US-based SunGard, which claims to be the world's largest privately-held software and services company, aims to double its South African staff numbers in the next year.
The company, which opened in SA in the early 1990s, has 93 staff members in Johannesburg and Cape Town, says Africa MD Alberto Fasana. He says, based on its current initiatives, this number should double within the next 12 months.
SunGard was formed in 1982, when the company was spun off from Sun Oil. It listed in 1986, but went private in 2005 to make medium- and long-term investments and consolidate its growth, notes Fasana.
Fasana says SunGard aims to grow its Cape Town development team from 30 to 50, as the company follows a geographically dispersed development model. In June, about eight graduates, who have received Java training through SunGard's outsourced partner, will join the team, he adds.
The US financial services software company turned over $4.5 billion in the year to December and has 17 000 staff in 70 countries. It provides software and services to the public and energy sectors, but focuses on financial services in SA.
Fasana explains that financial services, which includes the banking and insurance sectors, provides two-thirds of the local unit's turnover. Locally, it has about 100 clients, which includes the top banks and insurance companies, as well as JSE-listed firms such as AECI.
SunGard is active in East Africa and has a client base in Kenya. It also has a presence in Mauritius, says Fasana. The company is contemplating moving into Nigeria, but needs to find the right model, he adds.
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