Ensuring complex projects are implemented correctly is one of the most critical elements of an IT implementation, and can impact desired return on investment for regional companies, said Oracle executives speaking at the inaugural opening of the Channel Communications Center in Cairo today. The launch of the Oracle Center will support regional partners in delivering top quality implementations across the region, through supplementing manpower, ensuring skills development and tri-lingual support operations.
The Middle East and Africa partner network has boomed over the past few years, due to a steady growth in economic development around the region, leading to ‘galloping’ double-digit growth in IT spend in the MEA region against a 5.5% projected global average. With the simultaneous shift away from focusing on product towards customers calling for a holistic solution including services and web-delivery, the demands on partners have increased in line with the opportunities.
“The days of one channel manager traveling around all of the Middle East and African countries to deliver marketing and training support are over,” commented Ehab Amin, regional manager for the center, and the former channel manger for Oracle Egypt. “The Oracle Channel Communications Center will be staffed by more than 20 people who between them speak Arabic, English and French, as well as offering the technical skills and support skills to keep all of our partners up to date and ready to assist our customers. Six teams will cover key areas such as ISV sales, developing the Oracle E-Business Suite pipeline, and Oracle Partner Network maintenance and training.”
Ongoing training is a critical element to maintain contact with the active channel partners, ensuring they are up to date on Oracle corporate news and technical updates. In many cases, especially in remote areas, the partners are the first face of the company, and the launch of this center will ensure that Oracle has the resource to properly support and drive real channel communications and trainings programs around the whole MEA region. In FY06 to date, the center has offered more than eight thousand man-days of training to partners around the region, as well as regular web conferences, surveys and day to day outreach to partners.
“Oracle looks to the channel for trusted advisors who can be proactive and innovative to fulfill our customers’ needs, leveraging the power of Oracle’s technology and applications to create total business solutions,” commented Hisham Esaadi, Director of Alliances and Channels, Oracle MEA. “The Oracle Channel Communications Center in Cairo will provide a central team dedicated to powering our channel around the region, and driving the many facets of channel relations and training through its experienced team of experts. This is a step forward in channel relations in the region, and we look forward to even closer relationships with our partners around the Middle East and Africa as a result.”
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