Manoj Ganapathy, the Division Manager at Jacky’s Business Solutions Visitors Management and Robotics Division, says the biggest challenge is capability readiness — too many partners are still product-focused and haven’t evolved into solution integrators
Could you share an overview of your career path to date, highlighting the pivotal moments or achievements that have shaped your leadership within the IT channel?
I started my career over three decades ago in the UAE, initially rooted in electronics and office automation. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working across diverse roles and verticals — from physical security and point-of-sale systems to robotics, RPA, Digital transformation, Digital Signage/LED video wall and enterprise mobility.
Each phase of my career — whether leading sales at Emirates Photo Marketing, managing the regional channel for Pixel Digital Solutions, or heading the IT division at Almoe Digital Solutions — offered critical lessons in building trust, managing teams, and aligning with the evolving needs of enterprise customers. One pivotal moment was joining Jacky’s Business Solutions, where I’ve been able to lead the Robotics and Visitor Management division. Here, the focus is not just on product delivery, but on developing long-term, outcome-driven solutions in sectors like government, Banking, education, telecom, and healthcare. That shift from product-centric selling to solution-led engagement has shaped how I lead today.
As a key channel influencer within your company, what are your primary roles and responsibilities in shaping strategy, driving engagement, and fostering growth within the partner ecosystem?
My role involves shaping the go-to-market strategy for a portfolio that includes robotics, queue systems, feedback platforms, digital signage, and mobile computing. I work closely with global partners like Samsung, Temi, SoftBank Robotics, Apple, Microsoft, GMS and others to bring these technologies into regional contexts where they drive real operational impact.
Beyond sales, a key responsibility is building a reliable partner ecosystem — onboarding, training, and supporting partners across the GCC who can extend our solutions into local markets. I also focus heavily on mentoring our internal teams, ensuring they’re aligned with customer needs and equipped to support long-term deployments.
How would you assess the current health and evolution of the IT channel, particularly within our region? What significant trends or shifts are you observing?
The channel in our region is healthy but transforming. There’s a growing shift from transactional engagements to solution-based selling. Customers want bundled services — not just devices or software, but integrated platforms with clear ROI.
Mobility, AI-driven automation, and robotics are seeing strong traction, particularly in public sector, education, and healthcare. At the same time, customers expect more post-deployment support and lifecycle services. This is where channel maturity and technical depth become differentiators.
What do you see as the single biggest challenge facing the IT channel in the region today, and conversely, what is the most significant untapped opportunity for partners?
One of the most pressing challenges facing the IT channel in the Middle East today is the skills and enablement gap. As technologies like AI, cybersecurity, and hybrid cloud evolve rapidly, partners are expected to move beyond traditional roles and become consultants, architects, and managed service providers. Yet many still lack the technical depth or strategic frameworks to deliver complex solutions confidently.
The biggest challenge is capability readiness — too many partners are still product-focused and haven’t evolved into solution integrators. There’s a need for greater investment in technical training and customer understanding. The biggest opportunity lies in vertical specialisation. There’s real demand for partners who can tailor solutions for hospitals, schools, or government services — especially where AI, automation, and mobility intersect. To stay competitive, partners must embrace continuous learning, invest in certifications, and adopt a consultative mindset that goes beyond “box-moving.
In your opinion, what are the most effective strategies partners can employ to drive sustainable growth and profitability in the current market, especially considering evolving customer demands?
Three things stand out:
- Understand your customer’s business — not just their IT requirements. Solutions must solve operational pain points.
- Embrace recurring revenue — models like device-as-a-service or robot-as-a-service, Annual maintenance contracts, integration solutions with legacy system allow partners to build sustainable engagements.
- Invest in enablement — the more your technical team can speak the customer’s language, the stronger your credibility and conversions.
How is the rapid advancement of AI, including Agentic AI and Generative AI, fundamentally reshaping the channel’s business models, partner opportunities, and the skill sets required for success?
The rapid advancement of Agentic AI and Generative AI is fundamentally transforming traditional channel business models. Partners are moving beyond reselling hardware and software to delivering intelligent, outcome-based services through autonomous agents and predictive analytics. AI is transforming what customers expect — from predictive maintenance to autonomous interactions. This is driving demand for solutions that integrate AI at the edge — in kiosks, robots, or mobile devices.
