IBA Gomel, the second largest software development center of IBA Group, will celebrate its 10th anniversary on 27 July 2011. An alliance of IT companies with over 2,500 people, IBA Group has seven development centers in Belarus, Czech Republic, and Kazakhstan. IBA Gomel is located in Gomel, the second largest city of Belarus.
IBA Gomel was registered as a legal entity on 26 July, 2001, while the official opening was held on December 17, 2001. The founders were members of IBA Group, namely IBA Minsk, IBA IT GmbH, and IBA Intelligent Systems. The goal was to take advantage of highly-qualified human resources of Gomel Region with its long IT traditions and universities providing education in IT specialties.
The first IBA Gomel's project dealt with SAP development for IBM. Implemented in cooperation with IBA Minsk, the project involved ten programmers. At the end of 2001, the IBA Gomel team comprised 16 employees.
In November 2001, a special department was set up to service banks, its first customers being Belarusbank, the largest savings bank in the country, and the National Bank of Belarus. In 2002, the Lotus Technologies and Mainframe Applications, and in 2003 the E-Business and Marketing departments were formed.
In December 2004, IBA Gomel received its first ISO quality certificates and now the development center is DIN EN ISO 9001:2008 and STB ISO 9001-2009-certified.
In December 2008, IBA Gomel Park was set up by IBA Gomel to join High Tech Park, the Belarusian Silicon Valley.
To date, IBA Gomel employs more than 250 IT and business professionals working in five production departments. The company currently implements around 50 projects in mainframe, SAP, e-business, Lotus, and other areas. The IBA Gomel’s client base includes IBM, Goodyear, T-Systems, Rockwell Automation, Belarusian Railway, IDGC of Urals, and Belarusian Steel Works.
IBA Gomel cooperates with local universities, primarily with the Gomel State University and the Gomel State Technical University. Its laboratories are functioning at the mathematical and physical faculties of the Gomel State University. IBA Gomel conducts training courses with 140 students in annual attendance.
Igor Khobnya has been the IBA Gomel's head since its foundation. Today, he is in charge of the company strategy and day-to-day operations, and oversees finance and HR management. Prior to IBA, Mr. Khobnya led major IT projects for railway and other industries.
Khobnya recollects: "We had to start the company in the times when dotcom bubble burst. The crisis affected the Belarus' IT industry that was already suffering from the downturn caused by the breakup of the USSR. So it was hard at the beginning. As the company initially aimed at the international market, we needed to recruit the people who had advanced IT expertise and experience in the implementation of international projects. To this end, we trained the candidates at IBA Minsk and the IBA Training Center and then fit them in the projects executed by Minsk teams where they could gain the needed experience."
"After we acquired our own projects in 2003-2004, it went on easier. The company’s culture and standards were developed, making it simpler to build new teams and win new projects. In parallel, the company's structure and infrastructure were set up and modified."
"IBA Gomel since its first years has closely cooperated with the Gomel State University to train students in IT specialties. We are planning to expand our business, which will result in additional high-tech workplaces for the region and enable university graduates to become full-fledged players of the global IT community."
