SAS named the business intelligence vendor of the year

Mumbai: SAS Asia Pacific has been conferred with the "Business Intelligence Vendor 2004 Award" by Frost & Sullivan. The award was given to SAS in recognition of its outstanding performance in the information and communication technologies industry by helping customers control costs, drive revenues and achieve capital efficiency.

The award was based on the specific parameters of revenue and profit growth, market share and market share growth, and leadership in product and service innovation. The company has grown considerably in the Asia Pacific region in the last two decades, both in terms of revenue and customer base. This is illustrated by the fact that SAS achieved 20 per cent revenue growth in 2003 and increased its penetration into the banking and financial, telecommunications and public sector significantly in the Asia Pacific region. With over 6,000 customers across 14 countries, SAS has recently launched its SAS 9 platform and plans to introduce new and enhanced solutions during 2004, based on this single, scalable business intelligence platform.

Commenting on the award, Aditya Sapru, partner and director - Indian operations, Frost & Sullivan said, "SAS is credited with continuous innovation on the product front, making them increasingly user-friendly and scalable, revolutionising the way in which data and applications are shared. Their strong R&D capabilities have helped them to consistently deliver breakthrough technologies on the business analytics front. Given this, even in India, the company enjoys a leading market share of 22.5 per cent, a leadership position with 70 per cent top of mind recall."

Vivek Gokarn, managing director and CEO, SAS India, said, "This award is a testament to the growth of SAS in the Asia Pacific region where India has been a key market. In the first quarter SAS India sales revenue increased significantly by 50 per cent, as compared to the same period last year. We will continue to enhance our dominant market leadership and contribute significantly in helping our customers achieve their business goals, by demonstrating value based on their industry-specific needs." He added, "The award is an excellent illustration of our success and leading market position, and a validation of the tangible benefits we bring to organisations in the Asia Pacific region."