EXPERT SPEAK

To gain the competitive advantage in the zettabyte era , as the pace of the technology revolution picks up , customers need the confidence to innovate and trusted cybersecurity strategies are a foundational pillar . Vangelis Lagousakos , General Manager – Channel Sales , Middle East , Russia , Africa and Turkey ( MERAT ) – Dell Technologies , outlines how channel partners have a significant role to play when it comes to reinforcing resilience and confidence in secure Digital Transformations .

Closer to home , the Middle East region became the prime target for cybercrime as malware attacks increased by 17 % to 161 million in the first half of 2021 , compelling local governments to take stringent action against future attacks . For instance , the UAE has strengthened its cybersecurity framework and formed a new council to develop a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy .

According to IDC , security spending in the Middle East , Turkey and Africa ( META ) is expected to grow by 7.1 % to reach US $ 3.3 billion in 2021 . However , as cybersecurity solutions evolve so does the sophistication of cyberattacks . It might seem like a game of whack-a-mole but it doesn ’ t have to be this way – and channel partners have a significant role to play when it comes to reinforcing resilience and confidence in secure Digital Transformations .

In channel we trust

Today , customers need a confidence boost , as many are overwhelmed by the scale , urgency and critical nature of the

Vangelis Lagousakos , General Manager – Channel Sales , MERAT , Dell Technologies cybersecurity question . We know that to gain the competitive edge in the zettabyte era , as the pace of the technology revolution picks up , customers need the confidence to innovate and trusted cybersecurity strategies are a foundational pillar .

But we ’ re not just talking about trust in security solutions , we ’ re talking about trust in the very consultancy that leads to the essential acquisition of these solutions – and the ability of Channel partners to go the extra mile , creating comfort with their cybersecurity expertise . As cyberattacks continue to grow exponentially post-pandemic , it ’ s time to refine , refresh and evolve security strategies with a level of boldness that can only be achieved with trust . Trust is the key ingredient to stepping up to the security challenge and channel partners are ultimately on the frontlines of cybersecurity .

The five C ’ s of trust

• Connection is the cornerstone of any relationship , but to gain trust in the channel means going beyond the sales pitch . Building authentic , genuine and caring channel relationships requires proactively considering the unique nature of each customer ’ s cybersecurity challenge , understanding their sector and sharing in their human frustrations first

Trust is the key ingredient to stepping up to the security challenge and channel partners are ultimately on the frontlines of cybersecurity .

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