NEC Unified Solutions, GijimaAst step up to grow market share

Issued by GijimaAst
Johannesburg, 01 Apr 2010

NEC Unified Solutions announced today that it has embedded and integrated the former NEC Philips Unified Solutions within its activities. The now 100% owned NEC affiliate is a cornerstone in NEC's strategy to advance its communications and networking activities and market share in EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa).

“This move will enable us to exploit portfolio and market synergies, together with our network of highly professional business partners. We aim to grow significant market share in EMEA by taking advantage of NEC's expertise and skill sets in communications and computing,” said Paul Kievit, President of NEC Unified Solutions.

Jonas Bogoshi, CEO of GijimaAst, said: “As the enterprise business communication partner in South Africa, this means a new era for GijimaAst and NEC's partnership, bringing with it the ability to leverage off the significant resources available within the NEC group. This heralds an even greater commitment to bringing world-class technology to the southern African market. I'm confident that through our combined strategy we will now have the power to address the needs of companies across various industries, from medium to the larger enterprises.”

Global growth strategy

NEC Unified Solutions is building on its strong UNIVERGE portfolio to meet the needs of small and medium sized businesses and enterprises to enhance their communications infrastructure towards Unified Communications-based solutions.

“NEC's strategy is to expand its global business by cross-utilising its expertise and global footprint in IT services and networks. NEC will lead the way in providing software-centric and cloud computing-based solutions and services for enterprise, public services and carrier market sectors. As a wholly owned NEC subsidiary, we can offer our enterprise customers a broad range of NEC technologies, including IT platforms, display solutions, digital signage and security,” added Kievit.

Smooth transition

Regional and country sales operations are expected to benefit from shared resourcing and 'One NEC' synergies. NEC will be able to exploit Mobility and UC applications developed in Europe, such as IP DECT and Business ConneCT, across the globe. Furthermore, the R&D activities of NEC Unified Solutions are aligned and integrated with NEC on a global scale, forming a worldwide development organisation spanning Japan, Australia, the US and Europe.

The amalgamation of the former NEC Philips joint venture within NEC is in line with the intentions of NEC Corporation and Royal Philips Electronics at its outset in 2006. Since then, the joint venture has been consolidated within the overall NEC organisation so that its activity, portfolio and long-term evolution are fully in line with NEC's strategy and plans. The company's headquarters remain in Hilversum, the Netherlands, and management remains unchanged.

GijimaAst

GijimaAst is a proudly empowered South African ICT services company listed in the technology sector of the JSE Securities Exchange and is recognised as a complete ICT partner. Our intellectual capacity, business model, strong client base and extended geographic footprint is unparalleled in the local market and provides clients with sophisticated and diverse service delivery options in the infrastructure, solutions, system integration and networking arenas. The competencies and vertical market focus of GijimaAst includes broad experience and market penetration in the manufacturing, mining, telecommunications and financial services markets, as well as national and provincial government departments and parastatals.

For more information, please contact:

nec@gijima.com or visit http://www.nec-unified.co.za for more information on NEC Unified Solutions.

NEC Corporation

NEC Corporation is one of the world's leading providers of Internet, broadband network and enterprise business solutions dedicated to meeting the specialised needs of a diversified global base of customers. NEC delivers tailored solutions in the key fields of computer, networking and electron devices, by integrating its technical strengths in IT and networks, and by providing advanced semiconductor solutions through NEC Electronics Corporation. The NEC Group employs more than 140 000 people worldwide.