Shaping tomorrow’s world with a pioneering spirit

Three decades of bbv – a special anniversary and a reminder to us how it all began and where our journey has taken us. It all started with a bold decision. Our founders were young engineers, full of ideas and energy, but they felt stifled in their environment at the time. They wanted more, they wanted to shape the technology themselves and not just accept the status quo. This vision, the company’s passion for technology and the clear goal of doing things differently and, above all, better, provided the impetus for founding bbv.

Since then, our history has been characterised by technological advances and the courage to focus on new developments. These decisions have not only raised our profile in the industry, but have also determined our growth path. From new fields of application for C++ and the establishment of a competence centre for .NET to the cloud, IoT and most recently AI, which is revolutionising today’s business world. Thanks to its deep understanding of technology, bbv was always quick to recognise what the future might bring and then invest in these new technologies. Today, I can see that our teams are embracing this pioneering spirit just as our employees did back then: with an intrinsic interest in understanding and shaping new things.

More than just technology consulting

Our CTO Board – a platform for systematically researching and strategically evaluating technological trends – also testifies to our pioneering spirit and fascination with technology. Of course, this always takes place in the context of our target markets and customers as well as their visions, strategies and processes. Because successful digitalisation goes beyond pure technology consulting. It requires a holistic approach that combines strategy, process improvement and user-friendliness. This is the only way we can also fulfil our vision of sharing our expertise in projects and simplifying people’s everyday lives.

bbv is therefore increasingly acting as an enabler for digital business in a wide range of industries – from the design of new business models and analysis of revenue sources to adjustments in organisational design. We use Dr. Pascal Sieber’s 3i transformation model as a methodological basis, which enables us to support companies not only technically, but also organisationally and strategically in the design and implementation of digital transformation processes and business models. In the area of digital experience, we also focus on offering end users a positive and intuitive experience that promotes the acceptance of digital solutions and thus creates effective added value in everyday life.

With our focus on digital business, the requirements profile of our employees has also changed. Whereas in the past the focus was on technical expertise and software development, today business management skills are increasingly in demand. Projects in this area require not only an understanding of code and technical architecture, but also in-depth knowledge of corporate strategies, value creation models and corresponding value streams. Our teams are therefore more diverse than before and we are recruiting more employees with a business background. This makes bbv a comprehensive partner for customers in the area of digital transformation, combining technology and business expertise.

Living diversity

In view of the shortage of skilled workers, this focused skills profile presents us with challenges. Qualified specialists are in high demand, but finding suitable employees is becoming increasingly difficult – a development that is likely to become even more pronounced in the coming years due to demographic change in Europe. What is particularly striking – and shocking to me – is the low proportion of women in IT that I have noticed here in Switzerland.

In order to counter the shortage of skilled labour and to be able to react more flexibly to customer requirements, we have added an important element with the shoring locations in Vietnam and Greece. Both shoring teams are of strategic importance to us. They not only increase our capacity, but also bring valuable cultural diversity to our company. In Vietnam, in particular, we have witnessed an impressive development, not only in terms of the availability of skilled labour, but also in terms of openness and enthusiasm for technical professions – and with a significantly higher proportion of women than in Switzerland. This is not only enriching on a personal level, but also strengthens our innovative power as a digitalisation partner. We remain committed to ensuring that IT professions are not only perceived as a male domain. It is not only important to arouse curiosity for technology, but also to create a culture in which diversity is lived and valued.

‘I am proud of the fact that we as a company have never limited ourselves to one specific area, but have always been prepared to break new ground.’

Philipp Kronenberg

Agile growth

At bbv, we want to continue growing, both in terms of our reach and our technological expertise. The path is clearly mapped out: We want to continue to develop our expertise in progressive technologies such as cloud computing, IoT and artificial intelligence and explore new fields of consulting. But the most important thing is to maintain our agility and be able to offer our customers solutions to their challenges.

In recent years, our working methods and self-image have changed considerably – and I am proud of the fact that we as a company have never limited ourselves to one specific area, but have always been prepared to break new ground. We set the bar high for ourselves: We want to play an active role in shaping technologies, business models and the future. Despite the current challenges, I am confident that we will continue to succeed thanks to our clear vision. Technology will penetrate more and more areas of life and digital solutions will become increasingly complex – bbv is ideally prepared to manage this change and support our customers with innovative and forward-looking solutions. This is what bbv is all about today and in the future – and what allows us to look to the next 30 years with confidence.