Redington Turkey and Mastercard have recently formed a partnership that appears to be both timely and strategic, in midst of rapidly evolving cyber attacks. It’s not a flashy acquisition or merger, but rather preparing for heightened digital dangers through synchronized attacks.
Redington Turkey, part of the global Redington group with over $11 billion in annual revenue, has long been a powerhouse in distributing IT infrastructure across emerging markets.
It hasn’t been the top story about cybersecurity up until now. On June 1, 2025, Redington made public its partnership with Mastercard to offer a premium cybersecurity suite to businesses in Turkey and the CIS region.
Despite the surge in digital adoption of services like cloud migrations, remote work, and fintech, cybersecurity frameworks in these markets have not kept up with the security landscape. The void is being exploited by criminal organizations and state-appointed agents. Through the use of Mastercard’s threat intelligence and Redington’s broader regional network, the partnership seeks to transform vulnerabilities into fortifications.
Redington has announced that three of Mastercard’s most effective cybersecurity solutions, namely Cyber Quant, RiskRecon, and the Threat Protection Suite, will be available in phase one. Through the use of these tools, companies can assess their cyber posture by conducting real-world threat simulations and proactively reinforce response protocols.
In my opinion, this collaboration is a component of broader transformation as cybersecurity evolves from reactive defense to proactive strategic planning. Mastercard knows this. Despite being known as a payments company for many years, it has recently transformed into a global security intelligence hub by investing billions of dollars, building cyber-resilience centers, and gathering threat data like oxygen to enhance security systems.
The IT department at Redington is embracing a more comprehensive approach. The CEO, Cem Borhan, stressed the significance of integrating global technology with local expertise to enhance both solutions and financial resources for regional adaptation.
Firstly, turbocharging security is not just about business; it’s about society as important as ever. Turkey and CIS nations are experiencing a surge in ransomware, phishing, and supply-chain attacks. Increasingly, local banks and telecoms as well as utilities are the targets. In my view, this collaboration serves as a model for cybersecurity readiness in the region, which should be emulated by other distributors and tech giants.
However, the real challenge is in execution. Effective deployment is a prerequisite for the value of premium cyber solutions. Redington’s “Center of Excellence” contains a full-sized sandbox for testing and Proof-of-Concept, which is precisely where simulated resilience can be created.
Instead of being demoed, I desire that these solutions be firmly established through training of staff members, testing of response procedures and updates to regulatory frameworks while also establishing government partnerships.
Another important piece is cost. The enterprise-grade cyber tools provided by Mastercard are not suitable for SMEs in the CIS region, as they will require adaptable models like licenses, managed services, and subscription tiers that fit their budget. Unless Redington addresses the gap in affordability, it may fail to deliver products that are only suitable for multinational corporations.
Mastercard is prudent to maintain data-driven insights. By leveraging distributors like Redington, they can uncover regional threats by monitoring their payment trends and breach patterns. Mastercard’s involvement in cyber intelligence is strengthened, leading to better response capabilities across the board.
Initially, distributors must refrain from shipping boxes or hosting vendor certifications. IT distribution in the future is expected to be dominated by security, and Redington is taking notice. Furthermore, it accentuates the changing nature of digital trust, where cyber resilience is integrated with brand equity and regulatory frameworks, as well as with business strategy.
At the end of the day, what matters isn’t just technology—it’s trust.
