Channel steps up as HPE honours standout Kiwi ecosystem

Channel acknowledged in recognition for delivering strong market performance.

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Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has honoured the top-performing partners and distributors in New Zealand following 12 months of growth and innovation via the channel.

Unveiled at Rooftop at QT in Auckland, the ecosystem was acknowledged in recognition for delivering a strong market performance supported by an unrivalled commitment to customer excellence -- spanning both HPE and Aruba product portfolios.

Lexel took home Platinum Partner of the Year honours in addition to individual recognition for Nick Perry as Aruba Technical MVP, with Softsource following suit as Gold Partner of the Year recipients with Candice Donovan acknowledged as Sales MVP.

The Instillery was recognised as Silver Partner of the Year, alongside Datacom as Aruba Partner of the Year and Chanel Rawiri of Cyclone as Aruba Marketing MVP.

Specific to distribution, Ingram Micro achieved quadruple success as Distributor of the Year for both HPE and Aruba, supported by Sejal Shah and Adam Greenhalgh as HPE Marketing and Technical MVP honourees respectively.

Such strong recognition ensures the HPE channel is suitably positioned to capitalise on a resurgent Kiwi market with the local technology and services industry expected to remain vibrant during the next 12 months -- notably, sales of products and services are forecast to total $15.3 billion across the country.

As reported by Reseller News -- and according to Gartner findings -- the projected 7.4 per cent year-on-year growth at a local level is ahead of worldwide forecasts at 5.1 per cent, following another turbulent and unpredictable year of economic change.

“2022 is the year that the future returns for the CIO,” noted John-David Lovelock, distinguished research vice president at Gartner. “They are now in a position to move beyond the critical, short term projects over the past two years and focus on the long term.”

In parallel, the ongoing staff skills gaps, wage inflation and the war for talent will push CIOs to rely more on consultancies and managed service providers (MSPs) to execute digital strategies -- with such partners on show during the HPE awards in New Zealand.

As a result, Gartner forecasts that the largest category of IT spending in New Zealand -- the IT services segment -- will grow 8.5 per cent from 2021 to more than $4.5 billion. Within that category, spending on business and technology consulting is expected to grow by eight per cent to $764 million.

Of note to the channel, organisations will also increase reliance on external consultants as the greater urgency and accelerated pace of change widens the gap between digital business ambitions and internal resources and capabilities, Gartner advised.

“This will be particularly poignant with cloud as it serves as a key element in achieving digital ambitions and supporting hybrid work,” Lovelock said. “Gartner expects the vast majority of large organisations to use external consultants to develop their cloud strategy over the next few years.”

HPE New Zealand award winners: