Infor, a specialist application software firm, is looking to increase its business in the IMEA region five-fold over the next three years and Africa will have a key role in this growth.
Gary Hopwood, newly promoted Sales Manager for Infor’s Africa Region, told delegates at this year’s Infor Next conference at Montecasino that the company currently has 1% market share in the region and is looking to increase this to 5% by 2020. “The GDP growth forecast for Africa at 5,2% is higher than Asia,” Hopwood says. “Total IT spend on the continent is estimated at $155,8-billion; and software spend by 2020 will be $7,5-billion. Africa is the next frontier.”
At the event Hopwood highlighted that the company is already making inroads towards its target. “Infor in Africa currently has 1876 customers, but 16% – 300 plus — are net new customers,” he says. “That’s a fantastic number for us.”
The company is also embracing its channel in boosting the region’s revenues. “In Africa, we’re a channel-led business and 71% of our business on the continent is done through channel partners,” Hopwood says. “Working with local channel partners gives us many benefits, not least of which is the fact that they know their specific territories, their customers’ business and what their requirements are.”
Hopwood says the company has clear focus on its African business in some key regions: South Africa and SADC; East and West Africa; Mauritius; and North Africa, where it has made a recent acquisition.
“Globally, we’re the third biggest application provider. The goal for IMEA is to grow the business from its current 1% to 5% by 2020. What we’re asking today is that you join us on that journey to take us to that 5%,” concluded Hopwood.
