Barracuda Networks has signed up distribution partner Redington Value, the value added distribution division of Redington Gulf to help take advantage of the rapidly growing revenue opportunity associated with the demand for IT security and data protection solutions across the region, the company has announced.
This distribution deal is designed to complement Barracuda Networks’ existing local and regional channel distribution partners. Under the terms of the deal, Redington Value will sell Barracuda Networks’ entire portfolio of IT security, networking and data protection solutions, including its award-winning Barracuda NG Firewall platform, the company added.
According to Barracuda Networks, it selected Redington Gulf’s VAD arm due to its existing IT security expertise, its extensive reach into larger countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, and its ability to meet local demand from smaller but fast-growing regional economies.
Paul Lawrence, regional sales director for the UK, Nordics, Middle East and Africa at Barracuda, said, “Our channel strategy is to focus extremely closely on where the best opportunities for growth lie. Organisations across the Middle East are experiencing exceptional demand for improving and overhauling their IT security and data protection systems. Redington will help accelerate our ability to put our solutions into the hands of these organisations regardless of where they’re located.”
The Middle East has become a major focus for Barracuda Networks with more than 1,000 customers in the region currently using its solutions and the company has also recently appointed Sherif Abd ElGawad as GM for the Middle East.
“In addition to our presence at GITEX Technology Week and Sherif’s appointment, Barracuda Networks is actively hiring additional sales and technical staff to drive activities in the region. This will allow us to enhance even further the high level of support that our partners and customers have come to expect from us,” added Lawrence.
The growing popularity of social media platforms in the Middle East has added to the security and fraud risks facing both consumers and businesses alike. Recent figures show that there are now more than 18 million Facebook users and nearly seven million Twitter users in the region, all of whom are potential rich pickings for a growing number of cyber criminals active in these channels, Barracude Networks representative said.
Ramkumar B., VP, value business at Redington said, “With its comprehensive product portfolio and highly respected management team, Barracuda Networks has the potential to become one of the most dominant IT security and data protection brands in the Middle East. Having seen the investment and commitment made by Barracuda Networks in the region, we expect the company to contribute significantly in strengthening our security offering for resellers in the region.”
