Country on radar for IT expansion

The company is providing local students with professional training in collaboration with Pakistani institutes. PHOTO: COMPFIGHT.COM

DUBAI: 

Pakistan is on the radar of many global entities that are keen to either establish or expand their operations in different business segments.

The Information Technology (IT) industry is one of the most attractive sectors for companies as majority of the Middle East lags behind in adopting these technologies.

Systems, Applications and Products in Data Processing (SAP) – a European software giant – is also looking to expand its operations in Pakistan. Although they already have a presence in the country, the management has decided to incorporate Pakistan in its long-term business strategy.

“Pakistan is at the forefront of our plans to expand beyond the Gulf,” said SAP Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Chief Operating Officer Hannes Liebe, while talking to The Express Tribune.

“We believe that Pakistan will progress quickly towards the next generation of IT solutions.”

Providing enterprise software and services throughout the world, SAP has only achieved to facilitate limited companies like K-Electric, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), Engro among others.

While attending the recent Gulf Information Technology Expo (Gitex) 2014, held in Dubai, the company also expressed the intention to boost operations in the Middle East in order to change the operational mind set towards managing businesses.

“Among the emerging markets, Pakistan possesses a lot of skill and an eager population with prospects of commercial growth,” said Liebe.

Normally in growing markets, it starts with tailor-made solutions for domestic purposes before moving on to business automation. Finally, the market arrives at implementing cutting-edge technologies, he added.

The company is providing local students with professional training in collaboration with Pakistani institutes in order to develop a competitive human resource pool as part of their expansion plan.

Cloud technology on the horizon

Apart from other services, the management of SAP is interested in expanding cloud technology – a method of networking information with centralised data storage – which is still in its initial phases in the region.

“The rate of adopting cloud technology in this region [Middle East] is extremely low due to a conservative approach,” said SAP MENA Head of Line Business Solutions Deniz Kilyar.

He added that PTCL’s use of SAP’s ‘success factor solutions’ – titled Human Capital Management – has given a preview to the potential despite it being in the application phase.

“After using SAP’s ‘success factor solutions’ through cloud technology, customers are giving positive feedback,” said Kilyar.