SHI TECHNOLOGY
HYBRID EVERYTHING In the era of remote and hybrid working patterns, SHI is empowering organisations to adapt to changing business models and workplace strategies. Donavan Hutchinson, Managing Director of SHI UK, tells us how Writer: Jack Salter | Project Manager: Marvin Iseghehi
The future is hybrid.” With so many businesses now adopting cloud-based technologies and hybrid working models, security should be a key focus for every organisation according to Donavan Hutchinson, Managing Director of SHI UK. Indeed, since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant increase in the number of phishing and firmware attacks, and ransomware has become increasingly problematic for many companies. “Recent predictions suggest that once people settle into their new working routines, there will be an increase in remote workers of more than 300 percent compared to prepandemic levels,” Hutchinson reveals. “With this in mind, many more people are working in a hybrid environment using both corporate
Donavan Hutchinson heads-up SHI UK – a global provider of technology solutions, established in 1989 and today serving more than 15,000 organisations of all shapes and sizes
and home networks. This specifically has presented a larger problem for many organisations with more devices now being connected to corporate networks, leading to a change in how they manage security as a whole and ensure the protection of their core data.” More than just the tools and software applications being deployed on a client’s network, security goes far beyond that, with training requirements for all employees and the health and management of devices on and off the network also taken into consideration. Security is therefore essential, and SHI International Corporation (SHI) has been working with many clients to help safeguard their digital infrastructure, given the number of solutions available to help monitor and protect organisations’ hybrid and remote setups. EME Outlook issue 47 | 3
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tools to communicate, connect, support, and t GoTo, we believe your most important secure their workforces. But that alone isn’t asset is your time. Whether you’re enough — loud and clear our users said they spending it on a big work project or need simplicity and ease of use. planning your next great family adventure, your time matters. Nothing bothers us more than technology that steals time: whether it’s glitchy meetings, patchy remote access, unhelpful support, or a tool that’s so counterintuitive, it feels like more work to use it. SPACE ALLOCATED TO GOTO That’s why we relaunched LogMeIn as GoTo in February this year. We built the new GoTo by listening to our nearly 1 million customers and the challenges they face. We analysed the behaviours of over a billion users joining meetings and webinars, and half a billion connections on our remote access and support tools. What we heard is that SMBs need
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GoTo is about empowering you to get work done anywhere, at any time.
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Your GoTo. Making IT Easy, anywhere
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No matter where in the world your employees are, we’ve got you covered. We ensure that business continues without disruption while your devices stay up and running and your employees continue to connect with one another and your customers. We are the only company that can say that. No one else can both support and connect SMBs with near 100% up-time performance, 24/7 dedicated support, and a first of its kind, zero trust approach to security.
GoTo is about empowering you to get work done anywhere, at any time. Our portfolio gives you the tools to allow your employees to get work done on their own terms: from taking business calls on the go, to hosting virtual gatherings or webinars, to troubleshooting laptops and devices. No matter where in the world your employees are, we’ve got you covered. We ensure that business continues without disruption while your devices stay up and running and your employees continue to connect with one another and your customers. We are the only company that can say that. No one else can both support and connect SMBs with near 100% up-time performance, 24/7 dedicated support, and a first of its kind, zero trust approach to security. We want our technology to be seamless and fade into our the technology background. you can focus on into We want to So be seamless and fade getting work done on what really the background. Soand you moving can focus ontogetting work done andSimply moving on to what really matters. Simply matters. put: GoTo ensures the time you put: GoTo ensures work is well spent, so work is well spent,the so time youryou time outside work yourbe time outside work can be better spent. can better spent.
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That’s why we relaunched LogMeIn as GoTo in February this year. We built the new GoTo by listening to our nearly 1 GoTo is customers about empowering you to get work million and the challenges they face. We done anywhere, at any time. Oura portfolio gives analysed the behaviours of over billion users joining you the tools allow your get meetings andto webinars, andemployees half a billiontoconnections on our remote access and support tools. What we work done on their own terms: from taking heard is that need to communicate, business callsSMBs on the go,tools to hosting virtual connect, support, and secure their workforces. But gatherings or webinars, to troubleshooting that alone isn’t enough — loud and clear our users laptops and devices. said they need simplicity and ease of use. We set out to unify our products and hone our vision. With the only IT management & support and communications portfolio that’s easy to use and even easier to deploy. Anchored by one app, one admin system, and a hyperfocus on security and reliability, we’ve launched two flagship products — GoTo Connect and GoTo Resolve. Our flexible-work software is purposefully built so everyone can make the most of the time they have. In addition to our products, we also made GoTo easier to find, easier to understand, and easier to do business with.
