Software AG South Africa plans to double its local business by 2018 and is moving offices to cater for an expected gain in staff numbers, says recently-appointed VP for SA Mohamed Cassoojee.
Cassoojee adds the local unit also aims to earn 80% of its revenue from what it calls business process excellence (BPE), a layer that goes on top of ERP systems and aims to bridge the gap between IT and business.
In 2010, Software AG published its 2020 strategy for the BPE line of business to contribute 80% of overall revenue, which was brought forward to 2018 after being well received. "This is the strategy that we are currently executing on," says Cassoojee.
Globally, the company has been making acquisitions in line with this strategy and is enhancing organic growth through selective acquisitions, says Cassoojee. Software AG has around 5 300 employees in 70 countries and had revenue of EUR1.05 billion in 2012.
Expanding base
The unit is also expanding and moving to a building in Bryanston that is more than twice the size of its current facilities, to accommodate growth, says Cassoojee. He explains, in 2005, when the South African subsidiary was opened and placed in the Lonehill offices, it had 40 staff members.
In 2011, Software AG increased its floor space to accommodate growth in staff numbers to about 80 and then grew to 130. "We have once again outgrown our current premises, and based on a steady performance and growth target achievement year-over-year, we are moving to premises more than twice the size to accommodate anticipated growth."
Cassoojee adds the new building will provide state-of-the-art facilities and a new larger training academy. He adds that acquisitions, done at a global level, aim to support the digitisation of enterprises and address the requirements around the four megatrends: big data, mobile, cloud and social.
Hiring
Cassoojee has replaced Emma Murray, who moved on after three years at the helm, to start up her own business. The group has also seen some attrition, although below industry average, with 10 sales staff leaving this year.
"We have experienced some changes in management over the past few months," Cassoojee says, "but I am satisfied that the current executive management team consists of the right people committed to executing on the company's strategy of driving innovation for four megatrends."
Cassoojee, who has held executive positions at both Oracle and SAP, has recalled Shiraz Khota from IBM to head up the financial services team and the Cape regional office. "Shiraz [Khota] was with Software AG in a sales position from 2009 to 2012, and was highly successful."
Riaaz Jeena, also ex-IBM, is sales director for the corporate sector, while Ike Kunene is VP of national sales. Barry de Waal is still VP of Global Consulting Services Software AG SA, and Diellie Schmutz is global consulting services director on the service delivery side. Stephen Sim is CFO, Patrick Shields is deputy CTO, and Sandi Ntshongwana looks after HR.
Cassoojee says the group has recruited a new marketing manager, as well as other sales people, which it calls regional sales managers, to fill some vacancies.
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