Unisys, IT Naledi - successful enterprise development

IT Naledi, a black-owned company spun out of multinational Unisys in 2007, has become a model of successful enterprise development.

“IT Naledi employees own 49% of the business and the directors own the remaining 51%,” explained IT Naledi's Hashiem Bardien. “So the creation of IT Naledi has given all of us an opportunity to build an independent business with real sustainability.

“IT Naledi is an IT infrastructure services company that supplies and manages a diverse range of hardware and software solutions for large and medium organisations. When Unisys decided to spin out part of its South African services business to improve its black empowerment credentials, Unisys focused on enterprise development and set up a number of new companies owned by former employees.”

These new companies were made Authorised Client Services Centres for Unisys. “This enabled us to offer ongoing training and support, as well as ensuring that everybody who offers services to our clients is appropriately trained,” says Wattrus, Director of Global Outsourcing and Infrastructure Services, Africa. “This is an initiative that we believe is unique to Unisys South Africa.

Established to serve Unisys clients in South Africa, IT Naledi took the advice of Unisys to diversify its client base. “They're definitely not waiting to be handed business,” says Wattrus.

Wattrus says IT Naledi is well positioned to serve its corporate clients. “Their size makes them flexible and adaptable,” he says. “They also have mature and robust processes and a tremendous depth of knowledge and experience.”

Bardien says IT Naledi offers a multi-dimensional range of products and services, from consulting through maintenance contracts to equipment sourcing, supply and disposal.

“The relationship with IT Naledi and other authorised client service centres has been very successful. We're constantly looking at how we can take it to a higher level,” says Wattrus. “As we outsource service delivery to our trusted partners, it allows us all to move up the value chain. Each wave of outsourcing upskills the ACSCs so that they can take similar services to their clients, says Wattrus.