Showing posts with label IBM. Show all posts
Showing posts with label IBM. Show all posts

Monday, September 19, 2011

IBM Boosts Africa Expansion With New Angola Office



19 Sep 2011 11:00 Africa/Lagos


IBM Boosts Africa Expansion With New Angola Office
New subsidiary demonstrates company's increased footprint in key growth markets

PR Newswire

LUANDA, Angola, Sept. 19, 2011

LUANDA, Angola, Sept. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) has announced the opening of a new branch office in Luanda, as part of the company's continued geographic expansion to increase its presence in key growth markets in support of its global strategy.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110919/NY69873-a )

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110919/NY69873-b )

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO )

The Angolan arm is part of a broad programme of investment that IBM is making in Africa and follows the recent opening of new locations in Dakar, Senegal and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. This gives IBM a direct presence in more than 20 African countries, including South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria.



The expanded presence in Angola will enable IBM to increase its level of service to clients and partners across the Central African region and deliver more advanced and high-value solutions across many industries.

IBM already serves a number of key clients in Central Africa, spanning sectors including telecommunications, oil & gas, finance and government. For example in Angola, IBM is working with one of the country's major banks to help transform the institution's core banking technology infrastructure and support business growth. With a new system based on IBM Power servers and software technologies, the bank has been able to upgrade its banking services.

IBM is also working closely with other local financial institutions and oil & gas companies in Angola to improve the accuracy and security of information in the country.

"Expanding into Angola offers IBM an important business opportunity as we expand our presence throughout the African continent," said Bruno Di Leo, General Manager, IBM Growth Markets. "This demonstrates IBM's commitment to expand into new markets to provide innovative solutions for our clients and partners. Luanda is one of more than 230 IBM branch offices across 55 growth market countries."

IBM is also engaged in an active programme of corporate citizenship across Africa. Since 2008, IBM has deployed 250 of its most talented employees on projects in Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Morocco and Egypt helping to solve local problems with the aim of fostering economic development and job creation.

"By opening a direct presence in Angola and many other markets on the African continent, IBM overcomes one of the biggest barriers to entry in Africa, namely being able to offer local support and insights to their clients and business partners," says Hannes Fourie, Senior Analyst IDC, Middle East and Africa.

The Luanda office is part of IBM's Central Africa operations and will complement IBM's other branch offices in the region. IBM has supplied products and solutions to Central Africa since the 1940's, and IBM equipment was installed in Angola by the company known as Benguela Railways in 1955.

The new office was inaugurated this week at a ceremony for customers, business partners and government officials in Luanda.

About IBM
For more information on IBM, please visit:
http://asmarterplanet.com/blog/2011/06/ibm-in-africa.html

Contacts:
Arlene Wainstein
IBM External Relations, Middle East & Africa
33 (0) 1 5875-5951
Mobile: 33 (0) 672 759574
arlenewainstein@fr.ibm.com

Marie-Anne (Kui) Kinyanjui
IBM External Relations, Growth Markets Unit
254 20 283 4000
Mobile: 254 721 676 543
mariekin@ke.ibm.com

SOURCE IBM

Web Site: http://www.ibm.com




Friday, May 7, 2010

IBM Supports Transformation of Nigerian Banking Industry

6 May 2010 17:01 Africa/Lagos



IBM Supports Transformation of Nigerian Banking Industry

IBM Software Helps Three Major Nigerian Banks Increase the Manageability of their Businesses

LAGOS, Nigeria, May 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Three major Nigerian banks have turned to IBM (NYSE:IBM) to provide the technology to support the transformation of their operations as part the reform of the country's banking sector. By using business analytics and service management software from IBM, the banks are benefiting from some of the most sophisticated software tools available to increase the visibility of information and improve the manageability and efficiency of their organizations.


(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO)


"Nigeria's complex banking sector is moving aggressively into the next phase of modernisation to improve the health and competitiveness of the industry while also reducing high operating costs," according to Peter Farley of IDC Financial Insights. "Investment in technology has an important role to play in this transformation - helping to improve and automate business processes, increasing the visibility of information and providing secure and efficient payment capabilities. The use of outsourcing and shared service models will also enable Nigerian banks to focus on core competences and avoid duplication of resources."


