AI Magazine Issue 2 2017

32 Acquisition International - February 2017 Nordven offers business development services to the European IT market. Esko Wessman, winner in the Finnish Business Awards speaks to us about the firm and how they have achieved success, despite economic problems in their homeland. ordven is a Gateway to Northern European IT market - covering Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Founded in 2014 (with its HQ in Helsinki), the firm provide pre- packaged go-to-market and business development services to their customers, who typically are all size global software vendors aiming to penetrate the viable Northern European IT market. The company’s services include identifying and signing up channel partners, building marketing and business plan, and nurturing the reseller partners when desired. Nordven are also in a process opening offices across the Northern Europe. Esko Wessman, CEO of the company, discusses how the company has maintained its success over a difficult decade financially. “Finance in The EU has stabilized and economy has recovered in multiple areas. From IT market perspective Finland has recovered pretty well, almost as good as its neighbours. In Finland, companies and people are attempting to be cutting edge by adopting and developing new technologies. Digitalisation is a big topic and will generate new business areas for everyone. “Today, Nordven is operating in eight to ten countries in total, all with different languages, business environments and cultures. Our strength is being able to provide one avenue to a fragmented but viable market with ICT expenditure of 10-14% compared to U.S. We are being contacted by many vendors at the moment looking for expanding to Nordics.” Company: Nordven Oy Name: Esko Wessman Email: [email protected] Web: www.nordven.com Address: Nordven Oy, Hiilikatu 3, 00180 Helsinki, Finland Phone: +358207598111 Gateway to Europe N 1702AI29 Gateway to Europe Esko explains how the firm has become one of the leading businesses in the region, through their excellent client service and breadth of experience. “Nordven is team of experienced channel development professionals who know more or less personally 1500+ partners and their key stake holders. In fact, altogether our key people possess almost 100 years of local IT market expertise from end-customer, reseller and distributor perspectives. This is totally unique and something which has very big advantages not only for us but also for our clients. “We don’t need to invest for marketing – our clients contact us based on word-to-mouth and recommendations. This gives us good benchmark that we are doing right things and exceeding customers’ expectations and they are happy. Our clients represent different kinds of ICT technology companies - software manufacturers represent major part of our clients. Esko finishes the discussion by explaining what the company’s plans are for 2017 and beyond. “In addition to developing our existing service portfolio, we will launch new stand-alone services around marketing. Basically, taking care of Pan- Nordic air cover on behalf of our clients. Otherwise clients would need to do this country-by-country.”