Wael Handous, Managing Director of MEA Tec, speaks to Channel Post MEA about the emerging concept of MSSD and being the first company to offer this option in the MEA region, elaborates on their future plans.
What is MSSD, and what is the business model of this concept?
Managed security service distributor, the concept itself is new to the industry, and we are the first company to offer this option in the Middle East and Africa.
MSSD offers a platform for MSSPs and system integrators to work on without having to invest in independent platforms. MEA Tec has made a provision so that system integrators are not obliged to commit a high level of investment upfront. The platforms MEA Tec hosts are local – currently from the UAE, to be replicated in the GCC and elsewhere. Having a platform to work with allows system integrators to work on better terms – paying only for products and services consumed and on a flexible billing schedule of monthly or quarterly payments.
MSSDs enable resellers, VARs, system integrators, and other channel partners to provide their customers with the best possible protection against cyber-attacks without investments and commitments in a fast-changing environment.
How is it different from any other cybersecurity value-added distributor or even MSSPs?
The MSSD concept is a successor to MSSPs. The concept allows customers flexibility to consume products and services required without having to commit to a large investment upfront or purchase products and services that are not required. Combined with better terms of payment, customers are benefited tremendously. MSSPs may also use the services of a MSSD as would system integrators as well.
Which are the major companies in the world to offer MSSD and as the first MSSD in the region, what is MEA Tec doing to expand this segment?
We are the first in the region and want to keep our lead by building a communication bridge between the up to date innovative technologies and the channel ecosystem. We believe the offering speaks for itself and is bound to succeed as it is trending in Europe and the US. One such company in Europe is Cyber Monks which we accomplished a full alliance and partnership with them to replicate same success story they had in DACH region.
What will be your channel strategy and how are you targeting to expand the base for MSSD?
In addition to the existing partnerships, relations and connections for 15+ years with system integrators, we will be focusing more on developing our partnerships with MSSPs and other system integrators by proving the value-added as a MSSD offer.
As you said you will be the first MSSD, what kind of channel partners are you looking to work with and what can partners expect from you?
We will work with MSSPs and System Integrators to offer them a better value that they have experienced. Middle East & Africa is our focus geography.
How will you ensure better returns to the channel partners under MSSD?
We provide much more beneficial business terms to the channel and also the reduced upfront investment that enable us to offer better returns to the partners.
Apart from MSSD, what are your plans to grow the distribution business?
Our plans are to get global leading vendors who do not have an existence in the region an opportunity to serve the market utilizing MEA Tec’s infrastructure and local expertise. This will give customers a point of comparison on what serves their needs best. In 2020 we believe customers should have access to the technologies from any part of the world, be it California or Paris or San Paolo and it should be available to them locally. Our local expertise on the \ ground will give customers, whoever they may be, assurance of ready service and assistance in their own location. There is no better way to epitomize ‘Think global, act local.’
Can you elaborate on your consulting services?
We offer two different versions for cybersecurity consulting; Lite is completely free of charge service providing an initial assessment of security compliance and identification of potential risk vectors, which are needed to enhance their cybersecurity capability.
While, the In-depth version offers a deep-down assessment of your infrastructure and detailed study of your network and systems related to the performance of every single technology deployed at your end by experts.
What kind of growth are you expecting in the next 1 year?
We’ve plotted our growth based on the number of countries and cities which we serve locally with hosted technologies, more than revenue.
We’re looking at a full presence in terms of Datacenters, Technical expertise and support teams across the GCC and Levant Region.
