CAIRO: Oracle, the world's largest enterprise software company, has officially opened its Global Product Support center based within Egypt's Xceed contact center, the largest of its kind in the southern Mediterranean region. The facility, one of only eight Global Product Support centers across the world, will provide support services to Oracle customers around the globe as a key unit within Oracle's international support network. Taking part in the official opening were Tarek Kamel, minister of communications and information technology (MCIT); Ahmed Darwish, minister of state for administrative development; Francis J. Ricciardone, ambassador of the United States of America and a number of senior executives from Oracle, including David Hare, senior vice president, Global Product Support - Oracle Corporation; Jean Reiczyk, senior vice president, Oracle Support Services -- Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA); Risto Penttinen, vice president, Global Product Support - EMEA; and Atef Helmy, managing director of Oracle Egypt. During the launch ceremony, Kamel said: "This global support center is the latest in a series of joint initiatives between Oracle and the Egyptian government to include technology at the heart of Egypt's economic development strategy. From our side, we are 'matching' Oracle's investment in this global support center by providing comprehensive logistical initiatives, including the manpower and infrastructure required to make the centre a success. The new Oracle center, located within Egypt's burgeoning Smart Village business park, is staffed by multilingual software experts with core competencies in the areas of enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications and Oracle's technology platform, including middleware and database software. "Inaugurating the new Oracle facility here in Egypt enables our customers from around the world to receive the additional support and expertise that they need to keep their infrastructure running reliably and cost-effectively. A key part of our visit is to determine how we can expand the level and range of services offered via this Oracle global support center, and further collaborate with the Egyptian government in facilitating technology development in the country, added Hare. The concept of the new global support office was initially announced by Sergio Giacaletto, Oracle's executive vice president, on a visit to Egypt in June 2005 to solidify the partnership between the Egyptian government and Oracle. In the second phase of the collaboration, Kamel and a delegation of government officials met with Oracle President Charles Phillips,Executive Vice President of Oracle On Demand and Oracle Support Services Juergen Rottler and Oracle Senior Vice President, Applications Development John Wookey at the company's U.S. headquarters to discuss expansion of the planned support center and other services. In addition to the official inauguration on December 6, Oracle executives will meet with both the MCIT and the U.S. Ambassador's offices. "Geographically and logistically, Egypt is an ideal location for Oracle's latest global support hub. With the country's high-skilled technology workforce, the cost benefits that Oracle and its customers are deriving from the opportunities in this market, and the support that the Egyptian government has provided to this project, we see considerable scope for further investment into Egypt's growing IT sector, said Helmy.- Courtesy of AME-Info.com
