Go East For Expertise
In its March 2011 issue, CEO Magazine publishes an interview with Sergei Levteev, IBA Group President.
Rhian Owen: With organisations now looking at alternatives to traditional outsourcing hotspots, what are the advantages of Eastern Europe?
Sergei Levteev: Eastern Europe offers numerous benefits. IT companies here are able to implement complex and innovative projects because their programmers are educated in mathematics, physics, and other sciences. Software engineers show better understanding of clients’ business needs in contrast to traditional outsourcing centres.
Countries of the region are characterised by political and economic stability, and prices are very competitive, even compared with traditional outsourcing destinations. Eastern European teams provide better project management because of their cultural affinity with Western customers.
IT companies in Eastern Europe like IBA Group have accumulated extensive experience in outsourcing. They have highly qualified IT resources, low employee turnover, a well- developed education system, and a favourable geographic location very close to Western European clients. Outsourcing or, in the case of Eastern Europe, nearshoring is poised to grow in the region.
You began as a small software development company, but what’s business like today?
IBA Group is now one of the largest IT service providers in Eastern Europe. The company employs more than 2,500 IT and business professionals, and has offices in Czech Republic, the US, Germany, Bulgaria, and Kazakhstan. The company’s service portfolio ranges from mainframe software, enterprise applications and web solutions to SAP consulting and implementation, and business intelligence. IBA Group serves clients in more than 30 countries across diverse markets and industries including banking, railways, telecommunications, manufacturing, healthcare, trade, and public.