In the area of business analytics, Union Bank of Nigeria is using IBM's Cognos Business Intelligence software to help the bank to monitor and manage the corporate performance of its 400 branches across the country. Using the software, the bank has developed a dash board system that helps to quickly translate complex information from across the bank's systems and which provides the bank's executives with a consolidated view of key performance indicators. Using the Cognos scorecard facility, the bank's management is also able to better monitor performance against targets.


In the area of service management, Nigeria's Intercontinental Bank is using a number of products from IBM's Tivoli portfolio to help the bank better manage its IT systems and ensure optimum levels of performance, security and customer service across the banks 300 branches. Another Nigerian bank, FinBank, is also using IBM's Tivoli solutions to help increase the manageability and efficiency of its IT systems. The software helps the bank to ensure higher levels of availability and prevent service disruptions for critical applications across the bank's 200 branches.


"The application of modern technologies has a key role to play in the transformation of the banking sector around the world," said Juan Pi Llorens., Vice President, Financial Services Sector, for IBM's Growth Markets Unit. "In growth markets where companies are still building out infrastructures, banks have an opportunity to implement systems that increase the efficiency, stability and manageability of their organisations, help manage risks and allow them to leapfrog the competition and win new customers."


IBM is partnering with local Nigerian business partner CITzar Limited, to provide these solutions to the banks.


In February this year, IBM also announced a new Banking Industry Framework for Nigerian banks to help them to be more efficient, improve their flexibility and adapt more easily to new business challenges and regulatory requirements.


For more information about IBM see: www.ibm.com.




Contact:
George Enema
Marketing & Communications Manager
IBM West Africa
Email: george@ng.ibm.com
Tel: +234 1 262 5455/7

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: IBM

CONTACT: George Enema, Marketing & Communications Manager, IBM West
Africa, george@ng.ibm.com, +234-1-262-5455/7


Web Site: http://www.ibm.com/



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Monday, December 14, 2009

Saving Lives with SMS for Life


Tanzanian child helped by SMS for life program and IBM LotusLive.com cloud computing. (PRNewsFoto/IBM) LONDON ENGLAND


14 Dec 2009 12:00 Africa/Lagos


Saving Lives with SMS for Life

IBM, Novartis and Vodafone Join Forces to Help Halt Malaria in Africa

LONDON, Dec. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A new solution developed by IBM (NYSE:IBM) , Novartis and Vodafone with the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, is helping to save lives using everyday technology to improve the availability of anti-malarial drugs in remote areas of Tanzania.


(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091214/NY25146-a )
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091214/NY25146-b )
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO )

Called "SMS for Life," the initiative uses a combination of mobile phones, SMS (Short Messaging Service) technologies and intuitive web sites to track and manage the supply of Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT) drugs and Quinine injectables, both of which are key to reducing the number of deaths from malaria.


The mosquito-borne disease causes nearly one million deaths in Africa each year, mostly among pregnant women and young children, and many people die because they simply lack quick access to vital medication.


The concept of using text messaging to improve stock management of life-saving medicines was developed by pharmaceutical company Novartis and a team of international students taking part in IBM's internship program, Extreme Blue. The team came up with SMS for Life, as it relies on simple technology and fosters self-sufficiency. IBM was tasked with managing the overall project and Vodafone was invited to develop and manage a system based on simple SMS messaging that would help ensure dispensaries did not run out of vital stock.


After visits to clinics, hospitals and dispensaries across Tanzania, IBM, Novartis and Vodafone initiated a five-month pilot of the SMS for Life solution, covering 135 villages and over a million people in different geographic locations across Tanzania.


Vodafone, together with its technology partner MatsSoft, developed a system in which healthcare staff at each facility receives automated SMS messages, which prompt them to check the remaining stock of anti-malarial drugs each week. Using toll-free numbers, staff reply with an SMS to a central database system hosted in the United Kingdom, providing details of stock levels, and deliveries can be made before supplies run out at local health centres.


"This is an example of a truly innovative solution helping solve a humanitarian problem," says Peter Ward of IBM, SMS for Life Project Manager. "After spending time on the ground, we created a project plan, developed the application with Vodafone and Novartis and established the best way to deliver the pilot, working with the Tanzanian Ministry of Health. We expect other countries will also be able to benefit in the future."