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“Multi-factor authentication is one of the focuses we are seeing for many organisations, amongst significant investments in new technologies being deployed to help secure their infrastructure,” notes Hutchinson. A global provider of technology solutions, SHI was established in 1989 and today serves more than 15,000 organisations of all shapes and sizes, including some of the world’s largest multinational companies, supporting them as they address, acquire, and adopt new technologies. Throughout that time, SHI has remained private and under the leadership of Thai Lee, making it the largest Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) in the US. Guided by the current ownership for more than three decades, steady growth has allowed SHI to transform itself into a $12 billion global provider 8 | EME Outlook issue 47
of technology products and services. This growth has been a direct result of SHI’s highly skilled and tenured sales force, backed by a dedicated team of software volume licensing experts, hardware procurement specialists, and certified IT service professionals. The company is headquartered in New Jersey with several offices across the US, with local presence
in territories such as the UK, France, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia. “Our plans for international growth include significantly increasing our presence in Europe by the end of 2022,” Hutchinson confirms.
PERSONAL SERVICE Whilst SHI’s portfolio of solutions is incredibly broad, with more
“ W E ’ R E O F T E N S E E N BY C U STO M E R S A S H AV I N G T H E R E A C H O F A G L O B A L S O LU T I O N S P R OV I D E R , B U T W I T H T H E L E V E L O F E X P E R T I S E T H E Y H AV E P R E V I O U S LY O N LY B E E N A B L E T O G E T F R O M L O C A L T E C H N O LO G Y PA R T N E R S ” – D O N AVA N H U T C H I N S O N , M A N A G I N G D I R E C T O R , S H I U K
SHI TECHNOLOGY
than 10,000 vendor partners, the outcomes delivered to customers are all aligned with four key pillars: Infrastructure (data centre, cloud, networking), End User and Collaboration, Cybersecurity, and IT Optimisation. Despite having more than 5,000 colleagues around the world, and the sheer scope of the company’s technical expertise, a key differentiator for SHI customers is the very personal service they receive. “We like to think of ourselves as being “ridiculously helpful” to our customers, ensuring that they get exactly what they need in order to achieve their desired outcomes,” Hutchinson emphasises. “We’re often seen by customers as having the reach of a global solutions provider, but with the level of expertise they have previously only been able to get from local
technology partners.” Being privately owned allows SHI to be more self-determined in its investments, and the company currently has two exciting initiatives in Europe which will bring significant value to SHI’s local customers. Firstly, SHI is building out state-ofthe-art Integration Centres in both the UK and the Netherlands, combining warehousing, configuration and deployment facilities. SHI Integration Centres are home to specialist teams for data centre and end user computing, so no matter whether shipping new equipment to thousands of home-based workers or setting up a new internal data centre, SHI has the skills and tools to make light work of unique requirements. Both centres will be operational by late 2022, and will complement SHI’s existing facilities in the US, France, and Singapore.
EME OUTLOOK: WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THE TECH INDUSTRY AT THE MOMENT? DONAVAN HUTCHINSON, MANAGING DIRECTOR: “The industry continues to be exciting but also ever evolving. With the changes in how businesses operate from pre-pandemic models to more hybrid working solutions, this has had a major impact on the way that organisations communicate as a whole. “With continued investment in technology to enable businesses to continue operating, this has led to a skills shortage and created an opportunity for more people to enter the technology market from other industries. “Whilst there have been challenges in the market with regards to component and chip set shortages, it has resulted in more software-based solutions and organisations surfacing to find creative ways to collaborate and keep businesses secure and productive. “As the world has been forced to evolve, technology has become even more important, and it’s exciting to see people embracing technology and wanting to get involved. The industry is now creating more and more opportunities, and is very buoyant given that businesses need to invest in order to keep their businesses operating.”
The second initiative is continued investment in local expertise, a great example of which is the team behind SHI’s recent regional Cisco Gold Certification. “SHI has been a major Cisco partner in the US for many years and now, thanks to significant investment, we can offer that same level of expertise to our customers across Europe,” shares Hutchinson. At SHI’s Customer Innovation Centre (CIC), meanwhile, technological breakthroughs both large and small can be achieved with guidance from the company’s solution architects and engineers. Providing customers with the means to disrupt their industry, the CIC has on-demand access to soughtafter technical advice and real-world wisdom, to help identify, adopt, and implement the right technology investments quickly with lower costs and risks.
EFFICIENT SUPPLY CHAIN A major advantage of working with SHI is the company’s ability to accelerate customers’ time to value, by sourcing hardware faster than its competitors. One of the ways that SHI does this is by not having one single supply chain, but in effect multiple options for most major vendors. “SHI is a major partner globally for most vendors, which means that our customers benefit from the attention and prioritisation that demands,” Hutchinson tells us. “Combining our Integration Centres with warehousing facilities owned by distribution partners gives SHI a highly effective and efficient supply chain for customers around the world.” It is SHI’s philosophy of longterm partnerships with legacy and emerging IT suppliers that has transformed the company into an industry-leading complete IT solutions provider. EME Outlook issue 47 | 9
SHI TECHNOLOGY
EME OUTLOOK: COULD YOU PROVIDE SOME INSIGHT INTO YOUR CAREER TO DATE? DONAVAN HUTCHINSON, MANAGING DIRECTOR: “My entry into the technology industry started around 20 years ago, at which point I had no experience in the sector. “Having joined an international value-added reseller (VAR), I was trained and developed in a sales role which ultimately kick-started my journey within the industry. Since then, I have worked with several organisations to either set up international collaboration programmes or to create new businesses for US-based VARs, to extend their capability and reach into the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) market. “Having set up businesses from scratch to become successful organisations, led acquisitions, created operational efficiencies within existing organisations, and worked across many departments throughout my career, my skills have continued to develop. “Although the last two decades have been spent in the tech space, my ultimate goal is to eventually have my own RDA (Riding for the Disabled Association) facility.”
