A new association that champions the benefits of working with regional EMEA technology channels and promotes new technology in business and society is being founded by four of the largest technology distributors in Europe: ALSO, Esprinet, Exertis and Westcoast.
It could be seen as a counter to the US-heavy Global Technology Distribution Council, although ALSO is already a prominent member of GTDC.
These have been some moves to encourage a more European stance in the GTDC, but global issues and standards - mainly US - have been seen to dominate its agendas.
The new association is called The Technology Channels Alliance. While its primary objective is to ensure that technology vendors understand and make full use of the benefits of working with channels that understand their local circumstances across EMEA, the association will also be enablers and advocates of new technology to ensure these channels are educated and optimised to deliver on the promises new technology makes.
At the same time, the association will have a social charter and will be setting aside a portion of its member dues to establish a charitable foundation with a mission to get technology to those without the means to acquire it, and enable a wider population to benefit from today's technology.
"I feel it's time to give something back," commented Joe Hemani, CEO of Westcoast. "Technology sales channels today are very good at getting products and services out to those who can afford to pay, what we want to do is give those without the means an opportunity to acquire technology that can change and better their lives."
Membership in the new association is open to technology distributors, large resellers and retailers whose head office is registered in a European country.
Niall Ennis, CEO of Exertis, said: "Regional players are a hugely important part of the technology channel in EMEA, and provide a focus and range of services tailored to each of the countries in which they operate.
'This new association seeks to promote the benefit to technology vendors of this focused approach and to provide a forum to identify opportunities to grow the addressable market for technology products."
Gustavo Moeller-Hergt, CEO of ALSO, added: "As well as being advocates and enablers of what technology can do for users, members of our new association bring special value to our customers because we are local, so we speak the language and do business in the language of our customers."
Alessandro Cattani, CEO of Esprinet, observed: "We have an ambition to create what we call a 'chain of knowledge' all the way from vendors through the channel to end users.
"Among other things, we will be publishing several case studies a year that will highlight issues of common interest in the region."