Partners now need to work across data, UX, and device layers. It’s no longer enough to deploy the hardware — you need to show how AI improves efficiency, service quality, or decision-making. That means building or partnering with AI-capable platforms, and hiring talent with skills in AI integration, analytics, and automation.
To succeed, partners need to build fluency in AI tools, prompt engineering, and data governance across all roles—from sales to support. Knowledge of autonomous workflows, ethical AI practices, and agile integration frameworks will be vital. Lifelong learning and adaptability are now core competencies, marking a shift in how partners position themselves—not just as tech providers but as strategic enablers of tomorrow’s businesses.
Given the escalating sophistication of cyber threats, how can channel partners best position themselves to deliver comprehensive cybersecurity solutions, moving beyond traditional offerings to address emerging risks like AI evasion?
The sophistication of modern cyber threats—especially those exploiting AI vulnerabilities—requires channel partners to move beyond traditional endpoint protection. To stay relevant, they must embrace AI-augmented defense solutions that counter evasive techniques such as deepfake phishing, prompt injection, and model manipulation. As AI systems become part of business workflows, partners also need to guide customers on data governance, model integrity, and AI misuse — especially in sensitive sectors like healthcare or education. This is a growing area where channel partners can differentiate.
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors and sustainability are gaining prominence. How can channel partners integrate these principles into their operations and offerings to create competitive advantages and meet evolving client expectations?
Channel partners can no longer treat ESG as a peripheral concern—it’s becoming a core differentiator in the IT ecosystem. By embedding sustainability into their operations, partners can align with rising client expectations, regulatory mandates, and investor priorities. This includes adopting energy-efficient technologies, reducing e-waste through circular IT practices, and ensuring ethical sourcing across the supply chain. Clients increasingly favor vendors who demonstrate transparency, accountability, and measurable ESG impact.
At Jacky’s, we support this through initiatives like Device-as-a-Service (which extends hardware lifecycles), and robotics solutions that reduce manual waste or energy use. Partners can also add value by helping clients report on ESG metrics — for instance, through digital visitor management systems that reduce paper and provide audit trails.
The IT landscape demands continuous learning. What advice do you have for channel partners on attracting, developing, and retaining top talent, particularly in areas like AI, cloud security, and specialised industry solutions?
Channel success depends on people. My advice is to:
- Create clear career pathways for technical staff — not just sales.
- Invest in certification and cross-training across AI, cybersecurity, and domain knowledge.
- Mentor early — pairing experienced staff with new hires builds skills and retains talent.
We’ve seen that when employees understand the why behind the solution — not just the what — they’re more motivated and customer-centric.
How do you see the roles of different partner types—such as Managed Service Providers (MSPs), Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), and system integrators—evolving, and how can they best collaborate to deliver integrated solutions?
As the IT channel continues to transform, the roles of Managed Service Providers (MSPs), Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), and system integrators are becoming more specialized yet interconnected. MSPs are evolving into digital transformation enablers, offering subscription-based managed services powered by AI and cloud-native technologies. ISVs are focusing on vertical-specific innovation, embedding automation and generative AI into their applications, while system integrators are stepping up as architects of complex, multi-vendor ecosystems, leading large-scale deployments across cloud, edge, and AI domains.
The most effective partnerships today are ecosystem-based. For example, in a hospitality solution, we might combine a Temi robot, Samsung tablet, a custom check-in app, and a managed backend — delivered through different partners. Success depends on how well these players collaborate around the customer experience.
Drawing from your experience and looking ahead, what is your most crucial piece of advice for partners seeking long-term success and relevance in this rapidly transforming IT channel?
Stay customer-obsessed, not product-obsessed. Technologies will keep changing — what lasts is your ability to understand the customer’s business, pain points, and goals. Partners who build trust through outcomes, support, and domain insight will always stay relevant — regardless of the next wave of innovation.
Long-term success in the ever-evolving IT channel demands a mindset rooted in adaptability, continuous learning, and deep partnership. Partners must transcend transactional roles by embracing outcome-based collaboration, specializing in high-growth technologies like generative AI, cybersecurity, and hybrid cloud, while aligning their strategies to customer needs and industry trends.
Equally vital is fostering trust and transparency across ecosystems—because the future belongs to those who not only deliver innovative solutions, but also inspire lasting impact through purpose-driven leadership. Partners who boldly innovate, stay curious, and lead with conviction won’t just navigate change—they’ll define it.
