Fujitsu SELECT Innovation Award Recognizes Outstanding Contributions to Channel Business

A check for USD 10,000, to be used for joint marketing and sales development programs, was presented to Cutter at the SELECT Innovation Award ceremony during the Fujitsu Forum Munich. The partner is also invited to attend Fujitsu Forum Tokyo in May 2017 to meet global industry experts and gain first-hand insight into Fujitsu’s latest solutions, products and services.

Dave Hazard, Head of Sales Operations and Channel, at Fujitsu EMEIA, comments: “European business decision makers consider digital disruption to be the biggest technology challenge they face today. When undertaking their own digital transformation it is absolutely crucial that enterprises have the right technology partners in place to help shape their approach to digital and to enable them to thrive in a digitally disrupted world. In this context, it is more important than ever that we support our valued partners, to guide businesses in every industry through their individual digitalization journeys. Today, we recognize outstanding companies who truly embody this spirit.”

Chosen from a shortlist of three impressive implementations, last year’s inaugural awards’ EMEIA Best Newcomer and awards finalist, UK-based SELECT Expert Cutter Group scooped the 2016 Fujitsu SELECT Innovation Award, thanks to the work the company has undertaken with the Oxford Partnership, a visionary organization that is using technology to improve the lives of young women in Saudi Arabia through education. Despite the challenge of installing and maintaining IT equipment in remote rural communities, Cutter implemented a complete digital transformation of the partnership’s four colleges including deploying a virtualized server infrastructure, with both local and centralized storage, and the creation of a secure private cloud to connect the four college sites. The new college IT infrastructure allows students to gain valuable technology skills, and delivers unprecedented educational opportunities for young women in Saudi Arabia by empowering them to transform their lives through learning.

Magdalena Riley, Chief Operating Officer at the Oxford Partnership, added: “Our mission is to deliver high quality vocational education to enable Saudi women to take active roles in the workplaces across the Saudi economy’s private and public sectors. We turned to Cutter Group and Fujitsu to get the very best in engineering and virtualization support as we needed a solid partner to deliver, install and maintain a stable and scalable infrastructure in the most remote areas of the Kingdom. I see the difference education makes to our students’ lives every day and I’m delighted to see how technology now supports us in delivering our vision.”

As the face of Fujitsu to many customers worldwide, Fujitsu’s SELECT Partner Program members play a key role in bringing Fujitsu’s vision of a Human Centric Intelligent Society to life. The awards ceremony at the Fujitsu Forum in Munich celebrates those partners who most successfully helped customers drive digital transformation.

Finalist Business Systems International (BSI) was commended for the work it has undertaken to deliver a state-of-the-art solution to a European online-only grocery retailer. While BSI has worked on the project since its inception 16 years ago, the last two years have seen an acceleration in technology delivery to include multiple distribution warehouses, a scalable managed service for other retailers and the full adoption of system architectures based on Open Standards. Customized Fujitsu X86 server technology touches every aspect of the distribution process from the initial order placement through to warehouse automation and vehicle route optimization. The retailer now has an infrastructure that is reliable and scalable enough to support its ambitious growth plans, backed by Fujitsu and BSI teams committed to providing the necessary infrastructure and open standards expertise. It is this collaborative approach that has helped Fujitsu and BSI secure the long-term trust of this prestigious retailer.”

Also shortlisted was Swiss-based BWO Systems AG. The SELECT Expert has worked with Fujitsu for 23 years, and today specializes in solutions for PalmSecure, Fujitsu’s highly reliable biometric authentication system based on palm vein pattern recognition technology. BWO’s shortlisted project relates to a digitization project undertaken for Osterwalder Zurich AG, the leading provider of fuel, lubricants and heating oil in the greater Zurich area. The company wanted to equip its newly-built 14-story headquarters in a way that would ensure security, comfort and efficiency. BWO designed and installed a comprehensive security system that includes advanced biometric palm readers combined with secure access solutions on both external and select internal doors. BWO also deployed innovative palm vein access to secure the company’s post delivery system. Osterwalder Zurich AG now has a secure access system that is extremely easy to use and also brings significant savings in administrative costs.

EMEIA SELECT Channel Award winners
During the ceremony, Fujitsu also recognized the outstanding achievements of partners who have excelled over the course of the last year with a host of additional awards. These included Best Corporate Reseller, Best Fujitsu Ambassador and EMEIA Newcomer of the Year.

These awards feature among a wide range of benefits for SELECT Partner Program members. Fujitsu’s SELECT Partner Program was relaunched in April 2015 to deliver unbeatable value to its growing international base of channel partners around the world, founded on three cornerstones:

• Reliable Innovation: Fujitsu provides every member of its SELECT Partner Program with access to high-quality, customizable solutions intended to help their customers to simplify and enhance everyday life. Fujitsu’s best-in-class products represent the foundation of IT solutions that channel partners’ end customers will find compelling.
• Individual Support: Fujitsu’s cooperation with channel partners is sustained and developed by personal relationships and distinguished by the hallmark of excellence, so it is easy for Fujitsu and its partners to succeed in developing mutually-profitable business. By providing market-leading tools, specialized processes, and sources of information, Fujitsu empowers its channel partners to differentiate in their business.
• Commitment to Growth: Fujitsu is helping its channel partners to grow in the market. The Fujitsu Rules of Engagement for business demonstrate the company’s clear commitment to understanding the unique value of its partners in the IT market, while also respecting their customers and embracing cultural differences.