IT services company Atos Origin, has set up offices in Egypt and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, in order to best serve its customers and to take into account cultural and geographical differences.

The company said that having operations in the area will enable them to capitalise on the predicted growth in IT investment over the next few years in the region.

Atos Origin has appointed Samir El Awadi CEO for the region, who will report to Francis Meston, executive vice president for Systems integration.

Prior to this appointment Samir, 55, has held a number of senior positions in Atos Origin.

Most recently, he was vice president for Sales at Atos Origin in the Netherlands.

Other roles include: sector director for the Pharma & Healthcare market; global account director for Akzo Nobel and senior management consultant for the Philips global account.

He is a member of the board of the Dutch/Egyptian business and diplomatic community; a member of the jury board of the International Sales Management Association in the Netherlands; a member of the advisory board of Vacansoleil international cycling team and a former commercial director of the year (2008).

Atos Origin senior executive vice president Charles Dehelly said that the company has an ambitious growth plan and setting up operations in Egypt and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries is a clear example.

"Samir's international sales experience and his extensive political and cultural knowledge of the region and its markets will be a considerable asset to accelerate growth in this strategic and growing market," Dehelly said.