Here's a look back at 2023 and what's in store for 2024!

December 18, 2023 Douglas Stewart

As we come to the close of 2023, it's time to reflect on the defining events and milestones of the past year.

 

2023 has been a notable year for Douglas Stewart and one we will look back on fondly for a number of reasons.

 

Firstly, we once again held our traditional post BETT social gathering, this year at Fairgame Canary Wharf, where an invited guest list of resellers and vendors networked whilst feasting and drinking in the unique Fairground themed venue. All who attended thoroughly enjoyed themselves and kudos to our wonderful DS team who planned and executed a fantastic event.

 

We proudly achieved our ISO 9001 (2015) certification for qualitive service and operations, an accolade which helps ensure we are constantly delivering top notch service to our partners. Further to this we added the Cyber Essentials accreditation to our list of achievements, providing reassurance to all that we take data security seriously.

 

Ten new vendors were added to our portfolio of distributed brands in 2023 with more joining the ranks in 2024. Douglas Stewart is proving a popular distribution partner for those brands looking to supply the education and public sector marketplace.

 

Brands added in 2023 include: Kubo, Nuance Hearing, fortcharge, Lili for Life, Digit Music, Klik, Lindy, Boox, Zeptive and the happy return of Avid Music Software.

 

We have been road warriors this past year with our GM Scott Richardson and our Key Account BDM Georgina Taylor clocking up the miles visiting resellers, attending exhibitions / trade events and meeting with end user clients on behalf of our vendor and reseller partners. If you would like to arrange meetings with either Scott or Georgina to discuss how we can support you in 2024 then please email enquiries@dstewart.co.uk.

 

2023 saw us launch our first-ever "Charity of the Year" initiative, raising funds for the Rainbow Centre in Fareham who provide conductive education services. We are pleased to report that we raised over £1300 throughout the year! We raised this through various initiatives, including 3 of our employees valiantly taking part in a sponsored parachute jump!

 

As we eagerly anticipate the upcoming 12 months, it's worth noting that 2024 holds special significance for us as it marks our 20th anniversary and our very first DS Live event!

 

Mark the 16th of May 2024 in your calender, as we kick off DS Live, our exclusive education-focused trade event at the legendary Villa Park, Birmingham - the home turf of Aston Villa FC. With top-notch speakers, themed round table discussions, and an expo, DS Live is a not to be missed event. Keep an eye out for more details coming soon.

 

Team DS will also be on the road again visiting many trade events supporting our vendors and are looking forward to meeting with our reseller partners to discuss business and opportunities for mutual growth.

 

Our operations team are currently working behind the scenes to improve our meta data flow, so keep a close eye out for the launch of our new data transfer portal in the coming months.

Ultimately 2024 will be a year where, as a disti we will continue to deliver new and innovative brands to the reseller market, that create points of difference and that help our resellers access new income streams.

We want to close by saying a huge thank you to our amazing customers, dedicated employees, incredible partners, and valued stakeholders. Your support and contributions mean the world to us, and we wouldn't be where we are today without you.

 

See you in the new year!