“SHI has long-term partners of all types, whether it’s our own staff, customers, or suppliers. Longevity is very much a core value, meaning we value a continued relationship over short-term gain. Again, being privately owned helps as it affords us the luxury of thinking longer term.” In the last five years, SHI has improved its value proposition to both partners and customers, having invested in new areas such as transformation and optimisation services. “This means that we are no longer just an effective way to procure technology, but also a key enabler that ensures it’s the right technology, deployed in the right way, and continually optimised in terms of performance and cost,” Hutchinson explains. Preserving the environment and fostering a sustainable future are also crucial principles of SHI’s overall 12 | EME Outlook issue 47
business strategy. Incorporating environmentally-friendly initiatives – whether internally or alongside their partners – the company is striving to minimise the amount of yearly technology waste and maximise its impact towards a greener planet.
DIVERSE VOICES Diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) is integral to SHI and has been since inception. As you would expect for the US’ largest MWBE, the company is passionate about supporting DEI. This commitment is evidenced in SHI’s support for employee resource groups (ERGs) such as Women in SHI (WiSH), EMBRACE, and the Black Culture Collective. Through the ERGs and other initiatives, SHI is also actively involved in supporting local community causes. “SHI promotes DEI both internally and externally by raising awareness through all online platforms,” states
Hutchinson, for whom DEI and employee engagement within the technology industry has been a key focus over the last 20 years. “I’m heavily involved in SHI’s DEI efforts internationally, a member of our WiSH board, and Chairman of EMBRACE, which is focused on the LGBTQ+ communities both within and outside of SHI but also an advocate for all key communities and ERGs within the business.” Hutchinson believes strongly in fostering a workplace that allows everyone to be the best version of themselves, and ensuring that SHI provides opportunities for all employees to develop and grow internally. SHI’s recruitment efforts, and focus on DEI, have allowed it to create a strong company culture that transcends the whole organisation. In the UK specifically, the focus on DEI has resulted in a fairly even split between male and female employees at SHI, a unique attribute in the IT industry. In 2021, the company was awarded the Gender Parity award from CRN UK for its DEI efforts, and focus on driving more women into the technology sector through hiring programmes. “Our focus on DEI also extends to supplier diversity, and helping to track and manage diversity spend across all categories in which we sell,” Hutchinson adds. Fuelled by DEI, SHI will continue to steadily grow by supporting the evolving technology needs of its customers, whether that’s through new Integration Centres, building out expertise for key vendors in local markets, or creating a local presence where customers need it most.
Tel: +44 (0) 1908 300 370 info@shi.com Uk.SHI.com
When recycling is wrong: why we reuse passwords when we know we shouldn’t.
its importance or are being lazy,” explains chartered psychologist and professor of psychology at Bournemouth University, John McAlaney. “It’s often just the case people feel they have many other tasks that need to be done with limited resources.”
80 percent of data breaches are caused by weak, reused, or stolen passwords. With passwords having been with us since the dawn of computing, why haven’t we mastered them?
The number one rule, then, is to use different passwords – all the time, everywhere. “One should have a reputable password manager which will create complex, strong passwords and store them in an encrypted file,” says professor of cyber security at Ulster University, Kevin Curran. “You then only need to remember one master password, and the password manager will automatically take care of logging you into different sites with secure passwords.”
The nature of our digital lives necessitates that we create more complicated, unique combinations of letters, spaces, phrases, upper-case, lower-case, signs and symbols in order to access the services we rely on at home and at work. These are only growing: a recent study from LastPass shows 90 percent of people have as many as 50 online accounts. Given our time-pressed lives, is it any wonder that, even in 2022, the top five most common passwords leaked to the dark web were ‘123456’, ‘12345678’, ‘Qwerty’, ‘Password’, and ‘12345’? Today, a single compromised account can easily create a disastrous domino effect where not only the original target suffers, but so do their contacts, suppliers, and everyone else in their wider network – in fact, recycled passwords are often the first point of entry into conducting a successful supply-chain attack. Financial and reputational damage can easily spiral out of control, and one stolen credential is all it might take.
However, password managers only work if individuals fully trust them to generate and safely store passwords – and users need to have them installed on every device they use to access their accounts, points out CIO of Endava, Helena Nimmo. LastPass’s business password manager, for example, protects all endpoints across the organisation, wherever employees work, with full control for IT over deployment and policies. So, it’s up to organisations to implement safeguards, maintaining a balance between usability, security, and keeping the onus of responsibility away from weighing too heavily on the user.
But the idea that people are a ‘weak link’ in security is perhaps an unfair misnomer. If an individual is juggling a lot of tasks, they may not prioritise security. This “doesn’t mean they don’t understand
For more information, visit lastpass.com/business
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