Channel partners in the UAE are prioritising data-driven innovation to fuel growth in 2026, according to new research from global technology distributor Westcon-Comstor.
The survey of 500 partners in the UAE and four other countries reveals that 40% of Emirates-based respondents plan to invest in data-led offerings to unlock new opportunities and increase profitability over the next 12 months – outpacing other priorities like market expansion and pivoting to managed services or subscription models.
The UAE figure is in line with the global average of 40%.
Additionally, 26% of UAE-based partners see data-driven consulting services as the single most promising revenue stream from digital transformation.
Westcon-Comstor found that, across all five countries surveyed – Australia, Singapore, Spain, UAE and the UK – most partners are already leveraging real-time data to enhance customer experience and inform business decisions.
Popular applications include tracking customer behaviour and preferences (57%), refining marketing and sales strategies (50%) and identifying market trends (42%).
The research forms part of Westcon-Comstor’s Future Ready programme of channel analysis and coincides with an acceleration in adoption of the distributor’s analytics-driven sales programme, Intelligent Demand (iD).
Calendar year 2025 saw a 132% year-on-year increase in the number of channel campaigns supported by Intelligent Demand, rising from 540 to more than 1,200.
The programme uses predictive analytics to drive growth, enhance customer lifetime value and identify new markets for partners and vendors. It combines best-in-class data, AI, analyst research and channel expertise with Westcon-Comstor’s proprietary data science models.
“Our research confirms that data-driven innovation is now embedded as a critical driver of AI growth and differentiation for channel partners,” said Atul Damani, Chief Data Officer at Westcon-Comstor. “In the era of lifecycle selling, leveraging AI-powered data and analytics can enable partners to save time, uncover highly targeted sales opportunities and focus their energy on where they’ll get results. As channel evolution accelerates, the importance of data will only grow and at Westcon-Comstor we feel distribution has a vital role to play in ensuring partners are equipped with the insights and capabilities they need to thrive.”
“In the UAE, our channel partners are embracing data-driven innovation as a cornerstone of growth for 2026,” said Renton D-Souza, Managing Director, Gulf at Westcon-Comstor. “With the Emirates’ reputation for bold vision and rapid transformation, partners are leveraging analytics to unlock new opportunities and deliver exceptional value in a fast-evolving market.”
