Business leaders from information and communication technology (ICT) sector have hailed Bahrain as a regional ICT leader.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Bahrain International Technology Exhibition (Bitex), they said the kingdom's qualified personnel, strong Internet and communication networks, the rise of mobile users to 180 per cent, advanced laws and proximity to the Saudi market entitle it to lead the region in ICT, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

They added that they had taken part in Bitex with the aim of expanding their operations in Bahrain and the region, and finding local partners ahead of launching permanent offices in the kingdom.

Tally Solutions international operations manager Baradhwaj R said the reason it selected Bitex is that it has been operating here for the past 10 years.

“We are a global company providing solutions to primary and small skill businesses.

“Our primary objective is to help businesses grow. That is what we have been trying to achieve and we are helping Indian economy to grow and similarly we are trying to improve the economy of other governments in the region.

“We have a good presence in the Middle East including the UAE, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain, which is a primary market for us,” he said.

Enter carrier relations and network manager Milko L Lari explained why his Italian company decided to take part in an exhibition in Bahrain.

“This is an important and central market for Europe and Italy. We think that there are a lot of opportunities here. I believe it is very important for every company in the world to have a presence in the Middle East,” he said.

We Like CRM chief executive Fabio Castronuovo said the GCC countries are a potential market for all their activities and to expand their sales activities.

“So we joined in the exhibition to find partners to increase our market in the area in general and in Bahrain in particular as we believe that Bahrain's market is very interesting and important. I am sure that by next year, we can expand our services.”

Procons-4IT country manager Sumeet Chowdhry said his company has been operating in the Middle East for two years now. 'Our corporate office is based in Dubai. We have been looking at Bahrain for the last six months.

“We feel Bahrain has a huge potential to grow and compete with other regional markets.”

The company is in the process of establishing a local office and has already selected partners. - TradeArabia News Service