With the economy growing, businesses in Bangladesh seek improved software to increase their efficiencies, SAP President and Managing Director of Indian Subcontinent Alan Sedghi told The Daily Star in an interview.

"Novartis in Bangladesh uses SAP and this will help us accelerate our presence here," he said.

SAP has already assigned a team comprising industry specialists to work closely with customers and partners to tap the local market.

SAP offers industry-specific solutions to address the industry's business challenges and recognises the uniqueness of each industry, he said.

The unique processes of various industries, from aerospace to utilities, are supported by more than 25 industry-specific SAP solution portfolios, Sedghi added.

"Today more than 21,600 customers in over 120 countries run more than 69,700 installations of SAP software."

Commenting on the industry segments that SAP will focus on in Bangladesh Sedghi said, "We see a lot of potential for enterprise applications in textile, oil and gas, financial services and utilities industries."

Many cellphone companies around the world have been using SAP solution efficiently, he added.

SAP has appointed Thakral Information Systems as its marketing associate in Bangladesh.

SAP's partner organisations such as Siemens Informations Systems Ltd will work along with both present and prospective customers to ensure the delivery of end-to-end solutions.

With subsidiaries in more than 50 countries, the company is listed on several exchanges, including Frankfurt and New York stock exchanges.