Cybercom's operation in 2008 is geographically divided into nine units
plus the Group's head office in Stockholm. The operative organisation
and distribution of employees are as follows:
Cybercom Sweden
2008 was a strong year for Swedish operations. On the whole, the
market was good, even though the recession made its mark at year-end.
But the order activity level remained high – even in Q4 – and the largest
number of new deals in 2008 was signed in November.
Operations in western Sweden focus on services for embedded systems
and Bluetooth solutions; Cybercom is the development partner of
several leading Swedish and foreign companies – thanks to its acknowledged
expertise in wireless communication and user interfaces.
In southern Sweden, Cybercom mainly works with telecom customers –
in mobile services and portal solutions projects; here, demand is stable.
Cybercom's business-critical application management contract with Sony
Ericsson was extended; it covers Sony Ericsson's external web sites and
related functionality. Cybercom's testing and verification contract with
Ericsson was also extended.
Public sector assignments increased in the Stockholm region; the economic
downturn mostly affected Stockholm and northern Sweden.
Security is another area in which the number of customer queries is
rising nationally and internationally. In Q4 Cybercom became the first
Swedish company authorised to conduct security assessments of software
and technical components used in card-based payment transactions
as per the international standard for security in applications that
process payment cards.
Major Cybercom Sweden customers include ASSA ABLOY, Ericsson, the
National Labour Market Board, Nokia, Saab, the Stockholm City Council,
Stockholm Transport, Sony Ericsson, Tele 2, Telenor, TeliaSonera, and
Volvo.
The Stockholm operation signed a rental contract for new premises that
will be ready to move into in Q2 2009. The address is Lindhagensgatan
126. The company employs 1,107 people (1,051).
Cybercom Plenware
In January 2008, Cybercom acquired Plenware, a Finnish IT consultancy,
and its operations in China, Estonia, Finland, and Romania.
Plenware's main focus is on telecom, industry, and media. Its assignments
comprise development of mobile solutions, intelligent machines,
and media services. It also runs several hosting projects; no less than
5% of Finland's total internet traffic passes through Plenware's hosting
services. Economic slowdown effects became gradually noticeable on
the Finnish consulting market during the autumn – it was the secondmost
affected market during Q4 after the Stockholm region.
Integration is proceeding as planned, and synergy effects were noted
among several projects in China. The first strategic business deal – a
joint effort among subsidiaries in Tampere, Finland, and Malmö, Sweden
– was made with TeliaSonera in Q4. Plenware's major customers include
Alma Media, John Deere Forestry, Kone, Nokia Siemens Networks,
Nokia Terminals, and Sandvik. Plenware employs 657 people.
The purpose of offices in China, Estonia, and Romania is to offer costeffective
delivery reinforcement. China is a very strategic operation for
Cybercom's global sourcing proposition, and intensive efforts were made
in 2008 to expand the business to meet customers' delivery capacity
requirements. Several projects for existing telecom and industrial customers
were placed in China during the year.
Cybercom Poland
Cybercom has two Polish offices, one in Warsaw and one in Lodz.
Poland is in an expansion phase. During the year Cybercom made the
strategic decision to focus on the Polish market and not simply use the
Polish company as a resource booster for Cybercom's sister companies.
A local managing director was recruited to address the local market.
Cybercom Poland was voted one of the best employers in the country,
achieving second place in a national competition for the best health-promoting
company in 2008. The operation focuses on software development
in mobile platforms and applications, portals, and B2B applications.
Its customers include Ericsson, Nokia Siemens Networks, Teleca, and
Telenor. Cybercom Poland has 81 employees (91).
Cybercom Denmark
The Denmark operation displayed robust profitability throughout 2008.
A weakening in the market became noticeable in Q4. At the same time,
Cybercom strengthened its position in the Danish public sector with new
deals and further frame agreements (master contracts) with National
Procurement Ltd (SKI) – Denmark's procurement company for national
and local government operations – and with a frame agreement with
Danish railways (DSB). Telia's Easy Box was another key deal in which
Cybercom developed a complete B2B solution. Partnership with product
companies brings potential for new business, which benefited Cybercom
in its partnership with Quest Software. Quest Software's Shareplex
product creates cost-effective solutions for modifications to large Oracle
databases that many customers use. During the period, Cybercom won
three such projects. The BEC, National Labour Market Authority, Nordea,
Nycomed, and PFA Pension are among Cybercom Denmark's major
customers. The company has 34 employees (45).
Cybercom India (JV)
The operation in India grew during the year via major assignments
from sister companies in the Group. India reinforces Cybercom's global
sourcing proposition. The assignments comprise application management,
development, and testing. During Q4, Sony Ericsson signed a new
agreement for extended application responsibility for Sony Ericsson's
external web sites with related functionality. Deliveries are both onshore
close to the customer and in India. This ensures rapid deliveries, cost
effectiveness, quality, and 24/7 support.
During the year the operation worked with three of Cybercom's telecom,
industry, and retail customers. In 2008, the number of employees rose
28% to 110 persons (86). Half of them are regarded as Cybercom
employees, because Cybercom's Indian operation is a joint venture with
Datamatics. The latter has more than 3,500 employees, which enables
the operation to quickly take on major assignments.
Cybercom India and Datamatics have together won the International
Asia Pacific Quality Award, Highest World Class Level, which is granted
by Asia Pacific Quality Organization, an independent international
organisation (APQO - www.apqo.org).
Cybercom Singapore
The market in Singapore and surrounding regions was very favourable
for Cybercom's telecom management business, which encompasses
strategic advice and outsourcing services (known as managed services).
The assignments chiefly comprise building and expanding 2G and 3G
networks or network audits, that is, assessments and improvements of
quality and efficiency in existing mobile networks. The operation displayed
healthy profitability and vigorous growth of 161% in 2008.
The strong market creates opportunities for further expansion of the
operation as a hub for assignments in the Middle East and Africa.
Cybercom opened a new office in Dubai during the year, thus increasing
proximity to several key projects in the region. Millicom, Nokia Siemens
Network, and du (Dubai's second-largest mobile operator) are key
customers. The number of employees rose to 32 (19), and the operation
also used many subcontractors as consultants during the year.