SAP enabling Saudi Arabia's global competitiveness

The chief executive officer of one of the world's leading software companies called economic reforms in the Kingdom critical to its long-term economic success and global competitiveness.

The director general of Saudi Arabia's General Investment Authority (SAGIA) has long said that its mission is to see the country hold a place in the "top 10 most competitive countries" by 2010, as ranked by the World Bank.

SAP currently operates offices in Riyadh and Khobar, but crucially, has created an extensive ecosystem of partners to serve the company's growing customer base in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

"SAP is investing in Saudi Arabia because it makes strong economic sense," said Kagermann, whose company employs more than 43,000 people worldwide to service an estimated 46,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries and countries.

"Beyond the energy sector where SAP has a long and rich history supporting the growth and global expansion of Saudi Aramco, we believe that SAP is a key enabler of innovation in all sectors, innovation that is crucial to sustained economic growth and the creation of wealth,"

added Kagermann.

Kagermann said successful public and private organizations that are able to rapidly innovate, share many common characteristics. Firstly, they consolidate their IT to reduce cost and unnecessary duplication. Secondly, they standardize on software and systems. Thirdly, they build their business processes on platforms that allow for interoperability and information sharing along their value networks.

In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, SAP solutions support Saudi Aramco, along with Saudi Electricity Company (SEC), Saudi Arabian Airlines, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), and countless small businesses and midsize companies from Khobar to Jeddah.

"SAP innovates in close collaboration with our partners and customers based on an in-depth understanding of their business challenges and aspirations. Innovation must be built on a solid and efficient IT infrastructure to empower companies to become market leaders in their industries," concluded Kagermann.