The Netherlands: focus on growth and local leadership

The strategy of combining quality solutions with a truly customer-centric approach resulted in a substantial increase in both turnover and profitability in the Netherlands: turnover increased with EUR 9 million to EUR 85 million, EBIT with EUR 1,2 million to EUR 8,7 million.

Our focus was predominantly on renewing existing contracts with large (outsourcing) customers. In addition, we were proud to be able to welcome new customers in a wide range of industries, and to increase our footprint with existing customers. As a result, Cegeka’s already extensive solutions portfolio has grown even further.

Software and integration projects were carried out for traditional infrastructure customers and vice versa. To give further structure to support this trend, we started the consolidation of all commercial activities of the various business lines in one single commercial department.

The average number of employees also increased from 255 in 2018 to 270. Cegeka’s growth strategy and the ever-tightening labor market both propelled us to step up our investments in targeted recruitment. As a result, the average number of employees is expected to keep rising slightly in 2020.

This growth strategy will be our driving force in the years to come. At its root are two crucial goals: customer satisfaction and employee happiness. I was honored to be able to join the Cegeka community in September 2019. My aim is to both strengthen local management and lay a solid foundation for further expansion.

In 2019, the activities of CTB were acquired, strengthening the business solutions division with 12 consultants in the field of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (CRM). Furthermore, preparations were made for the acquisition of KPN Consulting, which was announced in December 2019, and finalized in April 2020.

Today, Cegeka in the Netherlands is ready to provide customers with end-to-end support in building their IT roadmap. Traditionally, outsourcing and business solutions have been our strong points. The acquisition of KPN Consulting is a major boost for our activities in strategic IT advice, workplace and cloud migrations, cyber security and support. We are now in a prime position to provide value-driven and flexible solutions to the fast-changing requirements of today’s businesses.

Austria: Trusted business solutions partner for the DACH region

In 2019, Solutions Factory Consulting GmbH was integrated and the joining of forces between Solutions Factory and Cegeka Austria was completed. During the first quarter of 2019, the two Austrian entities - Solutions Factory and Cegeka Austria – established an integration ‘light’ in order to optimize Marketing and Sales activities. As a whole, the Austrian group of Cegeka companies is able to report steady growth: EUR 10,8 million turnover and EUR 1,9 million EBIT.

We are firmly positioned as a full-stack Microsoft Dynamics ERP & BI partner in the DACH region. The focus is on small & medium customers as well as (international) corporate enterprises, with manufacturing as a key target segment. A nearshore development team in Moscow, currently consisting of 12 developers, delivers top quality development services at a competitive pricing.

In full accordance with the ‘in close corporation’ modus operandi of the corporate Cegeka Group, the focus of the delivery teams in Austria is on building long-term business relationships that are based on mutual trust and understanding.

Germany: victory in the War for Talent

Cegeka Germany succeeded in increasing its EBIT by 60% and its workforce by 10%, bringing the latter up to 386 permanent and freelance employees. Recruitment efforts - including an internal referral and hiring program – resulted in 100+ new employees recruited solely through in-house efforts, a victory in today’s War for Talent. Additionally, several external employer branding campaigns were released, aimed at strengthening the Cegeka brand in the German market.

Progress was made in a number of key sectors, including aviation, where the VDI solution for the operation of Electronic Flight Bags was successfully launched. Cegeka Germany’s experience with and focus on Agile Coaching resulted in a long-term deal with one of the world’s largest insurance groups, headquartered in Munich.

In Germany as in the other countries in the DACH region, a key point was closer alignment with the corporate identity, values and way of working – ‘in close cooperation’ . Cross-entity and cross-country collaboration – through Microsoft Teams – enabled intensive knowledge sharing and increased productivity.

In retrospect, 2019 was a truly successful year for Region North, and a year I look back at with professional pride. And even though ‘business as usual’ does not really apply in a (post)-corona world, I am confident that at Cegeka we all have what it takes – skill, dedication, perseverance, creativity and agility – to turn 2020 into a successful year as well, ‘in close cooperation.’