Outsource Issue 21 - (Page 64)

From Belarus to InFInIty – and Beyond Formed in 1993 in a newly independent Belarus, IBA Group has grown to be one of Eastern Europe’s largest IT service providers. Outsource spoke with IBA Group President Sergei Levteev about the company’s origins, current activities and future challenges outsource: Can you tell us a little about your own role at IBA, and the development of the company until now? Sergei Levteev: As the CEO of IBA Group since the very formation of the organisation, I am the one who bears responsibility for the success or failure of the company. My everyday work includes a variety of tasks related to operations, marketing, strategy, financing, HR, sales, PR, etc. IBA was formed in 1993 in Minsk, Belarus. It was the time when the country gained independence from the USSR, which brought about both positive and negative effects in society. The formerly strong IT industry lost state orders and many IT organisations were shutting down. The Computer Research Institute and the Computer Production Association, the flagships of the Belarusian IT industry, were among the few that survived. At that time Belarus was known as the Silicon Valley of the USSR. It covered roughly 60% of the USSR’s demand for IT. The reputation of Belarusian programmers spread far beyond the country – it reached IBM, and its representatives came on several exploratory visits to Minsk. Sergei Levteev As a result, a joint venture called International Business Alliance, or IBA, was formed. We aimed to complement the skills and creativity of local developers with the advanced IBM technologies. IBM probably aimed to acquire additional highly qualified resources. In 1999, IBM pulled off its share in line with its strategy but our cooperation has further developed. In 2000, IBA made a decision to diversify its client base. At present, our clients are IBM, Goodyear, Rockwell Automation, Fujitsu Technology Solutions, T-Systems, and other well-known companies globally. In 2005, IBA moved its headquarters to Prague following the admission of the Czech Republic to the EU. IBA turned into IBA Group, an alliance of IT companies with more than 2,500 employees and offices in eight countries. Our vision is built around two main assets, namely clients and employees. We are committed to working in partnership with our clients, where each shares common interests, values, and goals. We are also striving to be a workplace of choice for the best IT professionals who care about their job at IBA Group. IBA Group is an IT outsourcing provider and a product developer. Currently, we are seeking to be more product-oriented. I see it as my personal task to choose what products to offer in the future. Strategic alliances are also among my daily concerns. When forming new partnerships, it is important to maintain a balance of interests between new partners and those who have been with us for years. Last year IBA Group (www.iba-it-group.com) was recognised as Best Employer in the “Socially Responsible Brand” category at Belarus’ Brand of the Year awards. 64 ● www.outsourcemagazine.co.uk  http://www.iba-it-group.com http://www.outsourcemagazine.co.uk

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Outsource Issue 21

Outsource - Issue 21
In This Issue
Meet the Board
News and Comment
The Post-Election Landscape
Jim Mather
Sharing the Burden
Q&A: Debra Robinson
RPO Report
The Cloud Breaks
Tom Bangemann
Germany Focus
Outsourcing Derivatives Reconciliations
The Path to Perfection
Phone Home?
Sergei Levteev
Bangladesh
Richard Thompson
Adam Foster
SME Outsourcing
Good Relations
Culture Clash
Professor Arie Lewin
The Legal View
NOA Round-up
Words from the Web
Inside Source
The Last Word

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