The biggest challenge, and paradoxically, the greatest opportunity that will make a difference, lies in the role played by data in efforts by channel partners to transform their business. They can make this change, by transitioning away from hardware sales to recurring revenue models based on software, services and subscriptions, says Vincent Entou at Westcon-Comstor Group.

Vincent Entou is the Managing Director at Westcon-Comstor Group Africa Operations, a subsidiary of Westcon-Comstor International, a leading global distributor of business technology operating in more than 70 countries.

Internationally, Westcon-Comstor goto-market is with two brands: Westcon and Comstor. These brands deliver business value and opportunity by connecting the world’ s IT vendors with a channel of technology resellers, systems integrators and service providers.

What are your strengths and abilities that you bring to the above role?

Entou has spent the past 20 years of his career working for two multinational companies with direct responsibility for 40 + countries in Africa. This journey has exposed Entou to working with teams and customers from diverse backgrounds and operating in multicultural environments, equipping him with the skills to succeed in complex environments.

The ability to manage teams, vendor suppliers and customer relationships operating in different time zones and different languages in vastly disparate geopolitical and geo-economic landscapes are experiences he has brought to his current role at Westcon-Comstor.

Please describe the opportunities and challenges that exist for channel partners in your market?

The opportunities and challenges for IT channel partners in Africa are multifaceted.

There are significant opportunities due to the continent’ s rapid digital transformation, and the consistent increase in the adoption of digital technologies such as cloud computing, Artificial Intelligence, and mobile applications. There are, however, also challenges that need to be addressed.

These challenges include infrastructure limitations, such as unreliable electricity and Internet connectivity, economic factors, such as currency volatility and inflation, and diverse regulatory environments across different African countries, especially for channel partners with a vision to expand their footprint across the continent.

The high cost of capital and high cost of credit, and borrowing, which are underpinned by the lack of local credit insurance due to the low maturity level of the financial services sector, creates additional hurdles. The resultant impact is profit margin erosion or loss of opportunities due to uncompetitive bids due to the high cost of funds.

Which technologies and innovations can make a difference to the channel market dynamics in the near future?

According to Entou, ongoing digital transformation and the increased cloud adoption undertaken by businesses are pivotal to transforming IT consumption today. These transformations, coupled with the entry of Artificial Intelligence, especially applications that offer predictive analytics, customer service automation, and operational efficiency, have also led to transformation in consumption models.

Subscription-based models, also referred to as flexible consumption, pay-per-use models, are becoming increasingly popular.

Vincent Entou, Managing Director, Westcon-Comstor Group, Africa Operations

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