- Canon Singapore CEO Toshiyuki 'Tiger' Ishii visited the Maldives to mark over 30 years of partnership with SIMDI Group, which began in 1995.
- The visit featured strategic discussions, a press conference, tours of the Canon showroom and SIMDI Tech Service Centre, and a meeting with the MNDF, a long-standing institutional customer.
- SIMDI Tech serves as Canon's authorized distributor, expanding its Maldivian presence through the 2017 Canon Image Square showroom, the SIMDI Online e-commerce platform, and local after-sales support.
SIMDI Group welcomed Toshiyuki “Tiger” Ishii, President and CEO of Canon Singapore Pte. Ltd., to the Maldives this week to celebrate more than three decades of partnership.
As per a press release by SIMDI Group on 2 September 2026, the visit included strategic discussions with their management, a press conference, a tour of the Canon showroom and SIMDI Tech Service Centre, and a meeting with the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), one of SIMDI Group’s long-standing institutional customers.
SIMDI Group operates as a diversified enterprise in the Maldives, with business activities across technology, consumer goods, food and beverage, and hospitality.
Within the organization, SIMDI Tech functions as the technology division and acts as the authorized distributor for Canon products in the region. In addition to hardware distribution, the division delivers local technical support and after-sales services to customers.
According to SIMDI Group, its partnership with Canon began in 1995 with the initial introduction of Canon products to the Maldivian market. The group states that over time, this alliance expanded beyond basic product distribution to encompass imaging and business solutions, alongside local technical expertise and after-sales support.
The company reports that it has worked to increase Canon’s presence across the Maldives through product showcases, technical development initiatives, and targeted outreach to creative professionals, businesses, and institutions nationwide. SIMDI Group notes that in 2017, it opened the Canon Image Square showroom to provide direct access to Canon’s imaging lineup. Additionally, the group highlights the development of its SIMDI Online e-commerce platform, which allows customers to browse and purchase Canon products remotely.
During his visit, Ishii met MNDF representatives and presented the force with a commemorative plaque in recognition of its continued trust in Canon and SIMDI Group. He also held discussions with SIMDI Group’s management team and members of the SIMDI Tech division, touring the Canon showroom and service centre and exchanging views on customer needs, emerging technologies, technical capability and the importance of dependable local after-sales support.
The press conference held at SIMDI’s head office brought together Maldivian media, Ishii, and SIMDI Group’s management. According to SIMDI’s statement regarding the visit, speaking at the event, Ishii highlighted that the visit offered a chance to strengthen communication between the two companies and to explore how Canon and SIMDI could continue supporting customers in the Maldives. He described SIMDI’s understanding of the local market as central to Canon’s engagement in the country and stressed that ongoing collaboration and learning would underpin the partnership going forward.
SIMDI Group’s management echoed this view, pointing to the role of strong partner relationships and continuous training in delivering quality service. The press release further emphasises on the words said by Mishal Ibrahim Mohamed Didi, Managing Director of SIMDI Group during the conference. He mentioned that the company now represents more than 200 brands and 15,000 products and services in the Maldives, and credited the training and support provided by Canon with helping SIMDI’s team meet customer expectations. Mishal further stated that the Canon partnership exemplified the value of consistent communication and a clear understanding of each brand SIMDI represents.
According to SIMDI Group’s press release, both companies noted that they look forward to building on the foundation established over more than 30 years of collaboration.
