2008

Business development

The operational merger of IBS and Borlas Consulting Group was completed by early 2008. The consolidated company continued to develop its IT and consulting expertise and product portfolio under the IBS brand.

The management consulting practice formed the biggest and the most experienced team of HR consultants in the IT market, consisting of more than 30 professionals and bringing together HR consulting expertise that is unrivalled in Russia.

Consulting practice in the field of manufacturing systems and supply chains management was launched in the middle of the year.

IBS acquired 51 per cent of Learnware, one of Russia’s leading developers and the provider of HyperMethod brand systems for distance learning. The new acquisition complemented the IBS product portfolio by adding state-of-the-art e-learning systems.

IBS established IBS Kazan, a regional company, with the support of AK BARS business group. IBS Kazan provides the services of building and developing information systems in Tatarstan, drawing upon IBS experience and expertise.

Projects

Major projects implemented in 2008 in industries that are strategic to IBS:

• oil and gas: building the integrated information system for Gazprom transgaz Ufa, the budget management system for United Oil Group, integration of procurement and plant maintenance processes for Slavneft-YANOS;
• metals: implementation of reporting consolidation system for Mechel Group, the management system for Severstal-Invest, the internal control system for Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works;
• chemical and petrochemical industries: the payroll calculation optimisation project for OAO Uralkali, building the E-Trading Facility for SIBUR Holding;
• retail: SAP for Retail implementation for Finn Flare, statements consolidation automation and the tax accounting system for MIR, building the budgeting system for ROLF Group;
• education and science: building the management information system for I.M. Sechenov Moscow Medical Academy and the network of university laboratories for Siberian Federal University, development of the information technology infrastructure of G.V. Plekhanov Russian Academy of Economics, building the unified catalogue of e-learning resources for 15 liberal arts higher education institutions, e-learning resources development project;
• the public sector: upgrade of Internet and intranet portals of the Ministry for Economic Development and Trade, building the integration platform for the Federal Agency for Education, building the HR management system for the Courts of State Arbitration of the Russian Federation, deployment of the supercomputer for RosHydroMet.

IBS also continued to diversify its customer base by carrying out projects for customers in the mechanical engineering (EDB Fakel), energy and utilities (Inter RAO UES, SUEK, OGK-1, Mosvodokanal), finance and services (Northern Sea Route Bank (SMP Bank), Renaissance Life, VSK Insurance House, Eurokommerz, ISS) industries.

Achievements and social projects

The Russia IT Services 2008-2012 Forecast and 2007 Vendor Shares report by IDC, the global research firm, confirmed that IBS remained the Russian IT services market leader in 2007.

IBS topped ranking lists of Russian consulting companies (based on research by Expert RA Rating Agency and Kommersant-Dengi (Money) magazine).

The E-Trading Facility project for Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works was recognised as the industry’s most efficient project in the CNews AWARDS 2008 ceremony.

IBS continued to develop its strategic initiative of providing young professionals with IT training in areas of specialisation that are in the greatest demand. IBS Master’s Degree Programme was started at Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys.

IBS Master’s Degree project received the prestigious People Investor: The Companies Investing in People award.