Israel's Ness sets up ANZ HQ in Melbourne

Stan Beer
Sunday, 30 April 2006 16:32

IT People - Enterprise

Israeli IT services and solutions provider Ness Technologies will open its Australia New Zealand headquarters in Melbourne creating up to 50 new jobs.

Victorian Minister for Information and Communication Technology, Marsha Thomson, who is currently leading a Victorian ICT mission to Israel, met with the Chairman of the Board of Ness Technologies in Tel Aviv, Aharon Fogel, to finalise arrangements for the new regional headquarters, to be rolled out over the next 12 months.

“This investment by Ness is further recognition of Victoria's place as a global investment destination,” Ms Thomson said.

“There are real advantages for global ICT companies to base themselves in Victoria and the Bracks Government welcomes Ness Technologies decision to position itself in Melbourne.”

Managing Director of Ness Asia Pacific, Rohit Gandhi, said the decision to open its Australian office in Melbourne was easy.

“Victoria gives us the benefits we need: the skills, the market and the opportunity,” he said.

The company will forge key alliances including with Webmethods, which was founded in Victoria nearly a decade ago and is now listed on NASDAQ
(NASDAQ: NSTC) and based in Richmond, Virginia, USA.

Newly-appointed Ness Australia manager, Sat Mishra, said there were many opportunities for expansion of the company's business in Australia and South-East Asia.

“It's great to be working in partnership with a company like WebMethods. Ness also partners with Oracle and Informatica in Australia.”

Ness Technologies revenues last year were worth US$385 million, with offices in 15 countries across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific and a workforce of more than 6,600.

Ms Thomson said her visit to Israel was the last leg of a trip which also took in the US and Japan.

“Our aim in Japan was to capitalise on last year's trade mission which saw about $17 million worth of investment in Victorian companies.  Many companies have again developed new or strengthened business partnerships which will help grow the Victorian ICT industry,” she said.

“The Victorian ICT industry will also benefit from the US visit which has been successful in delivering strategic alliances and investments with some of the world's leading ICT companies such as Computer Associates, Intel and HP.”