Avaya announces increased channel focus for 2009 at MENA Business Partner Conference

The event will bring together more than 200 Avaya Business Partners from the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region to recap Avaya's performance in 2008 and highlight Avaya's strategies for significant growth.

Avaya's outlook for 2009 includes increasing investment in developing its channel ecosystem, aiming for a standard global channel organization and infrastructure to ultimately increase its sales through the channel. The company's new channel-centric strategy will drive neutrality and linearity and focus on vertical markets.

"Avaya has experienced significant expansion across the MENA region in 2008. With increasing demand for solutions that increase business efficiency and worker productivity, our partners continue to play an important role in our growth,"

said Roger El Tawil, Channel and Marketing Director for Avaya MENA.

At the event, Avaya will the functions of its recently launched an EMEA Distributor and Partner Council, whose function is to act as an advocate for the EMEA channel community and serve as a platform for Avaya and its business partners to discuss issues and strategies. The council will be held every 6 months with separate meetings for Distributors and Partners.

Recipients of Avaya Business Partner Awards, given to channel partners for market growth and achievements during 2008, will also be announced at the conference.