True to its commitment as a premier solutions distributor, Avnet Technology Solutions, Asia Pacific, an operating group of Avnet, Inc. (NYSE: AVT), continues to accelerate the success of its suppliers, business partners and customers in the region. APAC senior leaders and business units have recently been honoured with multiple awards from business partners in recent months. The awards recognize the sales growth, new product promotions, ease of doing business as well as leadership achievement from supplier partners like IBM, Vmware and Motorola and the Hong Kong’s Environmental Excellence Committee.

“The numerous awards received by Avnet reinforces our position as a leading distributor in Asia Pacific. We will continue to collaborate with our customers and suppliers to create and deliver solutions that end-user customers need,” said William Chu, President, Avnet Technology Solutions Asia Pacific.

Awardees

Naresh Desai, General Manager, India at Avnet Technology Solutions was named the Asia Pacific and Japan recipient of VMware Partner Network Award in the partner Executive Most Valuable Player Category by VMware.

Michael Costigan, Vice President of Marketing and Business Innovation for Avnet Technology Solutions Asia Pacific, was one of the nine chairman’s award recipients this year.

For the business units, IBM awarded Vanda Group with “2012 IBM Beacon Award Finalist” for two consecutive years for Smarter Computing – Outstanding IBM System Storage Solution. Vanda, a subsidiary of Avnet Technology Solutions in Hong Kong has once again proven its achievement in providing professional and quality solutions and services.

Mr. Alan Hui, General Manager of Vanda Group commented, “It is our honour to receive the 2012 IBM Beacon Award again, which is a tangible testimony recognizing our efforts and outstanding performance in achieving service excellent when delivering IT solutions to our customers. The award is an encouragement, and we will continue to bring outstanding and value added service to our customers and achieve greatest customer satisfaction in the future.”

The annual awards are given to IBM business partners in Hong Kong and Macau who have significant and outstanding achievement in the past year. The award of “IBM Top Contributor Award: Power Systems – Solution Provider” recognize Vanda’s success in providing IBM power systems solutions to their customers ranging from large enterprise to mid-market.

Avnet Technology Solutions Indonesia was awarded the Most Significant Year on Year Growth Distributor of 2011 for ASEAN, Hong Kong & Taiwan by Motorola.

As a valued partner of more than 25 years, IBM also commended Avnet Technology Solutions various regional business units in Indonesia, Vietnam and Hong Kong awarding them with Year on Year Growth Distributor of the year, Systems & Technology Group Best Distributor and top contributors in the global technology services and power systems.

Awards List

• Naresh Desai, General Manager, India at Avnet Technology Solutions has been named the Asia Pacific and Japan recipient of VMware Partner Network Award in the partner Executive Most Valuable Player Category by VMware.

• Michael Costigan, Vice President of Marketing and Business Innovation for Avnet Technology Solutions Asia Pacific was one of the nine chairman’s award recipients this year at Avnet.

• Vanda Group wins IBM Beacon Award 2012 Finalist: Smarter Computing – Outstanding IBM System Storage Solution.

• Motorola awarded Avnet Technology Solutions Indonesia – The Most Significant Year on Year Growth Distributor of the year 2011 for ASEAN, Hong Kong & Taiwan.

• Avnet Technology Indonesia wins IBM Excellent Achiever Award 2011 for the Highest Year on Year Growth Distributor Category.

• Avnet Technology Solutions Vietnam wins IBM Systems & Technology Group Best Distributor for 2011

• Vanda Group wins IBM Top Contributor Award: Global Technology Services – 2011.

• Vanda Group wins IBM Top Contributor Award: Power Systems – Solution Provider- 2011.

• Vanda Group wins Class of Excellence Wastewi$e Label of the Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence Committee for the session 2010/2011.

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Big Plays are Software, Services and Storage

Overview of the Avnet-IBM Global Relationship

We caught up with Tony Madden, Senior Vice President, Avnet Technology Solutions who was recently in Singapore to participate in the Avnet-IBM Asia Pacific Kick-Off Meeting. Responsible for ensuring strategic alignment and identifying growth opportunities globally for Avnet and IBM, Tony related how Avnet Technology Solutions president Phil Gallagher instigated Avnet’s focus on supplier relations and how Avnet has since developed their engagement with supplier partners’ network, especially their biggest supplier partner, IBM.

With more than 25 years of partnership spanning 30 countries globally, Avnet has reached USD3 billion in annual sales of IBM technology solutions and services, generating greater than 20 percent growth year-over-year in IBM sales. According to Tony, Avnet and IBM’s success can be attributed to the two companies’ strong business alignment and working closely together to leverage global strengths, scale and scope to create a competitive advantage.

Synergy in the Asia Pacific Region

Alongside Tony Madden at the Avnet-IBM kick off event in Singapore were Andrew Baker, Director, Avnet Alliance Asia Pacific, IBM and Darryl Tucker, Business Unit Executive, Avnet Technology Solutions. During our conversation, Andrew shared that his role is to work closely with Avnet and IBM across the APAC region, manage the brands that Avnet carries for IBM and oversee the joint teams to ensure that IBM provides an improved experience for IBM resellers. Darryl’s role, on the other hand, is to work closely with IBM, through Andrew, to support IBM’s regional strategies and growth initiatives. IBM is the long term committed partner of Avnet and their exclusive relationship is made of dedicated teams who oversee the success of Avnet-IBM relationship both regionally and globally.