"Vodafone has worked closely with IBM, Novartis and MatsSoft, to develop a simple, robust and innovative system that is able to deliver even in the most remote African communities," said Dr. Dianne Sullivan, Scientific Adviser, Mobile Health, of Vodafone. "The SMS for Life solution shows the tremendous potential of mobile technology to deliver social good through lateral thinking by helping to ensure supplies of life-saving drugs."


During the first few weeks of the pilot, the number of health facilities with stock-outs in one district alone, was reduced by over 75 percent. The early success of the SMS for Life pilot project has the Tanzanian authorities interested in implementing the solution across the rest of the country. Tanzania has around 5,000 clinics, hospitals and dispensaries, but at any one time, as many as half could potentially be out of stock of anti-malarial drugs.


"The SMS for Life program has already had a positive effect in Tanzania," says Senior Health Officer with Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Tanzania, Winfred Mwafongo. "I've seen district medical officers ordering urgent stock replacements for various health facilities. During a visit to 19 rural health facilities in one district alone, I saw huge improvements in their inventory management systems. I'm very impressed with the results so far and look forward to following the rest of the pilot through to completion."


"Collaboration is critical to tackle health problems of the developing world, and we are proud to be part of the SMS for Life partnership, a project that will reduce stock-outs, and ensure that mothers and their young children in Africa have access to life-saving anti-malarial medicines," says Silvio Gabriel, Executive Vice President and Head of the Malaria Initiatives at Novartis.


Designed as a public and private partnership leveraging the skills and resources of several companies, SMS for Life could have far-reaching implications for existing health systems worldwide. Several other African states are already keen to introduce the project.


About the RBM Global Partnership


The RBM Partnership is the global coordinator of the fight against malaria. RBM draws its strength and experience from hundreds of partners from malaria endemic countries, country donors, companies, non-governmental and community organisations, foundations and research and academic institutions. RBM partners' collective aim is to reduce annual malaria deaths from around one million to virtually zero by 2015 through the implementation of the Global Malaria Action Plan (GMAP). This outlines RBM's vision for a substantial and sustained reduction in the burden of malaria in the near and mid-term, and the eventual global eradication of malaria in the long term with the introduction of new tools. www.rollbackmalaria.org


About IBM
For more information about IBM, please visit www.ibm.com.

About Novartis

Novartis provides healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Focused solely on healthcare, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals, preventive vaccines, diagnostic tools and consumer health products. Novartis is the only company with leading positions in each of these areas. In 2008, the Group's continuing operations achieved net sales of USD 41.5 billion and net income of USD 8.2 billion. Approximately USD 7.2 billion was invested in R&D activities throughout the Group. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ approximately 99,000 full-time-equivalent associates and operate in more than 140 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com/.


About Vodafone


Vodafone is the world's leading international mobile communications group with approximately 323 million proportionate customers as at 30 September 2009. Vodafone currently has equity interests in 31 countries across five continents and around 40 partner networks worldwide. For more information, please visit www.vodafone.com


Contact:
IBM
Arlene Wainstein
Tel: 33 155916172
arlenewainstein@fr.ibm.com

IBM
Mike Azzi
914-766-1561
azzi@us.ibm.com

Vodafone Group Media Relations
Tel: +44 (0)1635 664 444
Email: groupmediarelations@vodafone.com

Novartis Media Relations
Sarah Coles
Ruder Finn
Office: +1 212 593 6393
Mobile: +1 646 354 8697
Email: coless@ruderfinn.com


Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091214/NY25146-a
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091214/NY25146-b
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: IBM

CONTACT: Arlene Wainstein, +33-155916172, arlenewainstein@fr.ibm.com or
Mike Azzi, +1-914-766-1561, azzi@us.ibm.com, both of IBM; Vodafone Group Media
Relations, +44-(0)1635-664-444, groupmediarelations@vodafone.com; or Sarah
Coles, Novartis Media Relations, Ruder Finn, +1-212-593-6393 (office) or
+1-646-354-8697 (mobile), coless@ruderfinn.com


Web Site: http://www.ibm.com/




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14 Dec 2009
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Saving Lives with SMS for Life
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