Information technology (IT) industry remains unscathed despite the economic downturn that continues to wreak havoc to many. In the past three years, the IT business worldwide, which is valued at $3-5 billion, has witnessed a remarkable 10-15 annual growth rate in terms of revenue, senior officials of a software developer and provider said on Tuesday. Pankaj Chawla, chief operating officer for Middle East, Russia and CIS Region of 3i Infotech - the third largest IT company in the region, said in times of crisis, the importance of IT solutions is all the more highlighted as companies strive to find best solutions to cut costs and streamline operations without jeopardizing the quality of services and yet achieving good returns. At a press conference at the Jeddah Hilton to announce the opening of its office in Riyadh, the 3i Infotech COO said the company, the third biggest in the region, posts an exceptional 48 percent growth in revenue year-on-year in the last three consecutive years. He is optimistic about future growth in the light of more prestigious clients opting for 3i Infotech solutions and services such as Al Fozan Company, Zamil Group and Tawuniya, among others. “We offer better value for money… and our know-how plus our customized services and direct presence” give 3i Infotech the leverage. It has more than 100 clients in the region at present. Chawla said through the Riyadh office, 3i Infotech will now be able to provide extra impetus to the banking, financial services and insurance sectors, the main thrust of the company, while also expanding its services into the government and manufacturing and retail sectors. Registered in Dammam, the company has been operating in the Kingdom for the last 10 years. 3i Infotech expects to continue to make rapid strides and in this direction with the appointment of Amit Trigunayat as the new head of operations in Saudi Arabia. Chawla said “it gives me immense pleasure to see 3i Infotech establishing its office in Riyadh and thereby reaching closer to customers. On-the-ground presence in Riyadh will certainly provide huge comfort to banks, financial institutions, mutual funds and insurance companies and also facilitate government projects in the region.” “Our offerings are making deeper inroads in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the business is on a fast growth trajectory,” he added. For almost three decades, 3i Infotech MEARC has served the Middle East, Africa, Russia and CIS countries. 3i Infotech (www.3i-infotech.com) has a presence across 5 continents and serves more than 600 customers in 50 countries. The company is SEI CMMi Level 5-compliant for its software services and ISO 9001:2000-certified for business process outsourcing services and ISO-27001:2005 certified infrastructure services. Using its domain knowledge and through continuous investment in technologies, 3i Infotech helps corporations in their businesses through its expertise in enterprise-class software solutions, software services, information security consulting, IT infrastructure and disaster recovery solutions. With values centered on innovation (in products, services and solutions), insight (into customer's business requirements) and integrity (in delivering commitment to customers), 3i Infotech's future is firmly placed on the pedestals. __
