Middle East & Africa · Independent Advisory

True Direction for Complex Markets

Independent channel and distribution strategy advisory for the Middle East & Africa.

We help vendors, distributors, investors, and channel leaders create predictable growth through better strategy, execution, and commercial excellence.

The Path to Predictable Growth
Entry
Coverage
Scale
Choose the right markets and partners
Design coverage that reaches demand
Governed growth, forecast with confidence
Clarity. Direction. Growth.

Built on Experience.
Proven in Practice.

20+ years leading channel and distribution across MEA
Former HP Head of Distribution Sales for the region
Senior commercial leadership at Philips
Executive advisory across vendor and distribution landscapes
20+
Years Experience
MEA
Regional Expertise
$B+
Portfolio Leadership
C-Level
Executive Advisory
What We Do

Eight practices, one operating discipline

From investor-grade diligence to the operating rhythm that keeps multi-market performance predictable.

01

Commercial Due Diligence

Channel-health assessment · Route-to-market review · Sell-in vs. sell-through validation · Investor-grade analysis
02

Route-to-Market Strategy

Market entry · Coverage and tier-mix design · Distributor landscape and selection · Cost-to-serve analysis
03

Business Planning

Joint business plans · Target and quota models · S&OP cadence · Quarter management and linearity
04

Capability Building

Commercial excellence diagnostic · Operating model and cadence · KPI frameworks · Toolkits and scorecards
05

Partner Ecosystem Management

Program design — tiers, incentives, MDF · Governance · Performance audits · Deal-registration frameworks
06

Training

Channel management fundamentals · Distributor economics and P&L literacy · Forecasting and S&OP discipline
07

Executive Coaching

One-to-one leadership coaching · New-in-role first 90 days · Live deal and negotiation coaching · Advisory retainer
08

AI-Enabled Commercial Advisory

AI-assisted forecasting · Partner analytics · AI-readiness assessment · Intelligence in the decision cadence
Who We Serve

Every side of the channel

Vendors

Entering or scaling MEA with the right coverage model and partners.

Distributors

Professionalizing commercial operations, planning, and governance.

Resellers

Building repeatable, scalable channel growth beyond opportunistic deals.

Investors

Evaluating distribution assets and revenue quality before and after deal.

Commercial Leaders

Building high-performing teams and a disciplined operating rhythm.

Channel Organizations

Improving ecosystem performance, partner health, and predictability.

Why TrueNorth

Why organizations choose TrueNorth

Independent Advisory

No vendor bias, no reseller bias — purely objective recommendations.

Deep MEA Expertise

Real operating experience across Middle East & Africa markets.

Operator-Led Consulting

Guidance rooted in execution, not theory or templates.

AI-Enabled by Design

Modern forecasting, planning, and decision-making built in.

Commercial Excellence

Strategy translated into measurable, governed execution.

AI-Enabled by Design

Modern commercial leadership powered by AI

Forecasting, partner analytics, and planning intelligence embedded in the operating cadence — so decisions are made on evidence, on time.

AI-powered demand forecasting
Partner performance analytics
Planning intelligence and scenario modelling
Commercial dashboards and decision support
Channel Performance · MEA
Q3 Forecast
Forecast accuracy
Aging inventory
Sell-through velocity
Sell-inSell-throughAI forecast
Meet the Advisor Behind TrueNorth

Jehad Abu Shaqrah

Founder & Managing Director

Jehad founded TrueNorth Channel Advisory after 20+ years scaling channel and distribution businesses across the Middle East & Africa — most recently as HP's Head of Distribution Sales for the region, following commercial leadership at Philips.

At HP he owned full P&L for a multi-billion-dollar distribution portfolio across the region, delivering consistent growth across complex, multi-market dynamics. He built executive-level joint business plans with the region's top broadline distributors and ran the cross-functional operating rhythm — sales, supply chain, finance, category — that makes complex, multi-market performance predictable.

His work sits at the intersection of commercial strategy, partner ecosystems, and operational execution: designing routes to market, building partner programs, and embedding the governance that turns strategy into numbers.

"Sustainable growth comes from combining strategic clarity with disciplined execution."
20+ years MEA channel & distribution leadership
HP and Philips — regional leadership roles
Multi-billion-dollar portfolio across MEA markets
Engagement Model

How we work

STAGE 01

Discover

Baseline the channel: coverage, partners, economics, and where value leaks.

STAGE 02

Analyze

Quantify the gap — sell-through, cost-to-serve, partner health, forecast quality.

STAGE 03

Design

Set the bearing: route-to-market model, partner program, planning cadence.

STAGE 04

Execute

Embed the rhythm with your team — owners, scorecards, quarter management.

STAGE 05

Optimize

Tune with data and AI-assisted forecasting until performance is predictable.

Insights & Perspectives

MEA Business Insights by Jehad

Jehad's LinkedIn newsletter on channel & distribution across MEA

Operator perspectives on running channels in MEA, published weekly on LinkedIn.

Subscribe on LinkedIn

Saudi Arabia and the Evolution of MEA Technology Distribution

Read on LinkedIn →

MEA Doesn't Reward the Loudest Leader. It Rewards the Most Consistent.

Read on LinkedIn →

Europe Is Behind in AI — But the Race Is Far From Over

Read on LinkedIn →

The Channel Is Moving From Distribution to Co-Development

Read on LinkedIn →

The 54-Market Moat: Why Distribution in Africa Is Your Real Advantage

Read on LinkedIn →

MEA Has Six Tech Ecosystems. Why Are You Only Playing in One?

Read on LinkedIn →

The Channel Is Not Moving Boxes Anymore. It's Delivering Outcomes.

Read on LinkedIn →

The Great Memory Squeeze: Navigating the 2026–2027 PC Supply Cycle

Read on LinkedIn →
In Brief

TrueNorth in seventy seconds

The eight practices, the audiences we serve, and how independent advisory changes the numbers — from due diligence to AI-enabled planning.

Let's find your TrueNorth

A 30-minute introductory call, no cost and no obligation. Come with a market, a partner problem, or a number that isn't moving — you'll leave with a clear read on it.

01
Introductory call
We discuss your market, channel structure, and the outcome you need.
02
Written point of view
Within five working days: initial read, key risks, and where the value sits.
03
Scoped proposal
Defined objectives, deliverables, timeline, and fee — only if it's a fit.
Based in
Dubai, UAE · GMT+4
Response
Within one business day

Your request is ready to send

We'll be in touch within one business day. Prefer to reach us directly? Write to info@truenorthchannel.com.

Request a consultation

All fields are confidential. Nothing is shared or added to a mailing list.

What do you need help with?
Prefer to speak first? Call +971 50 616 4791.