Canon plans consultancy division next year in Dubai

Canon plans to set up a consultancy division in Dubai next year that will target businesses that use its printers.

"This consultancy announcement has just been made globally and will take time to be implemented in the local markets," David Preston, Marketing Director of the Emerging Markets Business Unit at Canon Europe, told Emirates Business. "In the Middle East the consultancy division will open first in Dubai.

"Canon has both hardware and services in its product portfolio but requires specialists to support the sales team. This consultancy group will work with customers on particular projects. Consumers are becoming conscious of document workflow across the network and the price of hardware. Document lifecycles are also gaining importance."

Preston said Canon would look for specialists in the region as he did not believe there was a dearth of skills. "In fact, it is a good time to recruit as the employment situation is getting better," he said. "Specialists will be appointed when the division starts in the region."

He said Canon, like other printer manufacturers, had faced challenges in 2009. "In spite of these challenges there was expansion into emerging markets such as Russia. A new organisation was formed and a warehouse was established in the country. The overall strategy was to focus on emerging markets," he said.

Canon is targeting a 16 per cent increase in sales this year. "In the Middle East the growth areas will be Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Abu Dhabi," he said.

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