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| Sunday, 4 January 2004 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Leading business software solution to take effect by Elmo Leonard The John Keells group, the most diversified conglomerate in Sri Lanka, is akin to an international organisation and compares with a large Indian corporate, Executive Director, Siemens Information Systems Ltd, India (SISL) A.S. Viswanathan said in Colombo recently. He was addressing an event held to cement an agreement between John Keells Holdings (JKH) and SISL. As a result of the alliance, the Keells Group will, in January, be the first in Sri Lanka to use SAP, claimed to be the world's leading provider of business software solutions. With the use of SAP, every element of data within an organisation would be made use of to the maximum. "We want to make John Keells a worldwide organisation," its Finance Controller, Ronnie Peiris quipped. The software is known as mySAP ERP. Peiris told the media that JKH had chosen mySAP ERP to enhance its business processes and decision support capability. The implementation will cover all the group companies. The implementation of mySAP ERP will bring about business process improvements along with process integrity across the group, in line with best practices worldwide. This will provide the company with the ability to integrate and analyse business data that is divided across heterogenous applications and data sources, allowing for comprehensive business insights and analysis. Chief Information Officer, JKH, Rohan Muttiah said the group is looking to replicate its demonstrated capability, across its corporate information technology portfolio. For this, the company needs a technology landscape that integrates and streamlines its business processes and provides a quantum increase in productivity across the organisation. Allied to this is a need for timely and accurate management information that can support strategic decision making. Given the diversity and complexity of the John Keells business and its presence in a variety of industries, SAP was evaluated as providing the best fit for the company's needs, Peiris explained. JKH is a premier conglomerate involved in multiple businesses like food and beverages, leisure, transportation, infrastructure, plantations, IT, financial services, trade and exports. It is the single largest company quoted on the Colombo Stock Exchange and is considered a benchmark of the Sri Lankan economy. The operation will cost three million dollars and the benefits will offset the cost, Muttiah said. In the first 15 months, Rs 500 million is expected to be saved. In the first phase, starting January, the entire group will be connected to a single financial backbone. Phase II and III would have business intelligence interpreted to it. Viswanathan said Indians were willing to spend to consolidate their position in Sri Lanka. He said: "This will further strengthen the partnership between SAP and SISL in the Indian subcontinent and will be the first step towards replicating the success in Sri Lanka that we have together experienced in India. SAP and SISL together have been providing solutions to a varied segment of industries; significant among them being verticals like telecommunications, media, pharmaceuticals and automotives. Some of the other leading organisations in Sri Lanka who have chosen SAP are Slimline, Leisureline, Linea Aqua, Unichela, Shadowline, Textured Jersey, Prym Newy Lanka, Bodyline, Courtaulds and Eagle Insurance. SISL, the IT arm of Siemens (India) is one of the foremost names in Information and Communication Technology in India today, focusing on niche markets. Since its inception in 1992, SISL has grown to be one of the leading systems integrators and total solutions providers. SISL has positioned itself in the area of IT services, business consulting and management consulting with focus on verticals like healthcare, telecom, finance, medical, transportation, automotive, utilities and media. SAP is one of the world's leading providers of business software solutions, according to the company's President and Managing Director for the Indian Subcontinent, Alan Sedghi. He is responsible for all business and operational matters of SAP's operations in Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Thailand. Sedghi said through the mySAP Business Suite, business people around the globe are improving relationships with customers and partners, streamlining operations and achieving significant efficiencies throughout their supply chains. The unique core processes of various industries, from aerospace to utilities, are supported effectively by SAP's 23 industry solution portfolios. Today, more than 20,500 customers in over 120 countries run more than 67,500 installations of SAP software. With subsidiaries in over 50 countries, the company is listed on several exchanges including the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange. |
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