NATIONAL 6 -(Spotlight Weekly)]

Growing Across The Borders

A private company is working hard to prove that Nepal can produce world-class software products

By A CORRESPONDENT

It was another feather in the cap of Unlimited Software Network Pvt Ltd (commonly known as Unlimited), a leading software company in Nepal. The company was selected for the International Star Award for Quality for corporate achievement, quality and excellence in Switzerland. The award is part of the annual program of B.I.D., Business Initiative Directions Awards, designed to recognize outstanding companies, organizations, and businessmen in the world. Allen Bailochan Tuladhar, the dynamic CEO of Unlimited, received the award in October this year in Geneva.

Tuladhar (left) accepting the award : Recognition of quality

With over 250 employees, Unlimited is involved in software development, software sales and distribution, Internet service, web hosting service, audio and visual content, medical transcription and software and IT-enabled services exports. "Unlimited has the mission to become by 2003 Nepal's biggest, most respected and most profitable software and IT-related services company in both domestic as well as export market," said Allen. "Yet we do not have a second to lose to aim for the ISO 9000 standards to be globally recognized in the quality that Unlimited produces in its products, services and customer services."

The former general secretary of the Computer Association of Nepal (CAN) turned into an information technology professional from a journalist. Born 35 years ago into a Buddhist family, he left his family's hotel business and established an IT-based company at his own risk. "If we are not mind-locked, through satellite technology the whole world can be our playground. All we have to do is to capitalize and tap this technology," said Allen.

Unlimited's business alliance with worldwide software leaders such as Microsoft, Computer Associates, Novell and Symantec, among others, has enabled the company to keep pace with advancement in technology as it occurs. Unlimited's humble beginnings as a tiny upstart in 1992 with its base in Kathmandu, Nepal and a virtual office in Los Angeles, USA has gone through rapid transformation over the years. Realizing the need to strengthen itself before venturing into the overseas market, Unlimited has concentrated for the last seven years in the domestic market, providing custom software development services and distributing packaged software as representatives of international software vendors.

In order to train its manpower in newer technologies as soon as they are available, Unlimited has gone into the re-education and re-certification business so as to produce in-house experts certified in Microsoft, Novell and AutoDesk technologies. The company is also working as an Internet service provider in the country's competitive market.

ADB'S LOAN
Reforming The Financial Sector

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a loan package of US$ 10.6 million last week to reform and strengthen Nepal's financial and corporate sectors. The Corporate and Financial Governance Project, which ADB is supporting with a US$7.3 million loan and US$ 3.3 million for six technical assistance grants, seeks to upgrade the financial and corporate sectors' legal and regulatory frameworks, standards, and policies and strengthen key sector institutions involved in the regulation and supervision of the corporate and financial sectors, the bank said.

The assistance will also be used in establishing a National Judicial Academy, develop the payment systems and communications infrastructure for improved financial service delivery and prepare for the restructuring of state-owned financial intermediaries. "The long-term goal is more evenly distributed growth and access to financial services for all through a robust and efficient financial sector characterized by transparency and accountability," said Werner Liepach, ADB's senior financial economist on the project.

The loan will have to be repaid over 32 years, including a grace period of eight years. Interest will be one percent per annum during the grace period and 1.5 percent per annum thereafter. The project, scheduled to be completed by the end of 2004, will be executed by the Ministry of Finance.