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[Econocom voices] Episode 5 is available !

«Our employees are our best ambassadors»

Today, we’re pleased to share with you a special episode of Econocom Voices. On 2 April 2024, Chantal de Vrieze was appointed as a group board director. This 10-minute interview was a chance to look back at her career in detail.

From her childhood dreams to her professional rise and her return to Econocom as Managing Director of Econocom Belux, Chantal shares her attachment to Econocom’s vision and values, her convictions about the group’s employees, and her secrets for keeping a healthy balance between her working life and her private life.

 

Listen to Chantal de Vrieze on Econocom Voices.

 

Click on the image to start listening to the podcast.

 

 

Anne Bruchon

Group Communication Director




BDS Observatory: Report on the Hewlett Packard Amplify Partner Conference 2024

Philip Spender, Managing Director of Econocom Product and Solution France, was one of the high-profile participants at the HP Amplify Partner Conference 2024. Accompanied by Ciska Schrooten, Sales Director at Econocom EPS Belgium, Fernando Puente, Sales Director at Econocom EPS Spain, and Oriol López, Sales Director at Semic, the Econocom team was out in force to keep abreast of the latest technological advances and partnership opportunities.

What were the main trends discussed ?

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI): The conference highlighted the importance of AI as an imminent revolution in the sector. The discussions were high-level, without directly addressing concrete business use cases. The future opportunities for AI are seen in edge computing rather than in the Cloud, due to its lower cost and greater security.
  • In parallel, during the conference HP launched an innovative initiative with the new Future Ready AI MasterClass, powered by HP University. This initiative is scheduled for 1 May 2024 and will offer training and certification to partners in the field of AI. It aims to equip partners with the knowledge they need to advise customers on the AI products and solutions best suited to their needs. Working with NVIDIA to develop advanced training modules demonstrates HP’s commitment to providing cutting-edge tools and resources to its partners.
  • In addition, HP unveiled new partner benefits, notably Growth Play for AI Data Science, an initiative designed to reward eligible partners investing in strategic areas such as AI data science. This is part of HP’s commitment to supporting the growth of its partners by offering them benefits tailored to their specific needs.
    These announcements underline HP’s commitment to supporting its partners as they grow and prepare them to seize the opportunities offered by AI and emerging technologies.
  • HP WEX: HP unveiled HP WEX, an AI-powered platform which can control the entire ecosystem (devices, printing and rooms). Its onlining is planned for 2025, with an external beta in August this year.

Econocom’s participation in the HP Amplify Partner Conference 2024 represents a major opportunity to strengthen our strategic positioning and our collaboration with HP. We remain committed to leveraging such knowledge and opportunities to drive our future growth and success.

For more information on the conference, please visit the official event page: https://press.hp.com/us/en/press-kits/2024/APC2024.html




[Econocom Stories] Special edition launch of the Impact website !

 

This week, Econocom Stories is offering you an overview of the group’s new media site Impact! You are this site’s leading ambassadors: on social media, feel free to promote its content by clicking ‘Like’ and sharing it with your network! Would you like to make a suggestion or put forward a subject for publication? For that, there is a single e-mail address: communication.groupe@econocom.com

INTERVIEW OF VÉRONIQUE DI BENEDETTO

For the launch of the site Impact, which focuses on CSR issues, Véronique di Benedetto, Vice-President of Econocom France in charge of CSR and Impact, gave us an interview to consider the challenges in this field, which is central to the strategic plan ‘One Econocom’. From content policy to a desire to be wide-ranging and the group’s aim to become a benchmark of exemplarity for our whole sector, this interview covered all topics. You can find it here on Onelink.

 

In just a few words, Impact is : 

  • an overview of the strategic CSR vision of Econocom’s leaders;
  • three pillars for three underlying themes:  the impact of our solutions (decarbonisation, the circular economy, etc.), the wealth of our commitments (training, diversity, inclusion, etc.) and a section called ‘Landmarks’ that puts the issues into perspective (studies, key figures, etc.);
  • content in a variety of formats: video interviews, podcasts, articles, infographics, etc.

