Technology companies of the country focus on the foreign market
DCI
The good moment experienced by the national market of information technology (IT) inspires businesses to dream with the international market and increase the participation in the figure of nearly US$ 80 billion in activities of the sector, of which Brazil has a small slice of US$ 3 billion, according to the Brazilian Association of Information Technology and Communication Companies (Brasscom). Such opportunities have attracted Marcelo Astrachan, President of the Cyberlynxx IT integrating company and former partner of the Accenture multinational - a company that currently has earnings of US$ 21.58 billion worldwide -, where he worked for 18 years.
With an eye on the exporting potential of the Brazilian market, Astrachan compares the IT market to the success of markets such as agribusiness or steel, in which the Country has significant participation, and he already thinks about acquisitions to get to earnings of R$ 100 million (US$ 55.6 million) within two years. As an essential part in the processes of companies from several sectors, the IT integrating company supplies equipment and software, and assists in the actual integration with the existing systems.
Astrachan also sees the participation of Brazil in the international market as little significant. "Brazil's result in exports is still a flop", he says. "I do not argue with the official figures, but in my opinion they are inflated", says the Executive who completes: "but they say Brazil exports US$ 1 billion. That means Brazil would not have more than 1.2% of that market. The Brazilian companies are placed in such a way they can conquer that market", he completes.
With conversations with five companies in the Brazilian market at a "fairly advanced stage", Astrachan says that this year the company is willing to acquire two companies "with a size compatible with that of a company with R$ 20 million (US$ 11 million) in sales" and speed the growth goals for this year, which should surpass the result of 2009 only in the first half. "We have already guaranteed 70% of that value", says the Executive who believes in a result 3% higher than last year's only in the period from January to March this year. The portfolio of the company has important clients such as Petrobrás, the Albert Einstein Hospital, Sul América, Porto Seguro, Liberty Seguros and the Azul Airline Company.
For the Brazilian companies to conquer the international market "a strategy is missing", points out the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cyberlynxx. "And that strategy goes through value, and not just through the allocation of professionals like some Brazilian companies have made (referred to as bodyshop)", he concludes. "You're talking about an area of high added value in which you export intelligence". The investments of the company are still of its own, but the perspective is all aimed at a future opening of its capital - even though no term has been defined. According to Astrachan, currently 40% of the executives of the company are not shareholders, which characterizes a greater professionalization of the management.