The Hindu Business Line : India centre to play key role in SumTotal expansion

SUMTOTAL Systems Inc, the business performance and learning technology solutions provider, has drawn up plans to expand Indian operations, broaden scope of work to cover product development and support from here and also bring the entire integration work of Docent and Click2Learn and its European business.

The Chief Executive Officer of SumTotal, Mr R. Andrew Eckert, told Business Line the merger process between Click2Learn and Docent has brought about the largest integrated business performance and learning technology company and the India centre based in Hyderabad has become strategic for its expansion and to handle the integration business.

"The India centre has grown to over 150 people in 18 months and we expect to rapidly expand this operation. This would be particularly fuelled by the move to bring the European work here.

"We are also in the process of forging strategic alliances with integrators in India. Verticals of healthcare, financial services were early adopters and we find manufacturing and retail segments fast catching up," Mr Eckert said.

Mr Eckert, who was CEO of Docent, said: While we continue to book new business, we are well positioned to increase our leadership and deliver the benefits envisioned when forming the company.

"SumTotal has helped more than 650 customers accelerate performance and profit as they seek new ways to bring internal efficiencies. These clients include Microsoft, Vodafone, GlaxoSmithKline, Accenture and Harley Davidson. We are also in talks with some of the Indian companies and expect the Asia-Pacific business to grow from about 5 per cent to 10 per cent this year.