This special newsletter offers you a (short) overview of the different themes addressed in Impact. Feel free to go straight to https://www.econocom.com/impact to discover it in full. Happy reading!

Digital refurbishing : a major impact 

Econocom refurbished around 500,000 digital devices in 2023, thereby extending their lifespan by over 50%. This initiative goes beyond e-waste reduction. It means preserving 40,000 tonnes of minerals and avoiding over 12 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions, while creating around 120 jobs at Econocom Factory and its partners in the social and solidarity economy, like ASF in France. And this is just our first step: we aim to triple this activity by 2028. Read the full article on our site here.

Econocom : recognised excellence in CSR 

With a score of 70/100, Econocom is ranked in the top 5% of firms for performance in corporate social responsibility (CSR), among over 6,000 firms assessed. EcoVadis awarded us with its gold medal for this success. We gained four points in relation to 2022 and our efforts focussing on human relations and responsible procurement were especially commended. Find out more here.

Focus : the Econocom-Thales partnership 

Stéphane Palermo, Econocom Manager for Thales, shares his fruitful experience of partnering with the famous aerospace giant. This trust-based partnership rooted in mutual respect and shared values led to Econocom being named Thales’ most innovative partner in 2022. Together, they are committed to reducing their carbon footprint and to supporting Thales’s global transformation in this way. Find out more here.

Podcast : EASI, I for Impact ! 

Gaëlle Masson, our Marketing & Development Director, talks to us about the offer EASI. Listen to just over 10 minutes of conversation to your heart’s content. Gaëlle shares with us her personal and professional convictions, as well as the particularities of the offer EASI (Econocom As a Service for Impact). Listen to the podcast here.

50 years of history at Econocom : a pioneer of sustainability

Since the 1970s, Econocom has been a trailblazer in the digital sector, introducing pioneering practices such as the refurbishing of second-hand servers to reduce waste of resources. As a partner of Microsoft, Apple and Google since these groups were founded, Econocom has successfully steered its way through major technological breakthroughs while staying at the forefront of new uses. Discover this fascinating story through our timeline right here.

Greenly : towards a net zero world

Alexis Normand, Managing Director of Greenly, encourages innovation and boldness to reduce emissions. Greenly makes carbon accounting easier for firms, including Econocom, by helping them get onto a low-carbon path. It has 170 employees and supports around 1,500 firms. Boldness is essential to speeding up the transition. It is vital to innovate and rewrite the rules of global trade to slow down business in high-carbon products. This interview with Alexis Normand is absolutely fascinating. You can find it here.

This newsletter is sent to you by the Group’s Communications Department.

Discover more informations on your intranet :

https://onelink.econocom.com




Econocom launches «Impact»: a digital medium embodying its CSR commitments

Econocom is a pioneer in the circular digital economy and has taken a major step forward in its CSR approach with the launch of «Impact,» a digital medium embodying the company’s roadmap and its corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitments. This initiative is part of the «One Econocom» strategic plan, which places impact at the heart of its vision.

«We’re now in a situation where it’s vital to measure not only our financial progress, but also our extra-financial progress. The launch of “Impact” perfectly aligns with this dynamic,» remarks Véronique di Benedetto.

Impact website and don’t hesitate to share!




Onelink becomes your new home page on Microsoft Edge : our advice for restoring your sessions

Onelink becomes your new home page on Microsoft Edge: our advice for restoring your sessions

From Tuesday March 19th 2024, the Econocom Group has decided to make ONELINK the default home page when users log on to Microsoft Edge.

By installing ONELINK on the home page, the Group is offering employees quick and intuitive access to essential tools and information. The move is part of a drive to make it easier to navigate the company’s internal resources.

In addition, for those who wish to restore their old sessions on Microsoft Edge, two simple methods are available:

  • Keyboard shortcut: Use the SHIFT+CTRL+T key combination to reopen previously closed tabs.
  • Context menu: Right-click on a tab or title bar and select the «Reopen closed tabs» option to restore recently closed tabs.

OR

  • History menu: Go to the «Recently closed» section in the history menu and select the group of tabs or the page you wish to restore.

