The local IT sector is, without doubt, dominated by mostly multinational brands and foreign-based tech corporations. But, an up-and-coming Filipino-owned business app and consulting firm is battling the status quo by establishing a foothold in its home territory.
Third Pillar, which was co-founded by veteran IT executive Jennifer Ligones, is now slowly making a name for itself after just three years of local operations. Fuelling its growth is its status as the preferred local partner of recognized brands in cloud computing, data analytics, and IT consulting.
At a recent press briefing where Third Pillar?s officers were presented, Ligones said the company?s impressive journey so far has been the result of its desire to prove that a Filipino-led company can compete with the best out there.
Another ingredient of its success, according to Ligones, is its fruitful collaboration with cloud computing pioneer Salesforce.com and data governance firm BackOffice Associates. CPM Consulting, a BackOffice Associates company, is also a partner in the area of consulting services, particularly for SAP solutions. On the other hand, global consulting firm Consus is its partner for HR solutions.
Ligones, a former country manager of SAP Philippines who now serves as the CEO of Third Pillar, said the company has plans to expand abroad once its local presence is firmly well-established.
Though the tech firm is still relatively young, Ligones and her co-founders, as well as her management staff, are not rookies in the business. Like Ligones, most of the officers have paid their dues to the industry.
As a homegrown company, the lady executive said it is setting its sights on on helping local SMEs navigate the digital terrain. ?The market is still big for opportunities on this sector,? Ligones said.
Its rather small number of employees, she added, allows the company to be highly agile in understanding and responding to the needs of the clients.
At the press briefing, Third Pillar stressed that it puts priority in good data governance and data quality, saying every company must have a robust sales and marketing solution to boost sales output and customer service. They also need a good procurement application to help reduce cost, it added.
?As a new player in a highly competitive field, Third Pillar?s strategic alliances are what sets us apart and gives us the competitive edge. We are confident that with the many plans we have in store for our customers, we will be able to ensure that their trust in us will be well-earned,? Ligones said.
?Though we have an established track record among large enterprises, we see the potential of catering to the small and medium sized businesses. Right now, we are looking at new and exciting business solutions that we have collaborated with entrepreneurs which will benefit them. Since SMEs make up a big part of the country?s businesses, we are looking forward to being an integral part of their growth.?
