Forty years ago, Michael Dell founded PC’s Limited with $1,000 and a revolutionary dream to change how technologies are designed, manufactured, and sold. From his dorm room in Austin, Texas, he embarked on a journey that would transform the tech industry.
Following this innovative spirit, Dell Technologies began operations in Panama twenty-one years ago. As one of the pioneering companies in the Panama Pacific Economic Area, the multinational not only established its presence but also achieved a significant milestone in business growth, contributing to the country’s development. Its evolution has been exponential, transitioning from a contact center to a Global Shared Services Center.
Today, Dell’s headquarters in Panama stands as the company’s second-largest operation in Latin America, serving as a benchmark for the region with global reach. This campus supports critical functions including accounting, taxes, human resources, auditing, finance, marketing, legal affairs, sales, customer service, and technical support, among others. Thus, Dell Technologies continues its mission to advance human progress through technology, both in Panama and globally.
Panama: An Attractive Market
The American company’s investment in Panama was influenced by the country’s competitive advantages, which include its strategic geographical location, economic stability, dollarized currency, security, availability of highly skilled professionals, and flexible labor laws.
“Through our business operations and our team members, Dell Panama stimulated over $310 million in economic activity during fiscal year 2024 and contributed more than $215 million to Panama’s GDP, demonstrating our commitment to the region as part of our global strategy,” commented Niurka Montero, General Manager of Dell Technologies Panama.
Dell in Panama boasts the only Global Services Command Center in Latin America, one of only six worldwide, which plays a crucial role in monitoring client installations to fulfill warranty commitments and track external factors like air traffic and weather conditions that could impact service agreements. This command center facilitates the dispatch of approximately 10,000 services weekly to 42 countries, underscoring the importance of the Panama campus within Dell Technologies’ global strategy.
Committed to Innovation and the Community
With technology advancing rapidly, Dell sees generative AI as a fundamental opportunity to significantly drive human progress. The implementation of AI, especially in multicloud environments and managed services, positions Dell not only as a provider of comprehensive technological solutions but also as a strategic leader in facilitating business development.
From PCs to data centers, mobility, cloud connectivity, and now AI, Dell Technologies opens avenues for Panamanian and regional enterprises to implement solutions in this era of digital transformation.
This not only optimizes operations but also fosters innovation and contributes to economic growth.
The global trend indicates that jobs in technology will continue to have greater demand than traditional roles, with AI and generative AI increasingly integrated into daily life. Recognizing that evolution must be constant, Dell takes responsibility for the education and technological development of the country, promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) careers to thrive in the digital age. These initiatives include partnerships and programs with educational institutions and NGOs to strengthen the technological curriculum.
With the ITSE, Dell co-creates programs to train students in technology, while collaborating with UTP to offer specialized training in infrastructure and virtualization, and promoting female participation in STEM careers through the STEMAspire program.
In the realm of NGOs, Dell collaborates with Junior Achievement to teach young students business and employment skills, including Python programming. Dell also supports the Innova-Nation Fest to promote youth entrepreneurship and partners with Glasswing to equip InfoPlazas and develop digital skills, thereby reducing the digital divide and enhancing employability.
“We are more relevant than ever when considering the technological opportunities ahead of us. After 40 years in business and 21 years in Panama, we couldn’t be more optimistic about our future. We are just getting started,” concluded Montero.
Source: Forbes Central America