If you have any questions, please contact the service desk servicedesk@econocom.com




[Econocom Stories #11] The group’s newsletter is available!

 

KICK OFF 2024 : IT’S A DONE DEAL 

From Paris to Milan via Madrid, Brussels, Utrecht, London et Frankfurt – the Group’s 2024 kick-off season is closed. 

These enthusiastic but also (very) festive gatherings were an opportunity to celebrate the successes of 2023 and to launch a new vision for the future through the new strategic plan, One Econocom, with communicative energy. We’ll guide you through a good part of the 2024 kick-offs. You can find a series of posts from the LinkedIn country pages(NL, Belux, UK, Spain and Germany) and don’t forget to visit Onelink to view the dedicated photo gallery !

BDS Observatory : The era of AI-powered PCs
The Group’s BDS Observatory explains the rise of Artificial Intelligence-powered PCs. These computers will become the norm by 2025, with an estimated two out of every three PCs powered with AI by 2027. Market leaders such as Microsoft, Lenovo and HP are focusing their strategies on this technology. For Econocom, this means higher pricing, faster renewal cycles and new AI services associated with smart PCs. Read the article on Onelink.

94/100

This is the latest gender equality index for Planète in France companies (EPS, SAS, WII, APPS, Eco France, Eco Factory), marking an increase of 8 points compared with 2023. This is a significant improvement in results made possible by the efforts of all our HR teams. Congratulations! Next step: an international index?

The 2023 annual report is now available

The Group recently published its 2023 annual report, available on the website Econocom.com in ESEF (the European Single Electronic Format) and PDF formats.

This initiative aims to improve the accessibility, analysis and comparability of annual financial reports for investors and stakeholders. By adopting the ESEF format in accordance with the regulations governing regulated markets in the European Union, Econocom is reinforcing its transparency and facilitating an in-depth understanding of its financial performance.

Exaprobe takes part in FIC 2024

In partnership with Cisco, Palo Alto, Fortinet and Crowdstrike, Exaprobe will be present at the INCYBER Forum (FIC) to be held from 26 to 28 March at Lille Grand Palais. The FIC is Europe’s leading cybersecurity trade fair, bringing together more than 20,000 participants and 650 partners. Want to register? It’s right here!

This newsletter is sent to you by the Group’s Communications Department.

Discover more informations on your intranet :

https://onelink.econocom.com




Kick-off 2024 : It’s a done deal !

From Paris to Milan, via Madrid, Brussels, Utrecht, London and Frankfurt – the Group’s 2024 kick-off season is closed.

These enthusiastic but also (very) festive gatherings were an opportunity to celebrate the successes of 2023 and to launch a new vision for the future through the new strategic plan, One Econocom, with communicative energy. We’ll guide you through a good part of the 2024 kick-offs. You can find a series of posts from the LinkedIn country pages (NL, Belux, UK, Spain and Germany).




BDS Observatory : The new era of AI-powered PCs

BDS Observatory provides a fascinating insight into the global adoption curve of intelligent computers powered by artificial intelligence (AI). In this article we explore the predicted trajectory, the priorities of our key partners, the conceptual evolution and the impact of this technological revolution on our business.

Global adoption curve for AI-powered smart PCs

According to our analysis, intelligent computers with AI capabilities are expected to become the norm by 2025. We estimate that two out of three PCs will be equipped with this technology by 2027. In 2024 we’re already observing a 19% adoption rate of intelligent PCs!

Priorities for our partners

As a market leader and influencer, Microsoft is focusing its strategy on hybrids as an evolutionary model. There are indications that Microsoft is collaborating with PC manufacturers to design products with over 40 TOPS of performance to meet the requirements of the next-gen CoPilot system on Windows, potentially setting a new standard for AI-PCs in the Windows ecosystem.

Lenovo identifies opportunities in excess of €500 million in the field of AI across the EMEA region. With its visionary message «Imagine 2023,» HP is announcing that new PCs will showcase their expanded capabilities thanks to the integration of AI.

Conceptual evolution

Dedicated chips to accelerate AI are currently the norm. In the medium term, NPU (Neural Processing Unit) performance of 10 TOPS is anticipated and in the long term, the generation of text and images with language models of up to 13 billion is envisaged!

