ETA Ascon Star Group Saves 18 Million Dirhams with Ariba

Dubai-based companies leverage Ariba’s on-demand solutions to standardize sourcing and quickly deliver results

SUNNYVALE, Calif. – May 27, 2009 – Ariba, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARBA), the leading spend management solutions provider, today announced that, along with ETA Star Portal LLC, it has helped the ETA Ascon Star Group, a Dubai-based diversified company, drive over 18 million dirhams ($4.9 million dollars) in savings across its operations. An early adopter of Ariba® Sourcing™ On-Demand, ETA has successfully leveraged the solution to standardize its sourcing process, aggregate its spend and deliver fast, measurable results by sourcing more than 200 million dirhams ($55 million dollars) in spend in various categories.

Based on its success with Ariba Sourcing, ETA Group has entered into a separate agreement through its group company Star Portal LLC to become Ariba’s partner to sell Ariba® Spend Management™ solutions within the Middle East.

“To remain competitive in today’s economy, companies must find opportunities for cost reductions and quickly convert them into hard-dollar savings,” said Arif B. Rahman, Group Director, Finance & Member of the Board of ETA Ascon Star Group. “Within a few weeks of implementing Ariba’s on-demand sourcing solution, we were able to drive significant savings across our operations as well as process improvements that have increased our productivity.”

A robust and flexible offering, Ariba Sourcing On-Demand combines the technology, expertise and services needed to create effective markets for a wide range of direct materials and indirect goods and services with best practice processes that companies can implement to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their procurement operations and create value across their entire organization. Delivered as a hosted solution, Ariba Sourcing On-Demand requires no investments in special hardware and can be quickly and cost-effectively implemented across locations and geographies.

“The current state of the global economy has pushed every organization to take a close look at their spend and take action to effectively control it,” said Ravindra Sharma, General Manager & Group Director, Middle East & India, Ariba. “ETA recognized early on that spend management was the fastest, most efficient way to do this and by implementing Ariba’s on-demand solutions has been quickly able to deliver results that are not only measurable, but sustainable over the long haul.”

“We are always striving to find solutions that will help our customers gain a distinct advantage in the highly competitive market place,” Rahman said. “Ariba provides us with industry-leading technology that we can use to increase the efficiency of the sourcing process and drive fast, measurable savings that positively impact our customers’ bottom lines.”

More than 1,000 companies around the world, including over half of the Fortune 100, use Ariba’s solutions to lower costs, minimize risk and improve competitive advantage.
For more information on Ariba’s on-demand spend management solutions and the value they deliver, visit www.ariba.com
“As the global financial crisis continues, companies must find innovative ways to manage both costs and cash,” said Daryl Rolley, Senior Vice President and General Manager, North America and Asia Pacific Operations, Ariba. “Spend management is among the fastest, most efficient ways to do this, and we are pleased that ETA Star Portal LLC is leveraging our offerings to help companies across the United Arab Emirates realize the benefits that it can provide.”

Pluto restructures operations in line with expansion plans for the Middle East; Partners with AVG

Dubai, May 18, 2009: Furthering its commitment to the region and in line with its expansion strategy, Pluto today announced its new brand identity and operations structure for the Middle East. Pluto will act as the parent company for subsidiaries that include Pluto Channel and Pluto Games. Coinciding with the new brand launch, Pluto also announced that it has been appointed as the master distributor of AVG Technologies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

The restructuring is set to support Pluto’s increasing growth in the region and will span across a wide range of consumer technology and entertainment products. Pluto Channel will draw focus to Pluto’s growing portfolio of consumer technology products, while Pluto Games will continue its growing channel network in the gaming industry.

“In the region, we were previously known as Pluto Games and as our network is growing and product portfolio increasing outside gaming, the Pluto entity was formed,” said Rami El-Hussein, Managing Director, Pluto. “Pluto Channel, along with Pluto Games, will attribute to the Pluto business, enriching the channel with more products and focused support and marketing.”

