Obi Mobiles
, the new smartphone brand co-founded by veteran marketer and former Apple CEO John Sculley, has entered in to an exclusive supply and services agreement with Jumbo Electronics, a leading IT, telecom and consumer electronics retailer and distributor in the region. As a value-added reseller to Obi Mobiles for the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Iraq markets, Jumbo will manage the distribution of Obi devices to all key retailer and independent retailer channels in these countries.
A new entrant in the consumer technology sector, Obi Mobiles is a venture launched by Sculley’s Singapore-based IT supply chain firm, Inflexionpoint. The smartphone brand marked its global launch in India earlier this year, and is set to enter the Middle East and Africa markets in phase two of its global expansion plans.
John Sculley, co-founder and managing partner at Inflexionpoint, says: “The smartphone industry growth in emerging markets is soaring at +32% CAGR in 2014. It is vital to have very disruptive price points for success in emerging markets. At Obi, we are brand builders and sales channel builders on a global scale. We can be profitable at more aggressive price points than other multinational brands as we use youth-centric positioning and excellent partner relationships, such as Jumbo, which will differentiate us from other global brands.”
Amit Rupchandani, Managing Director for the MENA region at Obi Mobiles, elaborates: “We have earmarked substantial investments for expansion in the MENA markets, and are working to identify the right partners who have the capabilities to carry forward our vision. Jumbo Electronics has been one of the strongest players in the region’s consumer electronics industry for several decades now, and has a proven track record of reaching a growing population of smartphone adopters. We believe their position as a trusted retailer and distributor will help us tick off our targets for the region in the most efficient manner.”
Vishesh Bhatia, chief executive officer at Jumbo Electronics, adds: “Jumbo is pleased to be chosen as the exclusive channel partner for Obi Mobiles. A great addition to our brand portfolio, Obi offers a refreshing new take on smartphone technology that will appeal to the large section of young smartphone users in the country. With the smartphone industry in the region rapidly maturing to a multi-brand structure, new devices are more easily seeing acceptance and curiosity among consumers. We will look to leverage this trend, and in addition, reinforce our commitment to Obi through a dedicated sales and marketing team that will drive the brand identity across this market.”
The Obi smartphones for the Middle East and Africa region will be unveiled end of September in the UAE, followed by a phased roll-out across other markets in the region.
