Lenovo was awarded three key accolades at the Middle East Retail Academy (MERA) 2012 Awards, including the highly sought after ‘PC: Retail Vendor of the Year', held as part of the annual DISTREE Middle East event that took place earlier this month in Fujairah, UAE In addition to the ‘PC: Retail Vendor of the Year' award, Lenovo took home the '60 Seconds to Convince' Best Product Design Award for the A720 ‘all-in-one' Lenovo IdeaCentre® , while Vishal Ghate, received the ‘Oman: Retail Account Manager of the Year' award. Commenting on the industry's recognition of Lenovo, Jack Lee, vice president Lenovo Group and general manager for Lenovo Middle East and Africa, stated, “We are extremely proud to have won the ‘PC Retail Vendor of the Year' award which is a testament to the success of our vendor and channel strategy in the region. “Lenovo became the world's number two PC maker in 2011 - the highest rank Lenovo has achieved in worldwide PC sales, positioning the company as a strong challenger to ultimately become the global market leader. We firmly believe that by enhancing our retail and channel relationship both globally, regionally and locally we will hit the number PC vendor spot." Part of the annual DISTREE Middle East event, the awards ceremony seeks to identify the vendors that have successfully engaged with the retail channel and developed win-win partnerships. The event also recognizes the region's best-in-class distributors and retailers, and is a testament to the wealth of professional talent that exists in the Middle East retail channels. Lenovo's channel strategy in the region rests on two cornerstones. On one hand, Lenovo works closely with its partners to bring local insight and ensure brand differentiation whilst additionally helping Lenovo drive the best customer experience at the point of sale. On the other hand, the lines of communications are continually open between vendor, the channel and Lenovo. This win-win model ultimately leads to greater alignment between vendors and Lenovo ensuring profitability to all parties involved in the sales process. Lee concluded, “The trio of awards reaffirm that Lenovo has the right partnerships in place to gain further market share in the region. The accolades endorse our channel strategy, key personnel and products. My congratulations go to Mr. Ghate for his award and for his dedication and hard work. I would like to also express my on-going thanks to all our retail partners who are working with Lenovo to expand support its customers everywhere in the Middle East."