Recent Avnet-IBM Kick-off Meeting in Singapore

Having traveled extensively across the globe to jointly sit down and plan with IBM teams, Tony commended the APAC kick-off meeting for being a perfect execution of teamwork between Avnet and IBM. He said the meeting has been a perfect avenue that provided the opportunity for the teams from the different parts of the APAC region to come together and share best practices. Although Tony did acknowledge the fact that some local/regional APAC players are formidable, he said that Avnet’s global scope and scale and synergy with a leading supplier partner like IBM, has given Avnet a unique competitive advantage for the company.

Andrew shared that the Avnet-IBM kick-off session is about building on the existing success between Avnet and IBM across the region and that Avnet is a very strong distributor in IBM’s power business, software and storage. Darryl reinforced the fact that the kick-off event has allowed the regional team to interact and hear from IBM on their future projects and the direction they are heading.

Andrew also added that IBM business partners can benefit from the multi-country relationship with Avnet and leverage on their expertise as a value added distributor for IBM.

Going Forward Strategies

From a global supplier relationship perspective, Tony shared that Avnet and IBM sit together on a very strategic basis plotting mutual growth strategies to grow IBM sales from USD3 billion in FY2010 to USD5 billion by 2015. He shared that Avnet and IBM have put in place initiatives such as OEM agreement, integration and manufacturing for IBM and Avnet towards achieving mutual profitable growth.

On a regional level, Andrew said that they will continue to strive to improve the experience for the partners by making it easier to do business with IBM through Avnet and to drive three big plays for IBM in 2012 which he identified as software, services and storage. To complement, Darryl shared that Avnet will drive the StoragePath initiative which involves a series of events across the region to help train business partners on how to sell IBM storage and talk to CIOs and CFOs about the business opportunities. StoragePath is part of Avnet Technology Solutions’ SolutionsPath strategy, which focuses on providing means for Avnet’s value added resellers to identify technology opportunities and growth markets, enable the partners with knowledge and skills through trainings, and to accelerate solutions-selling.

Please watch the video for more information

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Hearing success stories of CEOs is always inspiring.

In the following conversation, Rick Hamada, CEO, Avnet Inc fondly tells the story of how he began his journey with Avnet as a technical support specialist 28 years ago, and how he has since grown into taking on key leadership roles leading up to his appointment as company CEO last July 2011. Asked whether he expected or planned to become Avnet’s chief executive, Rick confessed to having a totally different concept of “long-term” which meant “What’s going on for the weekend?” when he first started at Avnet.

Feeling grateful and priviliged for the opportunity to become Avnet’s leader today, Rick looked back at his 28-year journey within the Avnet organisation and reflected on the pillars that guided him in performing his roles and responsibilities: first being the power of positive attitude; second, the principle of balance; third, personal responsibility; and finally, life-long learning.

While in Singapore recently, Rick took the opportunity to congratulate William Chu, the newly appointed president for Avnet Technology Solutions, Asia Pacific. Rick offered William a leader’s advice as he steers Avnet Technology Solutions business in APAC. Rick’s first advice was for William to take a step back to analyse the new responsibilities ahead, and then to step up. The second pointer, which Rick also deemed very effective when he started performing his role as CEO, was to focus on conversations. He advised William to keep conversations going and to listen to what the customers and partners have to say in order to provide the best possible leadership in the APAC region.

Watch this video as Rick elaborates on his personal guide posts and his advice to William.

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In its latest earnings results, Avnet reported another strong quarter of steady improvements across many parts of the business despite top-line challenges presented by the macro environment. Distribution arm, Avnet Technology Solutions, reported improved profitability. In Asia, where there was an increased emphasis on returns for Avnet, pro forma revenue for Avnet Technology Solutions increased and operating income was up.

In his recent visit in Asia, Rick Hamada, CEO, Avnet Inc shared his optimism on a growing industry amidst the global economic situation. Despite slowing industry growth that is forecasted at 5% to 6% on a global basis, Rick considers that a move toward more normal growth trends. He rallied the Avnet team to remain steadfast in staying close to Avnet’s dashboards and business indicators and playing a role in creating change instead of merely reacting to cycles such as economic slowdowns.

Rick also gave his vote of confidence to the newly appointed regional Avnet Technology Solutions president William Chu and his team. Rick expressed his strong belief that Avnet’s strong brand and solid financial backing and the Asia team’s expert knowledge of the market and value added partnerships to be Avnet’s success formula in the region.

Watch the video as Rick shares his insight on the global economy and Avnet’s prospects in Asia.

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An interview with William Chu, President, Avnet Technology Solutions, Asia Pacific.

Strategic Priorities

In this video, William shares about his strategic priorities in the APAC region, which are mainly looking at the returns of Avnet investments, how these investments are being operationalised, and to achieve more synergies across the different businesses.

William also talks about Avnet Technology Solutions’ expansion based on the past 6 years of successful M&As. He went on to further point out that the company would not hesitate to exercise its M&A strategy to companies which can synergize with their business.

Watch the video as William emphasizes the current focus of the company after 6 years of aggressive acquisition.

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