Ingram Micro digital chief has new job to turn firm into ‘platform ecosystem company’

“I’m thrilled to take on this role and help transform Ingram Micro into a platform ecosystem company. This is an inspiring and exciting journey and I’m looking forward to driving meaningful change for the company and our partners,” says Sanjib Sahoo

Ingram Micro said Wednesday that its chief digital officer, Sanjib Sahoo, will take over as president of the IT distribution giant’s new global platform group a month after the company unveiled hundreds of layoffs as part of a restructuring initiative.

Sahoo will oversee platform strategy, innovation and global expansion while driving initiatives to enhance customer efficiency and eliminate common B2B challenges.

An Ingram Micro spokesperson told CRN the latest changes, which go into effect today, weren’t connected to the latest restructuring moves.

Sahoo, who has been with the California-based distributor for three years, was most recently executive vice president and chief digital officer.

The position of CDO has been rolled into other functions as the global platform group takes off.

“The company is evolving its leadership structure under a new global platform group,” Sahoo told CRN.

“While the role of CDO remains essential in digital transformation, the focus now is on a broader, all-encompassing strategy.

“I’m thrilled to take on this role and help transform Ingram Micro into a platform ecosystem company.

“This is an inspiring and exciting journey and I’m looking forward to driving meaningful change for the company and our partners."

Since joining Ingram Micro in 2021, Sahoo has played an integral role in the development of Xvantage, a platform that provides a personalised experience with data insight tailored to each of Ingram Micro's solution providers and their customers.

Xvantage is now in 16 countries and features about 29 million lines of code, 20 intelligent engines and 30 pending patents.

In his new role, Sahoo will spearhead the continued development and deployment of Xvantange on a global scale.

“Ingram Micro has built upon its decades of experience to become a disruptive leader and digital force in the global technology industry,” said Paul Bay, CEO of Ingram Micro.

“A proven business strategist and digital innovator, Sanjib’s expanded leadership and dedicated team will better support and accelerate our vision of becoming a platform company that will reinvent the B2B customer experience through Xvantage.”

CRN spoke to Sahoo about his new role and his strategy of helping Ingram Micro become a true platform business.

As the newly appointed president of Ingram Micro’s global platform group, what is your vision for the company's evolution into a platform ecosystem leader?

“The goal is to transition Ingram Micro from being a traditional distributor to becoming a platform ecosystem company.

“This involves leveraging platform technology to enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs and deliver a seamless, consumerised experience across the B2B tech ecosystem.

Internally, teams will adopt a platform-first operating model.

“This includes optimising processes such as pricing, customer engagement and automation.

“The focus is on scaling capabilities and improving cost efficiency while enhancing the customer and vendor experience through advanced technology.”

How does the Xvantage platform fit into this vision?

“Xvantage is central to the platform strategy. It enables seamless interactions among partners, vendors and employees by addressing challenges like real-time pricing, AI-driven insights and configuration.

“Xvantage integrates hardware, software and cloud services, removing friction to create a cohesive ecosystem experience.”

What challenges and opportunities come with scaling the platform globally?

“Global scaling involves unifying diverse systems, navigating country-specific compliance and legal regulations and refining AI algorithms to provide consistent experiences.

“Testing and learning in key markets has been crucial to overcoming these challenges.”

What are some short-term goals as president of the global platform group?

“The immediate priorities include helping teams and customers understand the platform's value, driving measurable growth through the platform, improving employee and vendor experiences and leveraging automation to optimise operations.

“It’s driven by the opportunity to make a lasting impact, transforming a 45-year-old company into a modern platform ecosystem leader.

“The aim is to create value for employees, partners and customers while addressing complex industry challenges.”

What is your message to Ingram Micro's partners for 2025?

“I encourage partners to collaborate with Ingram Micro through the Xvantage platform to solve complex problems together.

“By leveraging the platform’s capabilities, partners can expect innovative solutions, mutual growth and success in navigating emerging technologies.”

This article originally appeared on CRN UK sister website CRN.