EDS South Africa today announced it has strengthened its SAP capabilities in SA by consolidating its SAP resources into one centralised Solution Centre. This consolidation will bring more than 160 existing SAP professionals into one uniform set of sourcing and delivery processes that spans the EDS organisation in SA. A strategy is in place to grow this business aggressively, and SAP veteran Giancarlo Fenderico has been appointed to lead the initiative locally.
This announcement comes following a visit to EDS`s worldwide headquarters in Plano, Texas, by SA`s minister of Trade and Industry, Alec Erwin. The minister has been in the US to promote SA`s technology and electronics capabilities as part of the South Africa Vanguard of Technology (SAVANT) initiative. EDS is a founding partner of SAVANT, and today`s announcement supports these types of technology initiatives in SA.
"EDS`s South Africa SAP practice and resources are part of EDS`s network of 93 applications Solution Centres worldwide supporting client service as part of EDS`s integrated global delivery model," says Fenderico. "In line with EDS`s objective to leverage centralised resources, we have a strategy in place to ensure that our clients both here and internationally are offered the best service possible. The leveraging of infrastructure and expertise will also reduce client risk through best practices throughout our SA Solution Centre."
EDS South Africa`s SAP practice will continue to grow because of two key drivers. The first of these is EDS`s strategic initiative to strengthen its global network of Solution Centres with uniform business processes and technology standards to take advantage of cost effective, high skill geographic regions. "This is part of EDS`s Best ShoreSM strategy to deliver cost effective, high quality services for our clients," notes Fenderico.
The second driver is the dominant position of EDS and SAP in the local business market. "South African businesses trust EDS and SAP," states Fenderico. "This is one of SAP`s largest customer bases and continues to require both support and assistance from EDS with each new release in the software."
EDS is able to provide value for its clients with project management, vertical industry expertise, business and application consulting, application development, training, post-implementation support, and a SAP Lab for demonstrations.
"SAP Africa welcomes the move by EDS," says Kathy Carrick, Consulting Alliance Manager for SAP Africa. "The improved capabilities and expertise that the consolidation will bring to the EDS SAP practice is a positive move that will bring together a large team of SAP skills within EDS with the aim of offering comprehensive services to local and off-shore clients. The resulting growth and widening of the EDS SAP skills base is very much welcomed."
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EDS, the leading global services company, provides strategy, implementation, business transformation and operational solutions for clients managing the business and technology complexities of the digital economy. EDS brings together the world`s best technologies to address critical client business imperatives. It helps clients eliminate boundaries, collaborate in new ways, establish their customers` trust and continuously seek improvement. EDS, with its management consulting subsidiary, AT Kearney, serves the world`s leading companies and governments in 60 countries. EDS reported revenues of $21.5 billion in 2002. The company`s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: EDS) and the London Stock Exchange. Learn more at EDS.com.
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