HOME Orange buys €75m stake in Africa Internet Group
Telecoms operator Orange has acquired a €75m (US$85.5m) equity stake in Africa Internet Group, joining AXA, Goldman Sachs and longstanding investors MTN Group, Millicom and Rocket Internet. Through this investment, which will be accompanied by a series of strategic partnerships between the subsidiaries of the two groups, Orange will help online marketplace Jumia and other websites run by Africa Internet Group to accelerate their growth and seize development opportunities in Africa.
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Office 1 Gulf confirmed for DISTREE Middle East
This year’s DISTREE Middle East event on 10-12th May 2016 will see retailers and e-tailers from across the region gather in Abu Dhabi for three days of one-on-one meetings and professional networking with consumer technology brands. Retailer Office 1 Gulf is confirmed to attend and keen to talk to brands looking to further develop their business in the Qatari market.
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LG Electronics (LG) has teamed up with distributor AJM Kooheji Group to launch the superlight LG gram laptop in Bahrain through an exclusive partnership with telecoms provider Batelco. Available in shades of white and gold, the LG gram series - consisting of two models with 14” and 15.6” screens - will be initially available in all Batelco stores in Bahrain. Installment-based purchase schemes are available for product buyers.
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DISTREE Middle East 2016 to increase focus on fast-growing product categories
DISTREE Middle East 2016 will take place on the 10-12th May at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr Hotel in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The three-day channel event unites consumer technology brands and distributors with senior executives and buyers from the region’s leading retailers and e-tailers. Exhibitors pre-schedule one-on-one meetings with retailers and e-tailers attending the event, enabling them to target specific markets or channels for their product portfolio.
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Axiom launches new concept store in Dubai
Mobile device distributor and retailer Axiom Telecom recently launched a new concept store at Dubai Mall, combining cutting-edge technology with first-of-its-kind personalisation capability. The store included a dedicated zone called ‘XCustoms’ - a one-stop-shop for smartphone and tablet customisation in the UAE. Faisal Al Bannai, managing director at Axiom Telecom, said: "From gold plating, engraving, and colorful skins, to UV printing and Swarovski crystals, XCustoms allows gadget owners to express their individuality – whether it is supporting a favourite band or team, or showcasing a unique sense of style.”
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Souq.com secures US$275m funding
Souq.com, the Middle East’s largest online retail and marketplace platform, recently completed a funding round of more than US$275m, the largest financing of an e-commerce business in the Middle East, according to the company. Souq.com claims that the significant investment will support the company’s future growth, strengthen e-commerce in the region and empower more businesses to grow online through its platform.
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Media Markt and Amazon among retail winners at ‘EMEA Channel Academy: 2016 Awards’
The ‘EMEA Channel Academy: 2016 Awards’ were held in conjunction with regional channel event DISTREE EMEA 2016. These included a series of nine awards for consumer technology retailers and e-tailers operating in Europe, plus one award for online marketplaces featuring consumer technology products. Media Markt was the big winner on the night, picking up the Retailer of the Year Award in four separate regions: South East Europe, Southern Europe, DACH and Benelux. Online giant Amazon emerged triumphant in two categories as the company was crowned UK & Ireland Retailer of the Year and also picked up the European Online Marketplace of the Year Award.
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DISTREE Russia unveils new format for 2016 with clear separation of B2B & B2C channel events
DISTREE Russia has announced a brand new event structure for 2016, based on strong demand from both business-focused and consumer-focused technology suppliers for exhibition space. This year’s event will see separate business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) channel events held simultaneously.
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DISTREE Events appoints Loh Teck-Heng as Director of Business Development for APAC region
DISTREE Events has announced the appointment of Loh Teck-Heng as its new Director of Business Development for the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. In his new role, Loh Teck-Heng will use his extensive regional experience and in-depth knowledge of APAC channel structures to drive the growth and evolution of DISTREE APAC, the flagship event for vendors, distributors, retailers and e-tailers involved in the region’s consumer technology channel. The fourth annual DISTREE APAC will take place in Bali on 2nd to 4th November 2016. Loh Teck-Heng (pictured right) will report directly to Farouk Hemraj, CEO & Co-Founder at DISTREE Events.
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DISTREE EMEA finishes after successful regional consumer technology channel event in Monaco
The 14th annual DISTREE EMEA has finished, with 1000 delegates attending the four-day channel event, which took place from February 24th to 27th at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. DISTREE Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) provided technology and consumer electronics (CE) brands with the opportunity to pre-schedule one-on-one meetings with senior executives from the region’s most influential retailers, e-tailers and distributors.
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