By TMR

CELCOM Axiata Bhd in its continuous commitment to support and develop local vendors within the digital ecosystem, launched its Vendor Development Programme (VDP) 2.0, a new scheme of its VDP that aims at further enhancing the capabilities and competitiveness ecosystem of its vendors to meet the future opportunities and challenges of the fourth industrial revolution (IR4.0)

With a focus on nurturing innovation, Celcom will provide and facilitate capacity building programmes, access to funding and technology ‘sandbox’ while continuing to support business matching exercises for its vendors, locally and abroad.

Since its inception in 2016, a total of 50 local vendors are registered under the VDP programme; out of which two vendors were listed as local champions, and one vendor as regional champion. With this programme, Celcom also aims to create global champions soon.

Celcom’s VDP 2.0 is also aligned with one of the six thrusts within the government’s National Entrepreneurship Policy 2030 — which aims to promote economic growth through innovation; part of a long-term strategy designed to set the direction of national entrepreneurship development in making Malaysia an entrepreneurial nation by 2030. Guided by this thrust, Celcom will be promoting the adaptation of Internet of Things (IoT) and digitalisation, and further prepare small and medium enterprises (SMEs) towards IR4.0.

Celcom’s VDP 2.0 was launched by Entrepreneur Development Deputy Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Hatta Md Ramli, during the Vendor Innovation Partnership Programme 2019, a two-day entrepreneurial programme gathering anchor government-linked companies, government-linked investment companies and private companies that drive the VDP, held at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

Celcom CEO Idham Nawawi said the revamped programme by Celcom is crucial, especially with the current economic landscape development and vast development of digitalisation within multiple industries in Malaysia.

“We aspire to grow these vendors’ competencies to complement the industry that is immensely evolving into a digital and IoT- driven ecosystem. SMEs may have setbacks in undertaking digital transformation on their own.

“The transformation must be facilitated by the government and technology providers such as Celcom, through collaborative facilities for SMEs in skills development, funding, technology and e-commerce.

“VDP 2.0 will pave the way for us to advance our vendors into becoming champions at national, regional and international levels by making them to be more competitive and further strengthening their capabilities towards IR4.0. This will further develop their readiness to participate in a larger market and upscale their businesses. As Malaysia’s economic landscape is still majorly driven by SMEs, we hope that this initiative will further create immense possibilities for the nation’s economic growth, such as the creation of high-skilled talents in the job market and innovation of products and services,” he added.

Celcom’s VDP 2.0 framework encompasses enhanced criteria of vendor selection which emphasise on shared prosperity and inclusivity, including a graduation programme for existing vendors to implement a multi-tier approach and to focus on Celcom’s business ecosystem comprising of network, IoT, digital services and content.