CPTV: Ingram Micro President on Creating the ‘art of the Viable’ (video)

In this interview with Bob DeMarzo of Channel Partners, Ingram Micro global platform group president Sanjib Sahoo talks about Ingram’s transition from a traditional distributor to a platform company.

Sahoo emphasized the importance of culture and mindset changes, the role of AI in solving business problems and the competitive landscape. And what it means to be “digitally aggressive.”

Sahoo, who was promoted to his new role in January, said “My charter is to actually drive all things platform, as Ingram becomes a platform company. We are in this journey to become a distributor to a platform -- not a marketplace, but a platform -- and that's what I oversee.”

He described the journey to providing a platform business. “What it means is, how do you actually make and create an experience that for the partners is different?” Sahoo said.

A shift like Ingram is going through brings cultural challenges. “Eighty percent of transformations fail because of culture and mindset,” he said.

To overcome that, Sahoo said he brought together Silicon Valley technology talent to work with staff experienced in distribution. “There is the art of possible and the art of feasible and we mix them together to create the art of viable,” Sahoo said.

It’s hard to talk about possibilities today without mentioning AI, and Sahoo explained how Ingram is using that technology. “We have our AI algorithm looking at all the codes, finding out opportunities for our sales team, and having them reach out to our partners. That is a change, but it is for them to be better and grow more,” he said.

Sahoo describes himself as “aggressively digital” and that’s reflected in his approach to Ingram’s transformation.

“Transformation is not a project. It's a DNA,” he said. “As I move towards a journey of being a business leader and platform leader, my passion is utilizing the best technology to open growth and value of the company and our partner experience.”