UK-specific additions on the way.
Saasu has opened its first overseas office in the UK which will be led by UK managing director Daljit Bahia. The move would increase Saasu’s appeal to small global companies such as UK digital marketing agency Reload Business Group which used Saasu across five countries.
Saasu CEO Marc Lehmann suggested Saasu would choose the UK before the US as its first northern hemisphere post a year ago in an interview with BoxFreeIT.
“Everyone just runs off with their popgun to fight a war (in the US) and comes back Downunder with their tail between their legs. I’m just not going to go down that road unless it’s funded properly,” Lehmann told BoxFreeIT.
Lehmann said an assault on the US market would require $25 million to $50 million to take on giants such as Intuit, Sage and Bain Capital, owner of MYOB.
Europe has a growing field of cloud accounting players such as Kashflow, Free Agent and CCH-owned Twinfield. Xero also has a strong foothold in the UK with 10,000 business users. Saasu has set its sights on becoming the most cost-effective way to run a multi-currency business and had been used by large companies running SAP to manage accounting in new markets.
Last year Lehmann also said Saasu had told the market it would raise a large amount of money to grow the business outside of Australia. Saasu would roll out several UK-specific enhancements next year including changes to the tax code report, UK pricing and HMRC electronic reporting. Initially UK users would receive support from Australia until local UK-based support staff had been hired.
Bahia has worked in global roles such as director of international sales and marketing for payment systems vendor Keycorp and was most recently managing director of a renewables energy and compliance company.
Saasu will be supported through the UK Trade & Investment’s Global Entrepreneur Programme (GEP).
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