AUGUST 2010 17Integr8 - special focus

ONE of the biggest events in South Africa’s history saw 32 teams from around the world descend on the country. Along with all the big-name football players, a whole host

of big-name sponsors and advertisers also arrived. One name fl ashing around the pitchside billboards that stood out, perhaps because it wasn’t an American fast food restaurant or German sports brand, was Mahindra Satyam.

Part of the Indian-based, $6.3 billion Mahindra Group, Mahindra Satyam is an NYSE-listed, global business consulting and IT services company. The offi cial IT services provider for the 2010 Fifa World Cup™, Mahindra Satyam operates in many industry verticals and off ers a range of horizontal services, including BPO (business process outsourcing), web commerce solutions and business intelligence. Being involved with the Fifa World Cup™ has not been Mahindra Satyam’s only foray into Africa in 2010. In February, the company announced a partnership with Integr8, which is set to expand the markets of both companies considerably.

Tami Sussman, HR and marketing director, Integr8, says: “We don’t compete directly, or play in each other’s space and our businesses compliment each other, so it makes perfect sense.”

The agreement gives both companies access to the skill sets and expertise of the other and also provides a platform for both to continue to grow. Mahindra Satyam’s business head for the African region, Bhaskar Ramani, said at the time: “We are delighted with this new partnership as the expertise and experience of Integr8 will help us broaden our service off ering and provide innovative solutions to our customers in the South African market.”

PULL TOGETHER“The importance of the deal is how the two companies leverage the skills and strengths of the other, and how the relationship will continue to evolve,” Sussman adds. “The relationship is mutually benefi cial, as we are learning from Mahindra Satyam’s global depth and experience,” she says. “And they are equally learning from our experience in the local South African and African markets. They will continuously look at our best practices, technology innovations and all aspects that give us the industry-leading reputation we have today.

Words Adrian HinchcliffeWords Adrian Hinchcliffe

GOING GLOBALINDIA’S $6.3 BILLION MAHINDRA SATYAM GROUP EYES INTEGR8.

Tami Sussman, HR and marketing director

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Keith Mafokoane, partner

emerging market

The partnership also has all the ingredients to grow into even more of a strategic tie between the companies.”

Sussman adds that Integr8 fi elds an inordinate amount of interest from multinational companies across the globe to form a partnership, alliance or to acquire the South African fi rm. The number of interested parties from emerging economic superpowers China and India were particularly noticeable.

GUARANTEED DELIVERYIntegr8 chose to work with Mahindra Satyam for a number of reasons. Sussman says: “We want to continue to be known as a company that delivers, and in Mahindra Satyam we have a partner that also has a track record of being able to deliver. They have the credibility of being a Fifa partner, not only for this World Cup, but for the next one in 2014 as well, and that doesn’t come lightly,” she adds.

“Mahindra Satyam has the backing of a huge parent company, a very competent and talented workforce and an impressive client base.” Another factor that swayed Integr8’s decision to partner up was the exposure and experience it would give the South African company to the Indian market and beyond.

“We felt that it made complete sense for the company, and our people, to have the channels available to work abroad in India under the Integr8 banner,” says Sussman.

Further, this additional global footprint adds to the benefi ts that Integr8’s client base already realises from the company’s existing international experience and coverage.

True to the company’s entrepreneurial spirit, Sussman sees this as a chance for the company to grow into other emerging markets and explore other new business opportunities.

Integr8 is renowned as an innovative and entrepreneurial company that places these two values at the core of its ethos to stay ahead of the game and deliver to its clients. A quick look around the Integr8 boardroom reveals an abundance of trophies and awards to that

practices, infrastructure and adoption vary signifi cantly,” she says.

“Issues like slow local loop unbundling, lack of bandwidth and reliability of infrastructure have forced Integr8 to innovate to match the status quo of mature markets. For companies coming into South Africa on their own this will not be easy,” Sussman concludes.

“South Africa has the language, skills and timezone to become a major global outsourcing venue.” TAMI SUSSMAN

eff ect, including Technology Top 100’s ‘Most innovative company in Africa’ and Legatum’s ‘Innovation in Africa’. The latter is signifi cant as it recognises Integr8’s achievements from afar, coming from the Dubai investment community, adding further to the company’s fast-growing reputation.

STEPPING STONESussman says Integr8 has gained its current status from understanding and identifying the best ways to capitalise on opportunities in the African marketplace. He adds that, like Mahindra Satyam, there are many global companies looking to do the same.

He reasons that many companies are planning to split their business process outsourcing locations to reduce costs and reliance on one country, especially given the recent global economic crisis.

“South Africa has the language, skills and timezone to become a major outsourcing venue for Europe and America,” says Sussman.

Mahindra Satyam’s Ramani adds: “South Africa has immense potential and is a growing economy, off ering numerous advantages.”

As well as being a recognised growth economy in its own right, the country also benefi ts from being viewed by many as the gateway into a continent fi lled with emerging economies. Sussman believes there will be a lot of expansion into Africa, using the country as a point of entry in the next few years.

“As with our partnership with Mahindra Satyam, there will be plenty of opportunity for the well-positioned and experienced South African ICT companies going forward. This is especially true for companies like ourselves, who understand Africa very well and have a solid network and footprint across the continent, as well as international growth ambitions.”

For companies from outside the country, it is often diffi cult to break into the market under their own steam, due to cultural and language diff erences. “While IT is a common language across the world, local culture, business