The Record - Issue 20: Spring 2021

20 www. t e c h n o l o g y r e c o r d . c om MAR K E TWATCH Portuguese technology company Bizdirect has been named a Microsoft ISV Development Center. With the new title, the company can now help independent software vendors (ISVs) to scale up and grow more quickly using Microsoft business applications such as Dynamics 365, Power Platform and Azure. Bizdirect says that the designation “recognises the experience, skills and know-how” of the team, and the work it has been doing in the Microsoft partner ecosystem. “It’s with great satisfaction that we see the work of the Bizdirect team being recognised,” said João Mira Santiago, CEO of Bizdirect. “With this recognition, Bizdirect enters the exclusive network of worldwide ISV Development Centers and will contribute to speeding up the process of recruitment and training of ISVs that intend to place their products on Microsoft’s marketplace.” As an ISV Development Center, Bizdirect will have closer access to Microsoft’s technology, product- focused teams and relevant information to better support its customers in building, modernising and bringing products to market based on Microsoft technologies. “The ISV community seeks support in developing and creating solutions that can quickly be made available to the market,” said Greg Nelson, corporate vice president of Microsoft. “We’re pleased to welcome Bizdirect as an ISV Development Center and look forward to the wide range of services and technological insights which they bring to accelerate the growth of our ISV partners.” Bizdirect is the first company in Portugal and the fourth in Europe to receive this recognition. Bizdirect becomes Microsoft ISV Development Center Digital Wholesale Solutions acquires Giacom In December 2020, IT, communications and cloud business Digital Wholesale Solutions acquired cloud services provider Giacom. Giacom will continue to operate its customer-first, channel-focused model under the new management, while also delivering new opportunities and products, and sharing expertise through the group of businesses. “From our focus on customer experience to our business values to the integration approach we each adopt for our technology platforms, it was clear that the two businesses are a great fit,” said Giacom CEO Mike Wardell. “I’m excited about the extra value we can add for our customers, providing access to products, training and expertise that helps them stay ahead of a changing market.” As remote working and cloud-based collaboration accelerates the convergence of unified communications and IT, Digital Wholesale Solutions says that the acquisition will “provide significant benefit for our partners”. “I’ve admired the Giacom business for a number of years – a great channel-only business, obsessed about delivering great products and a great experience for partners through a great platform,” said Terry O’Brien, CEO of Digital Wholesale Solutions. “Bringing together these two high-growth businesses in unified communications and cloud services is a huge step forward in our plans to support an ever-converging ICT partner channel. I think this will be great for our combined 5,500 partners and I am really looking forward to working with Mike and his team at Giacom.”