Optimiza: A Jordanian firm with pan-Arab aspirations

Optimiza, listed at the Amman Stock Exchange under the name Al Faris, is the result of a merger of no less than nine IT firms, which was formally completed less than six months ago.

Making rapid progress

Malhas, formerly the CEO of Aregon, a consulting and IT services company which now forms part of the amalgamation that makes up Optimiza, was keen to emphasise just how far the firm has come over a short space of time.

'Optimiza was in fact first unveiled last December and we made a decision in the new year to expand the size of the company. The World Economic Forum in May, at the Dead Sea, was where we were able to formally announce the completion of the merger. But since then we have been focusing on the post-merger integration of the firm.

'Now, as we come to Gitex, we have our corporate offices in place and our regional offices are now operational in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Kuwait and Libya. We already have teams in place, we have reached agreements with partners and have ongoing projects with clients.'

But what is Optimiza's main area of business and who are its clients?

'We provide systems integration and consulting. We offer services in areas such as IT infrastructure, IT services, project development and project management. If you look at Accenture's success in the West in the outsourcing business, this is based on the depth of its consulting, its depth of understanding businesses and its ability to do systems integration and this is where we want to be.

'Our client focus is on financial services such as the banking and insurance sectors, government departments, telecom firms, healthcare as well as manufacturing and distribution.'

Interestingly, Optimiza is also looking to target family businesses and small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) right throughout the Gulf, with 'innovative and creative solutions' as they look to restructure and float on stock markets across the region.

Making the most of Gitex

Gitex not only marks the firm's official regional launch but it has also been a major commitment with the development of an impressive stand and 25 employees on hand to talk to prospective clients.

'Our presence at shows such as Gitex and other conventions is a key component of our marketing strategy. These events allow us to demonstrate our solutions and our capabilities. We can meet hundreds of firms across the region and find out their requirements, as well as spend quality time with our strategic partners and resellers.

'Fundamentally, we want to demonstrate we are an organisation that can handle the increasing demand for quality systems integration, consulting and outsourcing across the region. From the outset, as we developed Optimiza, we worked to the principle of transformation and merger, bringing together a bunch of companies which, when combined, have the scale to handle bigger projects with the likes of telecom companies and governments.'

Strategy and development

Although Optimiza already has a sizeable footprint right across the Mena region, Malhas is aware that certain markets will be bigger than others.

'Saudi Arabia and the UAE, along with Qatar, are really going to get a lot of focus from us. For instance, in the UAE, Abu Dhabi is as critical a location to us as Dubai because it has the government, many banks and of course all the oil and gas firms - a lot of big projects. In Saudi, we are in both Riyadh and Jeddah and we are opening up a base in Dammam. It is very important that we can offer local support and we are investing in this, we do not want to create fly-by-night relationships.'

Providing key leverage to Optimiza's future expansion plans, and perhaps future acquisitions, is the presence of the Arab Bank and the Dubai based investment bank Rasmala as strategic investors in the firm. The Arab Bank has a 10 per cent shareholding, while Rasmala holds a 5 per cent stake.

'It is important that everything is properly aligned, including both the board and the management. So to have strategic investors in place and the right people in position, gives you undoubted extra strength. It is in effect smart money.'

It is highly likely even more strategic investors will shortly pump money into the firm with majority shareholder, the Kawar Group, which presently retains a 60 per cent stake, looking to dilute some of its holding and scale back to around 30 per cent.

An international outlook

Any potential investors wondering if Optimiza possesses the ambition to make a major impression across the region, and beyond, need only to listen to Malhas' views on how he sees the firm's future direction.

'We are a Jordanian firm and we are of course proud to be so, but we are much more than that. We want Optimiza to be seen as a pan-Arab firm, indeed a global firm. We are keen to instil an international flavour to our brand and this will be projected by the mix of talent that we have, comprising different nationalities and different backgrounds.'

See also:
Microsoft deal boosts Jordan's ICT ambitions