By Ong Boon Kiat

INFORMATION technology security vendor Check Point Software Technologies is likely to ramp up its head count in Singapore and across Asia-Pacific as it sets out to better its already stellar 30 per cent growth peg in this region in the coming 12 months, according to company chairman and chief executive Gil Shwed.

He told BizIT on a recent visit here that the company will 'probably' be growing its 100-staff regional head count in the coming months, and that 'it is very likely we will invest in areas like China, where there is a lot of untapped potential'.

Mr Shwed said the company is doing 'very well' in Singapore, where it has a 20-staff office on Beach Road.

The office here manages sales across South Asia, a region which includes Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.

The Israel-based firm, which provides a broad range of security products to businesses worldwide and is known for its longstanding firewall products, is one of a handful of tech firms which has managed to buck the global downturn.

It managed to grow business 20 per cent globally over the past 12 months. And it grew business 30 per cent in the Asia-Pacific region, which now accounts for 13 per cent of the firm's overall sales.

Mr Shwed is now eyeing an even stronger sales performance in the Asia-Pacific as this region emerges from the financial downturn.

'In the last two years, Check Point's business in Asia-Pacific has grown faster than the rest of the world and I hope the trend can continue,' he said.

'In the last 18 months, we've invested a lot, put in the right partnerships and added people - and that has worked out quite well for us.'

He added: 'We are very encouraged. I've been visiting Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and India because we see a very good positive momentum here.

'This region has a lot more potential for us and the world. I hope our growth rate in Asia-Pacific will accelerate in the coming months. We are working very hard to make it grow even faster.'

Check Point last month reported a 14 per cent year-on-year jump in its third fiscal quarter net profit to US$91.5 million, on a 17 per cent rise in sales to US$233.6 million.

Mr Shwed said that 'good initiatives', new products and the acquisition of Nokia's security appliance business early this year have combined to help Check Point ride strongly over the downturn period.

'The Nokia acquisition brought us closer to our customers, especially the high- end enterprise customers. It added positively to our results worldwide and also in this region.'

The deal has resulted in 'double or triple the amount of business' with some of these customers, he said, adding that Check Point is still hunting for more acquisitions.

This article was first published in The Business Times.