Meet the Team: Zaman Hakim - Business Development Manager

Zaman had zero plans to work in tech. But during his high school years, his dad predicted computers would be the future and IT would be a good career (smart man). There was just one problem, Zaman didn’t know how to type. His family’s computer was like a luxury car at home – off limits. His school didn’t have PCs either (before the technology boom), so he went out in search of work experience at computer stores.  

“I did work experience at a computer store and learned the basics from typing to working through an A4 sheet listing parts like motherboard and sound card.”  

Fast forward to today, and he’s the man helping partners navigate complex tech solutions, proof that curiosity (and a little stubbornness) can take you a long way. 

“I finished school in 1994 and kicked off my IT career in 1996 while studying Systems Analysis and Design. In 1999, I joined Harris Technology in sales and helped grew their education portfolio. From there, I worked across MSPs, vendors, and now distribution, covering education, government, and channel management roles. Over the years, I’ve worn many hats: tech, sales, leadership. Today, I’m proud to bring that experience to Dicker Data.” 

Zaman is a Business Development Manager and has been with us for nearly four years, looking after two of our cybersecurity vendors, RSA and OpenText. His responsibilities centre on leveraging his experience to strengthen partnerships and drive growth. 

“My main objective is to help our vendors grow by building strong relationships and expanding market share for RSA and OpenText. I work closely with existing MSPs and resellers while finding new partners to create and convert opportunities into sales. Over the years, I’ve successfully grown vendor and Dicker Data business in regions like PNG, Fiji, and other Pacific Islands where there was no previous presence. This involves coordinating sessions with local partners and enabling them to sell our solutions effectively. Relationship building and trust are at the heart of everything I do.” 

Looking ahead, Zaman sees huge potential for partners who embrace innovation. 

“Talking to partners, successful ones are the ones that are practical – what is practical now is AI – just having the conversation. How do you modify AI to do things for you? How to maximise and monetise it. Versatile – this is what I hear from a lot of partners that are inventive and proactive. Partners must be proactive, because one incident could cause them to lose the customer, even if the customer has been with the partner for a long time. I have seen these many times. Offering layers of cybersecurity protection is key in proactivity. Communication and staying in touch with customers should be one of the key attributes that partners offer.” 

For Zaman, the most rewarding part of his role is the relationships he’s built. 

“I enjoy working with our vendors, because of the relationships I built with them over time. I view them as one team with the same objectives. In that, they support me and value my opinion and input.” 

And when it comes to the Dicker Data team, the culture stands out. 

“The culture is excellent. I feel like Dicker Data is one big family. I feel supported by my entire team. In the many years I’ve worked, I would have to say, Dicker Data has the best corporate culture in the industry.” 

When it comes to career advice, Zaman has always had this perspective when it comes to the workplace. 

“The people within your company are your internal customers, while vendors, partners, and their customers are your external customers. Both deserve respect, and you should do everything in your power to support them.” 

Outside of work, Zaman is a family man. 

“I have two children, 16 and 20. I spent most of my time with the family. I also love sport. I have done kickboxing for over 25 years and enjoy running and sometimes play soccer. I spend time learning about technology.” 

Zaman’s passion for building relationships and driving growth shines through in everything he does. Get in touch with him here. 

Want to meet more of our Dicker Data team? Read more here.