NetApp Malaysian partners keen to advance nation’s AI Nation 2030 agenda

Henry Kho, Area Vice President and General Manager for ASEAN, Greater China and South Korea at NetApp, said Malaysia’s AI Nation 2030 agenda presents a shared opportunity to build a trusted regional hub for digital innovation grounded in data governance.

NetApp and its Malaysian partners are strengthening efforts to accelerate the country’s transformation toward becoming an AI-driven economy, in alignment with the government’s AI Nation 2030 vision.

“Together with our partners here, we’re enabling Malaysian organizations to propel their AI ambitions with an intelligent data platform that integrates storage and security seamlessly,” he said in a statement to CRN Asia.

“By combining world-class technology with local expertise, we stand alongside Malaysia in its journey to become an AI-ready, data-driven nation where technology empowers the rakyat, strengthens industries and fulfils the promise of Malaysia’s AI Nation 2030 vision.”

Local partner CTC Global Sdn Bhd echoed the sentiment, highlighting that AI is already transforming the manufacturing landscape in Malaysia.

“From headquarters to production lines, AI is transforming every stage of the manufacturing cycle. By combining forces with NetApp and through its unparalleled partner program, our teams are now better equipped to help manufacturing organizations in Malaysia build data-storage solutions that can handle the most demanding workloads, unleashing productivity and profitability benefits,” said Kevin Chong Sin Woo, Director of Systems at CTC Global.

Last week, CRN Asia reported that NetApp’s Partner Sphere program — the company’s hallmark partner initiative — has significantly strengthened its channel ecosystem across Asia-Pacific (APAC). The number of APAC partners certified to sell NetApp AI solutions has tripled in the past year, underscoring how NetApp’s partner strategy is driving go-to-market success and partner profitability.

The program focuses on partner enablement, capability development, and incentives to expand their market impact. NetApp has refreshed its partner capabilities with a comprehensive set of 16 solution competencies spanning AI, cloud transformation, cyber resilience and data-infrastructure modernization — all aligned with enterprise business priorities in the region.

Recognized as a 2025 5-Star Storage Vendor Program by CRN and a 2025 Customers’ Choice by Gartner Peer Insights, Partner Sphere supports multiple selling motions and offers tools like Partner Demo Gear for proof-of-concept showcases.

The program also enables partners to build their own service offerings through NetApp’s Services Certified tracks, helping them deliver consultative and design services while tapping into the region’s rapidly growing IT-services market, projected to reach US$325.4 billion in 2025.

“APAC continues to be a hotbed for innovation, and Malaysia is part of that growth story,” said Ganesan Arumugam, Senior Director, Channel Sales & Alliances for APAC at NetApp.

“Our Partner Sphere program helps partners address the region’s need for robust, modernized infrastructure with built-in resilience. By working hand-in-hand with local partners, we’re helping organizations unlock the full value of their data and AI investments while driving measurable business outcomes.”