As one of the first announcements for Pluto Channel, AVG Technologies, a leading anti-virus and Internet security software provider, has partnered with Pluto, thereby granting them extensive access to Pluto’s regional distribution network.

AVG has experienced significant growth in the last few years, becoming one of the world’s top five largest vendors of Internet Security software measured by installed user base. The company will continue to expand and address the needs of the global market through improved technology and broader language and platform support.

AVG has over 80 million users in 167 countries and has nearly two decades of experience in combating cyber crime. Furthermore, AVG has one of the most advanced laboratories for detecting, pre-empting and combating Web-borne threats from around the world.

“Our partnership with Pluto is part of our business strategy to officially enter the Middle East and North Africa region,” said Peter Baxter, Vice President, Business Development, AVG. “Pluto’s success in the region and channel expertise provides us with access to local outlets and retailers where premium AVG products can officially be available to the local consumer with the support that complements it.”
AVG Technologies provides a comprehensive range of security solutions, from standalone anti-virus and anti-spyware software, to all-in-one internet security suites and network solutions for the Windows platform. The company holds Microsoft Gold Partner certification and regularly achieves 100% certification in tests undertaken by Virus Bulletin. All AVG products incorporate the cutting-edge protection against drive-by downloads and other sophisticated cyber attacks provided by the LinkScanner technology, acquired in 2007 through Exploit Prevention Labs.
Commenting on the partnership, El-Hussein added, “AVG is a highly popular brand worldwide and we have no doubt in the potential of the product for us in the region. We extend our commitment of high quality services and support to AVG Technologies products as well as to its existing regional customers.”

Sonata Software opens fully owned subsidiary in Dubai Internet City

Dubai, March 04, 2009: Leading Indian software solutions company, Sonata Software Ltd. today announced the opening of its one hundred per cent owned subsidiary at Dubai Internet City, the region’s leading managed ICT cluster. Establishing itself as a regional hub for its business in the Middle East and Africa, Sonata Software FZ – LLC, will provide value-based IT solutions to customers, strengthening its presence in the region.
Sonata Software will use its Dubai Internet City free zone base to target regional market segments including the Travel, Tourism, Hospitality and Construction industries – some of the major sectors that make up the GDP in the Middle East.
Malek Al Malek, Executive Director, Dubai Internet City said: “Dubai Internet City has attracted some of the biggest names in the IT industry since it was established in 2000. We are delighted to welcome on board yet another global leader with a reputation for creating cutting-edge solutions and technology. We look forward to working closely with Sonata where the industry can leverage on its ability to bring out the best software solutions. In addition, our partnership with Sonata will find ways that will further build our knowledge-based economy for the region.”
Sonata has established a strong team that will manage its Middle East operations. Mr Mahesh Shastry, General Manager, Middle East and Africa, along with Principal Consultant, Mr A T Srinivasan together form a team that brings an in-depth knowledge of the Middle East market. With a wealth of experience working in the Middle East, the team is well positioned to leverage their knowledge of the market.
Mr. B Ramaswamy, President and Managing Director of Sonata Software Limited, said: “We are excited about our geographical expansion into the Middle East. We are confident that operating out of the region’s leading managed ICT cluster will make this an important growth engine for Sonata.
“Given our strong track record of innovation, satisfied and referenceable customer base, our robust infrastructure and an excellent workforce, we are fully committed to provide best-in-class services. Customers will benefit from our alliances with global technology majors and our proven track record of offering services to many multinational customers.”
“Based on our core competence built over the years and a strong commitment, we are confident that our steadfast service back-up and an expert team structure formed for this mission will provide high-quality and innovative solutions to our Middle East partnerships,” Shastry added.
Sonata Software ranked among the top 20 IT Software and Service Exporters in India for FY07-08, as per the industry rankings released by NASSCOM, the premier trade body and the chamber of commerce of the IT-BPO industries in India.
The Bangalore based company, worth US$400 million, will continue to spur its success in expanding its businesses in other geographies. The most recent expansion was its joint venture with European travel major TUI AG.
Sonata's services range from IT Consulting, Product Engineering Services, Application Development, Application Management, Managed Testing, Business Intelligence, Infrastructure Management, Packaged Applications to Travel Solutions.
Dubai Internet City currently hosts most of the Fortune 500 companies and more than 1,200 specialized industry leaders from diverse segments of the information and communication technology sectors. Emerged as one of the largest ICT clusters in the world, DIC caters to the region’s increasing focus on creating knowledge-based economies.
About Dubai Internet City
Dubai Internet City (DIC), a member of TECOM Investments, was established in 2000. It is currently regarded the Middle East's largest information and communications technology (ICT) cluster. Built as a strategic base for companies targeting emerging markets in several neighbouring regions, DIC’s core focus area extends from the Middle East to the Indian Subcontinent, and from Africa to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, covering two billion people with a GDP of US$6.7 trillion. As a knowledge-oriented business model, DIC has created a dynamic international community of IT companies hosting business partners that include most of the Fortune 500 brands, as well as a number of small and medium enterprises and ventures. In 2008, 140 new companies joined the DIC cluster. For more information, please visit: http://www.dubaiinternetcity.com/
About Sonata Software Limited
Sonata Software, headquartered in Bangalore, India, is a leading IT consulting and services company. Sonata's customers are located across the US, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Its portfolio of services includes IT Consulting, Product Engineering Services, Travel Solutions, Application Development, Application Management, Managed Testing, Business Intelligence, Infrastructure Management and Packaged Applications. As per the industry rankings released by NASSCOM for FY07-08, Sonata Software ranked among the Top 20 IT Software and Service Exporters in India.

