Brian Allen, CEO - Business Leader Interview

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BOSS NEWS - BUSINESS LEADER INTERVIEW

INTERVIEWER: JOHN SYMON, SVP ASIA PACIFIC, DOCUMENT BOSS

16 DECEMBER 2011

With the proliferation of software technologies now available for the broader Information Management market, the complexity of choice and implementation challenges facing end users to harness their information assets and business processes has increased dramatically. This has given rise to a new breed of second and third tier Systems Integrators. Those that are successfully punching above their weight have a combination of deep domain expertise, technical proficiency and an ability to leverage users’ IT investment - depending on the infrastructure deployed from major platform vendors as such as IBM, Oracle and Microsoft.

Brian Allen, Certus Solutions CEO John Symon, SVP Asia Pacific for Document Boss speaks with Brian Allen, CEO of the fast growing NZ systems integration and consultancy company, Certus Solutions Ltd who have recently expanded their footprint across the Tasman with the acquisition of three Australian businesses.

Q. Can we start with an introduction of yourself and an overview of your company?

A. I have been instrumental in the strategic development of a number of successful Australasian IT software and services companies.

In the 1980s I was co-founder and managing director of Countercorp Business Systems which continued successfully as UtilityAP Limited until 2004 when I initiated a merger with local company Certus Solutions. Today Certus, of which I am a director and CEO, is the largest IBM business partner in Australasia in terms of its focus on the full range of IBM technologies and associated business services. The growth of Certus has been augmented by the acquisition of three Australian software and services organisations, all of which I initiated and concluded.

In the 1990s I founded i-Health – a healthcare technology company created as a greenfields enterprise to address the emerging global market for electronic health records. The company grew rapidly, operating in Australia, New Zealand and UK/Europe. At the time of acquisition by the iSOFT organisation, the i-Health product was rated as one of the top five EHR solutions in the world.

Along with my management and governance responsibilities at Certus, I am also chairman of the board of directors at international telecommunications organisation Zeacom Limited, and on the board of Central Otago's Highwater Vineyards.

Certus is the largest dedicated IBM software and services partner across Australia and New Zealand. It has 160 staff operating from offices in Auckland, Wellington, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, and has over 550 active clients. Certus is an IBM Premier Business Partner and is certified in all IBM software brands including WebSphere, Information Management, Collaboration Solutions, Tivoli, Rational and Business Analytics.

Q. What are the primary solutions & services you offer and what is your key value proposition?

A. Certus has a sole focus on IBM and our key point of difference is our ability to provide full, end-to-end services for all IBM software brands. Where most system integrators are generalists, not specialists, we bring deep product specialisation across the entire IBM range. Certus combines technical expertise with business understanding, and we blend our product and service capabilities to bridge gaps between IBM software brands to ensure the successful delivery of end-to-end projects.

Certus aims to ensure customers get the best out of their IBM investment. We deliver this by integrating technology and optimising IT infrastructure to create solutions that reduce complexity and cost. Our core lines of business are:

Asset Management
Business Analytics
Collaboration Services
Information Management
Infrastructure Services
Middleware Solutions
Rational
Web Solutions
Software Licensing

Q. What key market drivers are positively impacting your business?

A. The key factor driving the growth of our business is the increasing need for large organisations to remove complexity, streamline operations and reduce the cost of their IT operations. To do this they need to better integrate their key enterprise systems. Optimising infrastructure and operations requires breadth and depth of expertise, together with a commitment to ongoing service delivery. This requires building effective interoperable business solutions for customers – not simply processing one-off transactions.

In technology terms, the adoption of cloud services is driving increased business activity as is the increasing consumerisation of IT. The adoption of mobile devices and the impact that has on existing IT infrastructures, particularly in the area of security and connectivity, will continue to provide significant opportunities in the areas of mobile workforce management, and enterprise connectivity.

We are also seeing significant interest in the area of business intelligence and analytics. Difficult economic conditions require businesses to make smarter decisions. The ability to gain visibility across the enterprise and to better predict future outcomes is driving business analytics functionality deeper into all parts of the enterprise.

Q. What business applications and market sectors do you primarily address?

A. Certus is a one stop shop for IBM software and services and the technologies we implement include:

Portal (B2E, B2C, B2B)
eCommerce
Social Technology
Web and Enterprise Content Management
Mobility
User Interface Development
Rich Internet Applications
Analytics Implementation
Software Engineering and Automation
Business Process Automation
Enterprise Connectivity, Security and Information Management

In terms of market sector we primarily service large enterprise organisations – such as government departments and financial institutions. Our customers also include asset intensive organisations, such as utilities and manufacturers that require a high degree of business process automation and information management.

Q. What has been the major impact to your business following your recent acquisitions in Australia and how would you characterise some of the unique differences between the ANZ markets?

A. Our recent acquisitions have placed Certus on a rapid growth track. We continue to grow organically and are looking at further expansion within Australia. We expect to increase sales by 80% this year, compared to the last and our income forecast for the current year sits at around $AUD65m. The business problems organisations face are the same both sides of the Tasman, but the scale and geographic diversity of the Australian market differentiate it from New Zealand. The strength of the Australian economy, which has weathered the economic crisis better than most, provides us with significant opportunities to build our customer portfolio.

Q. How has your business fared during the recent economic downturn?

A. Certus has flourished during the economic crisis. We have undertaken three key acquisitions over the last two years to become the region’s largest pure play IBM software and services company. Our most recent acquisition in May this year was of Focus Strategies and Solutions, an Australian-based company which is the market leader in IBM’s business analytics and information management solutions.

Q. What market trends and discontinuities do you see impacting the market and what other areas of growth do you anticipate over the next 2-3 years?

A. The rise of social computing and mobility will continue to influence technology adoption over the near term. Creating systems that mesh seamlessly with each other, while providing a platform for improved communication and collaboration for the people who use them, will drive further adoption of rich internet applications, social technology and improved user interface development.

Q. What do you see are the top three challenges facing your company in this period?

A. Attracting and retaining staff with the right expertise is an ongoing challenge, particularly during a time of rapid expansion. With IBM continuing on a strong acquisition path, one of our key challenges as a full service partner is staying ahead of the adoption curve and ensuring we implement technologies which provide valuable customer outcomes.

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