Dicker Data named Cisco APJ Distributor of the Year for FY26

We are proud to have been named Cisco's APJ Distributor of the Year for FY26, recognising a standout year of growth, innovation and commitment to supporting partners across the Australian IT channel.

The recognition follows a breakthrough year for our Cisco business, achieving number one distributor status in APJC. Throughout FY26, we continued to invest in programs, services and enablement designed to help partners navigate change, strengthen their Cisco practices and capitalise on emerging opportunities.

“We’re truly honoured to be recognised as Cisco’s APJ Distributor and incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together. Through a year of significant change and uncertainty, we stood alongside our partners and offered guidance, consistency, and support when they needed it most. This recognition belongs to everyone in both our Cisco and extended teams, and I’m deeply grateful for the commitment and energy they bring to the partnership each day.” - Vlad Mitnovetski, Executive Director& COO, Dicker Data.

Congratulations to Dicker Data on being named Cisco’s APJC Distributor of the Year at Global Partner Summit. Over the past five years, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with the Dicker Data team and have seen first-hand their passion, agility and commitment to partner success. I’m thrilled to see their efforts and investments recognised, as they continue to set the benchmark for Cisco distribution excellence across Australia and the APJC region." - Rodney Hamill, Managing Director, Sales, Cisco.

Supporting partners through change

A key focus throughout FY26 was strengthening the support available to partners as the Cisco ecosystem continued to evolve.

We introduced the Partner Growth Exchange Program, a year-long initiative providing strategic accounts with technical, sales and lifecycle enablement aligned to Cisco’s OneCisco strategy. The program culminated in an immersive Cisco event where partners engaged directly with A/NZ executive leadership to discuss strategy and provide feedback on the market.

Importantly, the program gave partners a stronger platform to have their voices heard while accessing practical support to help drive growth through changing market conditions.

“We created innovative programs that gave our partners a platform to share their voices and feedback far beyond what would have otherwise been possible. This not only protected profitability and investment but also supported tangible growth through challenging market conditions.” - Vickie Madeleine, Cisco, General Manager, Dicker Data.

We also expanded our Cisco 360 support, including a consulting concierge for focus partners providing business gap plans, PVI roadmaps, and CX and lifecycle incentive guidance. Across its broader community of more than 2,000 transacting partners, dedicated resources and enablement were developed to help partners navigate the Cisco 360 evolution at scale.

"Congratulations to Dicker Data on being recognized as Cisco’s Distributor of the Year at this year’s Global Partner Summit. Dicker Data consistently sets the benchmark for distribution excellence in Australia, combining logistics agility with an unwavering commitment to partner enablement. Their dedication to scaling Cisco’s next-generation networking, cloud, and security solutions plays a vital role in empowering local partners to drive impactful business outcomes across the country." - Shiva Kumar Yadagiri, Senior Director & Head of Distribution Sales, Asia Pacific, Japan and China, Cisco.

Accelerating AI opportunity for the channel

AI was another major area of focus throughout FY26 for us, investing in initiatives designed to help our partners build capability and accelerate AI adoption.

We launched our AI Accelerate Program, featuring a Cisco Secure AI Factory designed to support AI use case adoption and infrastructure opportunities. The program brought together Cisco with ecosystem partners including NVIDIA, Red Hat and Everpure, alongside emerging AI services and data centre partners.

As part of Cisco’s global AI Rally Kit program, we helped launch the first Rally Kit in the region, while also taking the Cisco Secure AI Factory to market at an event attended by more than 80 partners, Cisco executives and media. The initiative supports channel partners looking to bridge skills gaps around AI use case adoption and AI infrastructure deployment.

Together, these investments have helped extend our role beyond traditional distribution, providing partners with the expertise, ecosystem and enablement needed to pursue new opportunities as AI continues to reshape the market.

Investing in partner success at scale

The investment in our Cisco community extended across the broader partner ecosystem throughout FY26.

Throughout the year, the business delivered 88 Cisco-focused face-to-face events, engaging over 1,000 unique partners. We launched the Cisco Scale Concierge Service, combining Cisco 360 enablement, consultative gap analysis and an on-demand asset library to provide partners with additional support as the Cisco partner landscape evolves.

The award reflects the strength of that ongoing commitment and the partnership between our team and Cisco in supporting the Australian channel.

Continuing to build what’s next

Being named Cisco APJ Distributor of the Year for FY26 recognises the work of our local Cisco, and extended teams, while reinforcing the strength of the partnership the two businesses have built.

As the Cisco ecosystem continues to evolve across AI, lifecycle, customer experience and Cisco 360, we are focused on helping Australian partners build capability, navigate change and turn emerging opportunities into sustainable growth. This also includes helping guide partners through the critical refresh of end-of-support infrastructure with Cisco IQ and Cisco Resilient Infrastructure Services, helping to reduce risk and improve resilience this post mythos era. 

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Frequently asked questions

Why was Dicker Data named Cisco APJ Distributor of the Year for FY26?

Dicker Data was recognised following a year of strong growth, partner enablement and investment in the Cisco ecosystem. The business achieved number one distributor status in APJC, delivered 75 per cent year-on-year growth and expanded programs that support partners across Cisco 360, AI, lifecycle and customer experience.

How does Dicker Data support Cisco partners in Australia?

Dicker Data supports Cisco partners through technical, sales and lifecycle enablement, strategic business gap planning, PVI roadmaps, incentive guidance, events and on-demand resources. Its programs are designed to help partners build capability, navigate Cisco’s evolving partner landscape and pursue sustainable growth.

What is the Dicker Data Partner Growth Exchange Program?

The Partner Growth Exchange Program is a year-long initiative for strategic Cisco accounts. It provides technical, sales and lifecycle enablement aligned to Cisco’s OneCisco strategy and gives partners opportunities to engage with A/NZ executive leadership, share market feedback and identify new growth opportunities.

How is Dicker Data helping Cisco partners pursue AI opportunities?

Dicker Data’s AI Accelerate Program and Cisco Secure AI Factory help partners explore AI use cases and infrastructure opportunities. The initiative brings Cisco together with ecosystem partners including NVIDIA, Red Hat and Everpure, while providing expertise and enablement to help address AI skills and deployment gaps.

What is the Dicker Data Cisco Scale Concierge Service?

The Cisco Scale Concierge Service combines Cisco 360 enablement, consultative gap analysis and an on-demand asset library. It gives partners practical support and resources as Cisco’s partner programs, lifecycle model and customer experience opportunities continue to evolve.