As South Asia positions itself as a global innovation hub, digital transformation is no longer a trend—it’s a necessity. In this exclusive interview, Abdul Mannan, Founder & CEO of CliqPack Ltd., shares how companies like his are reshaping the region’s digital landscape through AI, SaaS products, and inclusive digital ecosystems.

Abdul Mannan
CEO, CliqPack Ltd.

1. How do you see the current state of the IT industry in South Asia, and what major shifts are shaping its future?

South Asia’s IT industry is undergoing a pivotal transformation. Countries like Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka are no longer just outsourcing destinations—they are fast becoming innovation hubs, driven by a growing talent pool and a rising culture of entrepreneurship. The industry is evolving from a service-centric model to one that’s innovation-driven and product-focused. Bangladesh, in particular, is emerging as a tech manufacturing hub—not just consuming but creating digital products. The next wave will be shaped by AI adoption, government-backed digitization, and public-private partnerships focused on smart infrastructure, health, and education.

2. Digital transformation is no longer optional for businesses. From your perspective, how is the demand for digital solutions evolving across different sectors?
Demand is moving from generic tools to tailored digital ecosystems. In retail and F&B, clients expect smart PoS solutions that do more than billing—Zii delivers exactly that, connecting operations, analytics, and multi-location management. In real estate, clients require automation, compliance, and tenant/owner/customer lifecycle management—CliqProperty meets these needs with a cloud-native SaaS platform.

Additionally, our enterprise-grade custom solution development helps large organizations modernize legacy systems, build domain-specific platforms, and integrate complex infrastructure—especially across telecom, education, and government sectors.

3. With global economic uncertainties and tightening tech budgets, how can IT companies continue to deliver value while remaining cost-effective?
Value delivery must now be outcome-focused. Companies that can combine deep domain expertise, lean delivery models, and globally distributed teams will thrive. CliqPack leverages its dual presence in Australia and Bangladesh to offer clients cost-effective, high-impact solutions—balancing Western-standard quality with South Asian efficiency.

4. AI, cloud computing, and automation are reshaping the digital economy. Which of these technologies do you see having the biggest impact in the next 2–3 years?
AI will be the most disruptive—transforming operations, decision-making, and customer engagement. At CliqPack, we embed AI into both our products and enterprise solutions, from intelligent alerts in real estate to predictive analytics in retail. Cloud computing remains the foundation of scalability and cross-border delivery, enabling even SMEs to adopt robust systems without heavy infrastructure.

5. There’s an increasing focus on digital inclusion and access. How can tech companies contribute to building a more inclusive digital economy?
True inclusion begins with transparency, localization, and empowerment through data. At CliqPack, we are developing national-scale digital platforms focused on sectors like education—designed to bridge information gaps, empower parents, and improve institutional accountability. Our vision is to help build a digitally inclusive society that works for everyone, not just the connected few.

6. Talent acquisition and retention are critical in tech. How do you view the current digital skills gap, and what needs to change in the education or training ecosystem?
We don’t have a talent shortage—we have a skills readiness challenge. Curricula must align with real-world needs: cloud, AI, APIs, security, and product thinking. At CliqPack, we provide hands-on exposure to global projects and modern tech stacks, enabling Bangladeshi engineers to work on enterprise-grade platforms and build products for international markets.

7. As a player in the global digital economy, what role can companies like CliqPack play in positioning emerging markets as innovation hubs?
CliqPack operates at the intersection of local talent and global demand. By delivering complex, enterprise-grade solutions for international clients and launching scalable SaaS products like Zii and CliqProperty, we are proving that Bangladesh can create—not just deliver. Our upcoming expansion into the MENA region will continue to position emerging markets as credible tech leaders.

8. You’ve developed solutions like Zii and CliqProperty. How do these products reflect current market needs, and what makes them stand out in a competitive digital space?
Zii is purpose-built for both F&B and retail, offering a unified PoS with inventory, CRM, reporting, and branch-level insights. Whether you’re a bakery, supermarket, or chain restaurant, Zii simplifies operations while enabling growth.

CliqProperty is a full-featured SaaS platform for real estate management, covering everything from tenancy to asset management, maintenance, billing, and reporting. Its automation-first approach and flexibility make it a go-to solution for developers, facility managers, and real estate firms.

What sets both apart is our deep industry understanding, AI-driven features, and ability to scale fast. Combined with our strength in custom enterprise software development, we provide a complete ecosystem for digital transformation.