In Europe, the economy follows the rest of the world and, looking backwards from July, things were looking a little bleak - but there is light at the end of the tunnel. For the first time in the fourth quarter, there is an improvement in the forecast for the EMEA region.
This is according to Lo"ic le Guisquet, executive VP for Oracle EMEA, quoting data from FT correspondents, consensus economics IMF, and EIU July 2009, when speaking during a media briefing at Oracle OpenWorld, in San Francisco, yesterday.
“In the region, Oracle revenue for 2009 is $7.9 billion, 34% of global revenue. Oracle EMEA has 17 000 employees, and 147 offices, in 58 countries. We have over 100 000 customers and roughly 12 000 partners.
“It is clear in Europe, in reaction to the economy, the peaks and the downs are a bit slower than in the US, approximately six months behind. This obviously means the recovery time is a little slower too.”
However, he said this is a good thing, as it gives the EMEA region time to prepare, and allows the company to help its customers prepare too.
He noted that Oracle can help customers with cost savings, streamlining processes and planning for growth. “We do this by simplifying operations and IT processes. To do this, we need to specialise, which in turn, drives innovation.”
Oracle's EMEA strategy is to build on the three pillars of complete, open and integrated, he added. “In terms of complete, we mean a comprehensive industry portfolio, huge investment in research and development and Oracle's acquisitions.” Open, he explained, refers to Oracle's open, standards-based architecture.
“Lastly, by integrated, we mean our solutions are designed to work together and with other solutions and applications. Customers don't have to take a full Oracle solution; our products are designed to integrate with other vendors' solutions.”
“We do extensive interviews with them to understand where the pain parts are, to help them simplify and become more agile.”
Customer input also helps Oracle innovate, by understanding where to prioritise, and which features are needed first, he said.
Talking of small and medium enterprises, Le Guisquet noted Oracle EMEA has dedicated teams to cater specifically for these organisations, in applications and technologies. “Our wide range of partners helps us extend our reach to these organisations.”
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