What are the potential impacts for Econocom and our sector?

Premiumisation: Advanced hardware specifications and productivity-enhancing capabilities will result in smart PCs being priced 10% to 15% higher than similar commercial models without embedded AI.

Faster renewal cycles: The rapid development of internal and external AI tools coupled with more frequent hardware upgrades will drive organizations to seek out the best experiences for smart PC deployments.

Associated AI services: Smart PCs will act as another point to deliver holistic AI services and solutions, playing a crucial role without mitigating the security and privacy concerns associated with running AI workloads on potentially sensitive enterprise data.

 




[Econocom Stories #10] The group’s newsletter is available!

 

2023 RESULTS MAKE HEADLINES IN THE BELGIAN MEDIA OUTLET DE TIJD 

2023 Results. What the take of the press ?

The financial and technology media, such as DistributiqueLe Monde Informatique and Channel News, gave extensive coverage to the Group’s 2023 results, with articles of a generally positive tone. They emphasise organic growth, demonstrating the robustness of the diversified businesses. The solid performance of the Products & Solutions division, the 11.2% growth in the financing of technology assets, and the increase in sales of services were also praised.

This is the percentage of the Group’s employees who have received ethics training in the past year. Mainly taken online via ad hoc modules, these training courses focus on integrity, respect for the law and professional ethics – all key concerns at Econocom. To find out more, visit the dedicated web page.

At ISE 2024 (Integrated Systems Europe, Europe’s largest trade fair dedicated to audiovisual technologies), which was held in Barcelona at the end of January, the Group made its mark with a delegation of over 60 representatives from 8 countries. The event provided Econocom with a concentration of 850 exhibitors: perfect ground for exploring the latest cutting-edge audiovisual innovations. To discover more, read our full article on the subject on  Onelink.

The article, published in Le Parisien / Aujourd’hui en France, the leading daily newspaper for the general public, highlights the importance of choosing a refurbished smartphone wisely. While the refurbished smartphone market is growing in popularity, the paper points out that the choice is not limited to price alone. It advises taking into account factors such as the battery, cosmetic and functional condition, and the warranty.

To facilitate access to internal resources, the Group has decided from March 19th to make ONELINK the homepage when users open their sessions via Microsoft Edge. ONELINK is thus becoming the central hub for employees, offering quick and intuitive access to essential tools and information. That’s all the more reason not to miss out on any of the Group’s news !

VALERIE PLASSE, HR DIRECTOR FRANCE

After studying law, Valérie developed a passion for human resources and themes of transformation. Appointed HR Director France at the end of summer 2023, she tells us about her career, her first steps at Econocom and shares her views on current developments in the job market.

 

 

AI: A $120BN MARKET BY 2030

The world of data is evolving rapidly, with a tenfold increase in the amount of data collected between 2016 and 2025. Digitalisation is everywhere, and new technologies are the first signs of future disruptions. We take a look back at a talk given by consultants from BCG (Boston Consulting Group) on Octobre 2nd 2023 at our head office in Puteaux in order to provide an update on these developments and also on the challenges facing companies in integrating this new way of thinking.

 




BDS Observatory: Diving into ISE 2024 with Econocom Teams !

At ISE 2024, Europe’s largest audiovisual systems integration exhibition,which came to a close at the Fira Barcelona-Gran Via on February 2nd 2024, Econocom made its mark with a delegation of over 60 representatives from 8 countries determine to explore the latest innovations proposed by 850 exhibitors. Econocom Stories was also on hand to collect and share the key trends in this highly dynamic sector!

Significant developments in LED Walls were also noted. Samsung introduced its Transparent MICRO LED solution in Europe with a pitch of 0.6 mm, a first in Europe. LG, meanwhile, unveiled its Kinetic Led solution, specifically designed for public media art, and presented its all new large all-in-one LED screens for meeting rooms.

Econocom explored advances in conference room technology. Barco showcased its ClickShare system, offering advanced features for wireless collaboration and sharing during meetings. This technology aims to improve the efficiency of collaborative working environments.