Angelos Stefanidis discusses partner specialisation, RISE’s regional expansion and the demand for secure, AI-enabled collaboration as organisations rethink hybrid workplaces
Logitech is deepening investment in its partner ecosystem across emerging markets, with a focus on helping channel businesses address opportunities in enterprise, education and healthcare. Partner enablement, specialisation and locally aligned marketing investment form a central part of that approach.
Speaking to Tahawultech.com during Logitech for Business’s RISE partner gathering in Cairo, Angelos Stefanidis, Head of Business – IMEA (India, MEA, Central Asia), Logitech, discusses the company’s channel priorities and the technology trends shaping workplace investment. Stefanidis also explains how RISE is evolving from local events into a larger regional gathering, bringing partners together to experience technology and exchange market insights.
Interview excerpts
How is Logitech’s channel strategy evolving to strengthen partner ecosystems across emerging markets?
We want to bring technology to the markets in which we operate more quickly. Our ecosystem spans unified communications and collaboration, audiovisual solutions and personal workspaces. We invest directly with partners in local markets, including those where we do not have a direct presence. Enterprise, education and healthcare are important areas of focus. Many of our partners share those priorities, so we align our product offering and marketing investments with their strategies and the needs of each local market.
How does RISE support Logitech for Business’s growth ambitions and create opportunities for partners?
RISE brings partners together in one location and gives them hands-on access to our technology, from headsets and webcams to AI-enabled video and audio collaboration systems. Some partners have not previously had the opportunity to see or experience these solutions directly. We use the event to enable and motivate partners, explain incentives and simplify the programme structure so doing business with us becomes easier.
We align our resources with shared priorities and provide opportunities for specialisation, helping certified and authorised Logitech partners differentiate themselves in their markets.
Which trends are shaping the future workplace across emerging markets?
Hybrid work, AI, sustainability and security are the main trends. Following the pandemic, organisations moved from fully remote working towards a return to the office. Many markets are now settling into hybrid arrangements, although the number of days employees spend in the office varies. AI is embedded in our approach to hardware, software and the user interface. The aim is to make video, audio and personal workspace technology easier to use. Sustainability also influences how we design products, source materials and approach packaging. Product longevity matters because customers need to consider the full lifecycle and total cost of ownership of the technology they buy. Security remains a significant priority across enterprise, mid-market and smaller business customers. We see those same trends in markets such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia and South Africa, where customers are adopting and deploying workplace technology.
How is AI changing workplace collaboration, productivity and employee experience?
Customers want technology that is easy to use, simple to set up and secure. Interoperability is also important. We work with platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and Zoom so customers can use Logitech products across their collaboration environments. Meeting equity is another priority. Tabletop cameras can help remote participants see people in the meeting room more clearly, while Logitech Scribe supports sharing whiteboard content with people joining remotely. Awareness of these capabilities still varies, which makes partner education important. Partners need to experience the technology themselves before demonstrating its value to customers.
Meeting room systems with integrated sensors can also provide information on temperature, CO₂ levels and occupancy and these capabilities help organisations understand their workplace environments and support decisions about how meeting spaces are used.
How are customer priorities shifting as hybrid work matures?
Security remains a top priority, alongside ease of deployment. Customers also want access to data that helps them make informed decisions about future investment. Sensors, management platforms and software can provide information for IT, HR and procurement teams. Organisations are rethinking the workplace, and data is becoming an important foundation for decisions about future office design.
How has RISE evolved since its launch?
We introduced the RISE theme for our partner channel events three years ago, following the rollout of the Logitech partner programme in emerging markets. Initially, we held local events in different markets to explain our strategy and the programme. This year, we have scaled that approach into a larger regional gathering. Partners across different countries often share similar strategies, challenges, and concerns. Bringing them together gives them an opportunity to network, exchange experiences, and hear feedback from other markets. A regional event also allows us to bring technology and global leadership together in one place.
We plan to hold the gathering in a different location next year, with partner feedback helping shape how RISE develops.
Could future editions bring India into the regional RISE gathering?
We are considering integrating India next year. India is a major market for us, and we held a dedicated event there in June under the name Arohan, which reflects a similar idea of rising or elevating. We retain the RISE theme in the Middle East and Africa because partners identify with it. Participation is linked to being part of our ecosystem and delivering results through the partner programme. Our aim is to give partners a reason to come, learn about technology and engage with our global leadership on the region’s role in Logitech’s growth plans.
Source: Tahawul Tech