Aswaaq Opts For Microsoft Dynamics Enterprise Resource Planning Software to Enhance Customer Experience and Improve Productivity

Dubai, UAE, March 3rd, 2009 – Microsoft Gulf today announced that Aswaaq has implemented Dynamics Navision Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software to maximize internal efficiencies. Since its inception, Aswaaq has been committed to providing a world class retail experience. The implementation of a robust technology platform will allow the retailer to automate business processes and adopt state-of-the-art technologies within its stores leading to enhanced customer experience and improved productivity across the organization. In addition, Dynamics Navision delivers value-added technical advancements and out-of-the-box integration with other Microsoft technologies, thereby improving total cost of ownership for Aswaaq.

“Aswaaq was looking for a comprehensive IT infrastructure that could manage all aspects of our automated processes” said Jassim Sajwani, Director of IT and Administration, Aswaaq. “Microsoft Dynamics NAV offers a comprehensive, cost-effective and standardized solution that fulfils all our business needs. The ease of setup and tight integration with the Microsoft products we already use allowed us to get up and running quickly and smoothly. We are already seeing increased productivity, reduced costs and timely decision-making. By using Dynamics NAV, we have enhanced the shopping experience for our customers.”

As businesses in the Gulf continue to face the increasing pressure of limiting risk factors, Microsoft Dynamics Navision has proven to be a powerful solution for Aswaaq that can be tailored to its business needs at an affordable price. It also adapts to Aswaaq’s expansion plans and supports more functionality in a pay-as-you-grow model.

Tamer Elhamy, Business Solutions Manager, Microsoft Gulf said, “Aswaaq was looking for a solution that would help streamline operations and find ways to use their internal resources more efficiently. Microsoft Dynamics Navision is a scalable and user-friendly solution that helps small and mid-market retailers deliver exceptional customer service and lower inventory costs as well as improve margins and increase revenues. It has enabled Aswaaq to develop efficient practices to expand and build competitive advantages. By delivering flexibility, adaptability and increased productivity, Navision is set to transform the way businesses compete in today’s global marketplace.”

Dynamics Navision provides robust capabilities to quickly deploy new services. It also enables Aswaaq to have a single, integrated location where employees can efficiently collaborate, find organizational resources and leverage business insight to make better-informed decisions. Some of the other Microsoft technologies adopted by Aswaaq include Microsoft SQL Server, Windows Server and Microsoft Office.