Ingram Micro gets global cloud force in place

Distributor set to unveil UK cloud marketplace in Q4 after successful launch in US

Ingram has amassed a 300-strong force of dedicated cloud experts to execute its global cloud plans and is expanding the team further to cope with demand.

Earlier this year the distribution giant unveiled its Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace plans at its Global Cloud Summit in Florida, which it claimed would offer a complete ecosystem of buyers, sellers and solutions to enable simple and rapid cloud adoption.

Resellers would also have access to a number of "white glove" services including technical sales engineering, migration, remote infrastructure management and service desk.

Initially rolled out in the US earlier this month, the initiative is set to be unveiled in Canada next month, and Mexico in August. The UK and Europe is scheduled for Q4.

Apay Obang-Oyway, general manager of Ingram's Northern Europe cloud business, said the UK division has already appointed a head of marketing and a sales manager as it gears up for the Q4 launch.

"It is an exciting time for the vendors," he said. "They have seen our strategy and understand our vision, and are keen to double down their investment with us. We are not just a distributor in this space, but see ourselves more as a master cloud service provider."

Renee Bergeron (pictured), vice president of worldwide cloud at Ingram, explained that working with the firm would take the cloud headache away from resellers.

"For the past three to four years we have been successful in growing our cloud business and talking about the great opportunities with our cloud practice," she said.

"Back then it was smaller resellers and customers adopting the cloud, but now in the last six to 12 months, we are seeing the larger players coming on board."

She added that many resellers had asked why they should work with Ingram in the cloud, and what the advantages were for them.

"To start, if resellers work with Ingram they have one contact rather than having to establish contacts at every single cloud provider," she explained. "For example, with a service desk offering, if they work directly with a cloud service provider, they have to call a specific number for help or support. If they offer multiple solutions with multiple vendors, it can soon become complicated. Working with us means they have just the one number to call."

Bergeron added that the distributor had about 70 cloud providers on its books at present, representing more than 200 cloud solutions.

"And we are looking at new ones all the time, looking at where there are gaps, and also at solutions that can scale to cover different-sized businesses," she said. "Our goal is to have a competitive portfolio and be a one stop for resellers, by bringing them the tools to simplify and manage a cloud business, along with access to a dedicated cloud team. We think that differentiates us and positions us uniquely for channel partners."