their lives better.” n

“

We have our teams talking to our partners and what they need Xvantage to do for them and we come back to them with the art of feasible. You can't always jump on the next cool feature.

”

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CIRCULAR ECONOMY

A perfect

circle...

CIRCULAR ECONOMY

As environmental concerns grow, more businesses are looking to recycle devices at the end of life and buy new products containing recycled materials, meaning that there are growing opportunities for resellers in the circular economy.

With 2024 being the hottest year on record, according to data from the World Meteorological Organization, it is perhaps unsurprising that sustainability is becoming increasingly prominent in the strategy of many businesses, with the circular economy becoming more popular as they look to cut their carbon emissions and increase the amount they recycle to help mitigate the effects of climate change. As Mary Jacques, executive director, Global ESG & Regulatory Compliance at Lenovo, notes, a recent study by CapGemini found that sustainability moved to the forefront of business strategy this year. “It found 62% of business leaders planning to increase their sustainability investments,” she says. “Enterprises are becoming more aware of their environmental impact, not just in operations but across supply chains and product lifecycles. The circular economy is emerging as a key framework, helping companies reduce waste, improve resource efficiency and align with net-zero goals. “Interest in the circular economy is accelerating across industries. While larger enterprises and those in tech, manufacturing and retail may be leading the charge, circular practices are becoming more accessible for businesses of all sizes.” Nancy Powell, HP UK+I sustainability lead, agrees that awareness of the need for businesses to be more sustainable is growing steadily across the board. “Sustainability is no longer seen as a side initiative, it’s becoming central to how businesses define long-term value,”

she says. “We’re seeing procurement teams, IT decision-makers and board- level stakeholders increasingly ask about circularity and environmental impact, especially when it comes to hardware lifecycle. The conversation has shifted from cost and efficiency alone to include responsible consumption and end-of-life planning. “While large enterprises have historically led the charge, especially those with robust ESG frameworks, we’re now seeing mid-sized and even smaller businesses taking circularity seriously, often driven by client expectations or internal values.” Across industry Steve Dickinson, head of supply chain at Espria, says that interest in the circular economy is growing across all kinds of industries and business sizes. “With eco- conscious green targets rolling out across all industries, IT operators are faced with a need to go green without overspending,” he adds. “This is particularly clear for sectors like manufacturing, retail and IT, where sustainability initiatives more often align directly with operational needs and consumer expectations. “Larger corporations are already implementing circular initiatives, partnering with other organisations to create circular solutions, such as product-as-a-service models and shared consumption. Similarly, SMBs are adopting rental services or shared consumption models. Ultimately, adoption is driven by understanding end-user needs and providing teams with the tools they need

Mary Jacques executive director Global ESG & Regulatory Compliance

lenovo.com

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While larger enterprises and those in tech, manufacturing, and retail may be leading the charge, circular practices are becoming more accessible for businesses of all sizes

”

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CIRCULAR ECONOMY

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without overprovisioning devices.” Zach Bennett, Microsoft Teams MVP and principal architect at LoopUp, notes that the growing interest in the circular economy within the tech device sector. “Businesses are becoming more aware of sustainability issues, particularly in reducing electronic waste and extending device lifecycles,” he says. “This interest is reflected in a rising number of multinational clients interested in reducing the physical plastic handset devices on their users’ desks in favour of soft clients. Microsoft Teams, for example, is a popular alternative to wasteful plastic devices as it enables users to reduce waste by reusing legacy analogue equipment.” Business sense Mike Barron, UK managing director, SYNAXON, adds that it isn’t just about the environment. “Being more sustainable makes sense for businesses, as it lowers their costs,” he says. “Many, if not most businesses now have their own ESG goals and that’s going to drive greater interest in lifecycle management and the circular economy. “The question perhaps is how quickly they will be compelled to adopt more sustainable practices. The UK government is encouraging SMBs to commit to halving their greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2050. But how many SMBs are taking meaningful action? I think our industry may need to come up with a compelling value proposition to bring more businesses into the circular economy for IT.”

into the engineering brief,” Nancy says. “At HP, for example, our teams are guided by circular design principles and participate in repairability scoring schemes. We’re also expanding programmes like Planet Partners and HP Renew to extend product lifecycles and maximise material recovery.” Mary agrees that manufacturers are rethinking product development from the ground up. “They are integrating sustainability into every stage of the product journey – from sourcing raw materials to end-of-life management,” she says. “Dematerialisation – using fewer resources while enhancing durability and repairability – is fundamental as a design philosophy for products and packaging. To reduce dependence on primary raw materials, which can be significant contributors to emissions, many companies are shifting towards recycled and renewable materials for products and packaging.” Mary adds that sustainable packaging is evolving, with a push to eliminate plastics entirely and switch to renewable, compostable or recyclable materials. “Meanwhile, more manufacturers are using post-consumer recycled content in devices themselves, aiming to create closed-loop systems that significantly cut down on virgin material use and waste,” she says. “Future trends point to greater use of modular designs, recyclable or reusable materials and components, simplified disassembly, and increasing take-back schemes for material recovery. “For example, at Lenovo we have worked to help reduce the electronic waste for many years, and our Asset Recovery and Certified Refurbished services are a key part of this. We also have partnered with iFixit to evaluate the repairability of our ThinkPad models and have published almost 200step-by-step self-repair guides, with more on the way.” Steve adds that manufacturers are taking significant steps by working with IT leaders on their sustainability strategy directly.

Nancy Powell sustainability lead, UK&I

hp.com

Sustainability is no longer seen as a side initiative, it’s becoming central to how businesses define long-term value. “ ”

Manufacturer response Manufacturers are increasingly

Zach Bennett Microsoft Teams MVP and principal architect

responding to this growing interest in the circular economy. “Many manufacturers are revisiting the design process from the ground up, replacing adhesives with mechanical fasteners to enable disassembly, using more recycled content in production, and building repairability

loopup.com

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