The value of Saudi Arabia's information technology (IT) market, the biggest in the Gulf, is projected to be in the range of $4 billion to $4.5 billion this year, and will grow 10 percent annually till 2013, an industry leader said over the weekend. The whole GCC region's IT market is around $7 billion, while the Middle East is estimated at around $12 billion. ALFalak Electronic Equipment & Supplies Co, having been in the business for the past three decades, said it is exploring new expansion possibilities and strategies to maximize “our value propositions within a broader strategic planning framework” in the light of ever-growing market, said Ahmed Ali Ashadawi, CEO and president of ALFalak. A string of accolades and awards is a proof not only of ALFalak's growing reputation as a quality-driven company in the region, but of its pioneering role in addressing social issues and areas of concern in the Kingdom. Citing a study “Saudi Companies & Social Responsibility” conducted in 2007 by the International Institute for Environmental Economics, Sweden and Tamkeen, KSA, Ashadawi said ALFalak “is at the forefront of recruiting, hiring, training, developing, and maintaining a strong talent pool of young Saudi men and women.” He added that the company “strives to meet our social responsibilities by investing time, money, and resources in activities that we proudly undertake in partnership with many non-profit organizations.” In line with Saudi-zation program of the government, he said 55 percent of ALFalak's workforce are Saudis. “We have also established career development programs targeting the Saudi youth through our sister company Al-Khaleej Training, which has extensive training and career development expertise.” And as the company grows, so too are its employees, Ashadawi further said. ALFalak has branches in Jubail, Riyadh, Al-Khobar, and Jeddah. It has branches in other GCC countries since 1991. Despite a wide network, ALFalak “strategy for the region is the same in Saudi Arabia where we focus on providing high-quality added-value products and services for our customers,” he pointed out. The long track record of ALFalak insulated the company in the period of global economic downturn. In fact, the company forecast a marked increase in net profit this year. Saudi Arabia is in a better position than other markets in the region to withstand the current global economic crisis, ALFalak's president said. The Kingdom's investment in broadband and government initiatives have seen an improvement in e-services development and utilization, which was reflected in the UN's most recent e-government rankings, in which Saudi Arabia rose 10 places in 2009, he said. ALFalak adopts a multi-pronged approach in cultivating growth and expanding its market base. Ashadawi said “AlFalak has been adding new offerings to our current successful portfolio of products, which is part of our continuing thrust to provide customers with high-quality products and services.” He added that the company is “gradually expanding in markets beyond the KSA by establishing new strategic partnerships with new manufacturers and enhancing our discount channels in the region.” Further outlining the company's strategies for 2010, he said it invests in manpower through continuous career development initiatives. “We aim to empower our sales and distribution force by initiating programs that equip them with unique competences and tools and systems such as e-commerce that can maximize our time to market and enhance service quality,” Ashadawi said. Having said all this, the CEO of ALFalak said while the company reinforces its position and role as a system integrator, ALFalak's expansion of portfolio offerings will no doubt cope with the changing role of Saudi businesses. “What separates us from our competitors is our customer-focused strategy. We proactively reach out to them and ensure their satisfaction through the value-added services we offer such as the e-Catalog online purchasing system and Business Computer Leasing services,” he noted.
