After a hiatus of three years, one of South Africa's top business intelligence solution providers is re-entering the Gauteng market. Having focused on the country's coastal regions, Synergy Business Intelligence - predominantly a provider of solutions based on IBM Cognos performance management software - has opened its premises in Bryanston.
The development comes soon after Synergy BI's announcement of a management buyout from former parent, Sekunjalo.
According to Synergy BI managing director Christo Bredenkamp, the company opted to leave Johannesburg three years ago to focus on its value creation capability on the coast. “As one of the largest and best established business intelligence companies in the country, we are now in a position to bring this value creation capability to the Gauteng market. This capability is built on the quality skills we have able to attract and retain,” he says.
Bredenkamp points to the low staff turnover, which the company has enjoyed. “This is a critical aspect in establishing and maintaining the culture of our company. We have a flat management structure and provide an environment in which consultants can grow their careers by exceeding the expectations of our clients.”
With key staff handpicked, Bredenkamp stresses that only the best candidates are suitable. “What is important as we re-enter the Johannesburg market is the extension of the culture we created in our coastal operations. With the appointment of Christine Beswick to head up the Gauteng operation, we are confident this will be achieved.”
With over 16 years' experience in the fields of data warehousing and BI, Beswick enjoys a long history with Synergy BI. “It is now, more than ever, critical for organisations to adopt BI aligned with their corporate strategy. Given Synergy's extensive experience in the implementation of holistic data warehouse and BI solutions, it is well positioned to assist companies with these implementations,” she says.
Where other companies may be feeling the pinch of a shrinking economy, Synergy BI continues to experience strong trade, Bredenkamp continues. “There has been little decline in workload; all our resources are busy and we continue to grow our team. We feel the time is right to position the company for the future, and opening an office in Gauteng is a key part of our strategy.”
Re-entering Johannesburg with a clean slate, he adds that while the markets may differ a little from those of the coastal regions, the company has learned lessons and is confident of success. “As an organisation which is now firmly in control of its own destination following the management buyout, we are more agile and able to adapt quickly to changing circumstances,” Bredenkamp says.
“Our core technical team has a controlling stake in the business, and as we expand our capability in the financial performance management space with the IBM Cognos TM1 solution, we expect a strong pipeline to come out of the Johannesburg office.”
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