Mitsumi Distribution’s Year in Review: Unprecedented Growth, Strategic Alliances and Future Prospects

In this exclusive interview, Jagat Shah, the Chairman and CEO of Mitsumi Distribution, reflects on 2024’s milestones and shares his vision for 2025
How did the industry and your company fare in 2024, and what were the key highlights?
2024 has been a year of robust growth and strategic transformation for the IT industry and our company. Globally, we witnessed an uptick in demand driven by an accelerating digital economy, renewed consumer confidence, and significant infrastructure investments across emerging markets. As a result, the sector saw healthy revenue growth, with new technologies and cross-border partnerships shaping innovative product offerings.
For our company, it was a landmark year in several respects. We expanded our regional footprint by opening new offices in the SADC region and Saudi Arabia, enabling us to diversify our portfolio and better serve our clients. In parallel, we formed strategic alliances with top brands such as PNY, NVIDIA, and HIKVISION—partnerships that strengthened our market presence and opened avenues for further collaboration.
Overall, the past year has showcased our team’s resilience and agility, setting the stage for continued success in the coming years.
What opportunities do you foresee for 2025, and how do you plan to leverage them?
As we look towards 2025, we at Mitsumi Distribution see immense growth potential, driven by increased technology adoption, enhanced connectivity, and the ongoing surge in digital transformation initiatives. Key sectors such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and next-generation networking present vast opportunities for both resellers and solution providers throughout the MEA region.
Demand for real-time data analytics will skyrocket, driving the adoption of cloud computing, edge solutions, and internet-of-things (IoT) applications in critical industries like finance, healthcare, and government. As a leading IT distributor, we plan to leverage these emerging markets by expanding our partnerships with globally renowned technology brands and deepening our expertise in specialized domains such as AI and cybersecurity.
Our strategy includes bolstering training initiatives for channel partners, ensuring they have the knowledge to effectively deploy and manage advanced solutions. Meanwhile, our commitment to sustainable practices and local capacity-building remains front and centre, as we aim to help our clients and partners stay agile, competitive, and ready to meet the evolving demands of the digital era.
What major challenges did you encounter in 2024, and how did you address them?
In 2024, our team navigated multiple challenges that tested our resilience and adaptability. One of the biggest hurdles we faced was managing global supply chain disruptions, driven in part by geopolitical uncertainties and inflationary pressures. We addressed these issues by diversifying our supplier network, forming alliances with local partners in key regions, and increasing our inventory buffers to mitigate potential bottlenecks.
Another significant challenge was the rapid pace of technological change, which placed greater demand on specialized talent. To tackle this, we accelerated our workforce development programs by investing in continuous learning, offering upskilling opportunities, and recruiting professionals with new skill sets that aligned with emerging market needs. Lastly, expanding our operations internationally introduced regulatory complexities in some of our new markets. To stay ahead of these evolving requirements, we engaged closely with local authorities, leveraged the expertise of legal and compliance advisors, and adopted a proactive approach to meeting industry standards. By coupling innovation with robust governance, we were able to maintain our growth trajectory and preserve our competitive edge despite the headwinds of 2024.
Which emerging technologies do you believe will be in high demand in 2025, and why?
In 2025, we anticipate strong demand for technologies that help businesses and consumers navigate an increasingly interconnected digital landscape. Artificial Intelligence (AI) will remain at the forefront, particularly solutions that integrate machine learning to drive automation, predictive analytics, and improved decision-making.
Edge Computing is also poised for major growth as companies look to decentralize processing power, reduce latency, and enhance real-time data analysis—critical for applications like autonomous vehicles and smart manufacturing. Cloud-based services will continue to expand, especially in the areas of data lakes, analytics, and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), giving enterprises the flexibility and scalability needed to thrive in competitive markets.
Finally, cybersecurity solutions will surge in importance, given the growing volume and sophistication of digital threats. The need for secure, robust systems will push innovation in zero-trust architecture, encryption technology, and AI-powered threat detection. These emerging tech trends will be essential for companies seeking to stay ahead of the curve in a fast-evolving technology-driven landscape.
What will be your primary focus areas and strategic priorities for 2025?
In 2025, our top priority will be to build on the momentum we established in 2024 by continuing to expand our global footprint and developing high-value, innovative solutions. We plan to intensify our research and development efforts, with a particular focus on advancing artificial intelligence, cloud-based services, and cybersecurity technologies to address evolving market demands.
From an operational standpoint, we aim to streamline our supply chain and partner ecosystems through stronger collaborations with industry leaders and local stakeholders in key regions. This will help ensure that we can rapidly respond to market changes and scale our offerings more efficiently. Equally important is the pursuit of talent acquisition and development. We recognize that emerging technologies call for specialized skill sets, so we will be further strengthening our in-house training programs and forging academic partnerships to build a strong talent pipeline.
Lastly, sustainability and social responsibility remain integral to our strategy. We plan to expand our environmental initiatives, reduce our carbon footprint, and pursue community-centric projects in the regions where we operate. By aligning innovation with responsible practices, we aim to create enduring value for our clients, partners, and the broader community.
Are there plans to explore new markets or introduce new products/applications to your portfolio in 2025?
Absolutely. Building on our strong performance in 2024, we are actively evaluating opportunities in new geographies and sectors that align with our core competencies. We plan to further strengthen our presence in Africa by expanding beyond the SADC region, as well as deepen our foothold in the Middle East through additional partnerships and strategic alliances.
On the product front, our focus remains on developing cutting-edge solutions driven by artificial intelligence, advanced data analytics, and cloud computing. We are currently prototyping two new applications specifically designed for the manufacturing and logistics sectors, aimed at streamlining operations and enabling real-time decision-making. These offerings will complement our existing portfolio and enable us to deliver more holistic, end-to-end solutions for our clients.
By exploring uncharted markets and continually innovating our product lineup, we aim to stay ahead of evolving customer needs and position ourselves as a global leader in providing impactful, technology-driven solutions.