At home in Amsterdam

Girish Ramachandran of TCS, Hans Witsenboer of Infosys and Yogen Singh of PWC tell us why having a European base in Amsterdam is essential for any company looking at expanding in the Continent.

Tata Consultancy Services: Need to be close to our clients

Of all the arguments which originally persuaded Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to establish its Pan-European head office in Amsterdam, in retrospect it was the presence of some of its multinational customers that proved the most important factor for India's largest IT services provider.

From his office in the new business centre in the south of the city, Girish Ramachandran has a view on the corporate buildings of multinationals such as ING, Philips and Fortis. "It is strategically important for us to be based in their immediate vicinity," explains TCS's Director Europe. "From being an applications developer, we've developed in recent years into an IT services company with a full service concept. So the largest part of our turnover comes from advising our clients on how to maximise the efficiency of their business processes, and developing and implementing solutions to enable that. For this reason, our clients need us to be able to offer them direct support, and to be familiar with their markets and working environments."

"This is why we chose Amsterdam. Not only are most of the big European banks and telecom companies here, but it's a good operating basis for us for the continental European market."

"Because of the traditional links between India and the United Kingdom, the whole European operation was initially headed from London. But we have come to see this as a handicap, because continental Europe has a different culture of enterprise and a different economic dynamic than the Anglo-Saxon part. As a neutral area, Amsterdam was in that respect a logical location choice for us."

But other considerations also played a role, such as Amsterdam's pleasantly cosmopolitan business climate. "This is an internationally oriented environment, which is reinforced by the presence of Schiphol Airport," adds Ramachandran.

Photo credit: Philippe Vogelenzang and iamsterdam.com

Infosys: Here to Stay

In its eight years in Amsterdam, Indian IT and consultancy group Infosys Technologies has grown rapidly. Today, its WTC office, at the Zuidas, bustles with over 200 employees. Proximity to clients like ABN AMRO and ING was a major reason for opting for a base here. But now there’s another important dimension.

“We have branched out into the service chain,” explains Associate Vice President Hans Witsenboer. “In the past, we mainly did outsourcing work such as developing applications and systems maintenance. Now, we also take over critical business processes from our clients. This requires mutual trust, and having local talent and brainpower at our disposal. Thanks to our presence here, we have also become active in other sectors where we see growth opportunities in Europe. For example, we’re testing the handsets for a local producer of navigation equipment before it goes on sale.”

Recent years have seen a large number of Indian companies opting for an office in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area. Zuidas alone houses four out of the five largest IT companies in India: Infosys, Wipro Technologies, Tata Consultancy Services and Cognizant.

Yogen Singh, of the India desk of business services provider Pricewaterhouse Coopers, explains:“Indian companies want to expand, and the European market is attractive. But to be successful, you have to be here. In continental Europe, a branch in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area is an obvious choice. It is both internationally oriented and easily accessible.”

Hans Witsenboer adds: “Since the Expatcenter opened, it’s become a highly flexible procedure. You can use this one-stop shop for everything. Our people can get started as soon as they arrive.” He believes such factors will help increase the importance of Infosys’s Amsterdam branch, now that the group has embraced vertical, in place of geographical, organisation.

Infosys is well on the way to a permanent leading role in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area’s wide-ranging network of business service providers. But Hans Witsenboer thinks it is also important that the outside world now sees the company as a ‘stayer’. “Our brand is established now,” he says. “You see that in everything. We’re quicker to be shortlisted. We get open applications from European IT specialists. We’re increasingly invited for partnerships.” The Amsterdam move has really paid off.

Photo: Krijn van Noordwijk and iamsterdam.com