HCL’s presence in the Nordics as a leading global technology company has grown from strength to strength since its arrival in 2007. Back then, IT was transitioning from primarily a support function to the central business tool it is today. HCL saw opportunities in the Nordics that set in motion a prosperous and mutually beneficial relationship that now sees it as one of the region’s leading IT solutions providers.

The attraction of the Nordics, and Sweden as a base for the company’s headquarters was quite clear. HCL’s EVP Nordic and DACH Head, Pankaj Tagra explains: “The Nordics region is interesting. Despite having a small population, per capita there is a higher number of billion-dollar companies than any other region. Most of these companies are global in nature, so there is automatically a global mindset. And if companies want to grow, they must look outward for that growth. It is a win-win situation where we can help companies transform their businesses and at the same time grow ourselves.”

The digital boom has presented challenges and opportunities across all sectors, and companies across the spectrum are looking at their operations to ensure they are running as effectively and efficiency as possible. Ensuring that the end-to-end customer experience is optimised is critical for business success.

Sweden has a very interesting culture. As the labour market is small, people have diverse skills which brings a breadth of knowledge to the labour force which a global organisation can harness. Pankaj Tagra, HCL’s EVP Nordic and DACH

Pankaj Tagra said: “Many large companies from retail to manufacturing have legacy technology issues they are looking to resolve. New rules, new ways of working and customer demand is driving the digital transformation of nearly every company. Companies need to be tuned to the new user experience, the speed of the market and be able to implement new technology to meet these challenges.

“It is more than technology implementation though, we aim to increase speed, quality and improve the holistic end-to-end user experience. That is how we add value to our customers.”

Being based in Sweden has boosted HCL’s ability to meet these challenges.

The clarity of tax laws, predictability of policies and the overall ease of doing business are often cited as reasons why companies predominately base their Nordic operations in Sweden, the region’s largest market.

For HCL, its introduction to Sweden was aided by Business Sweden’s practical and hands-on approach to supporting international companies enter the Swedish market. Pankaj Tagra explains: “I thought they would share documents or booklets that we’d have to read, but never expected a such a high level of service and welcoming approach.”

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“We have built up a relationship with Business Sweden over time. If we need advice on employing foreign talent, connecting with universities to recruit graduates or support to identify locations for our next delivery centre, Business Sweden helps us.”

But for Tagra and HCL, the cultural benefits of a Swedish-based company have been the real revelation.

“Sweden has a very interesting culture. As the labour market is small, people have diverse skills which brings a breadth of knowledge to the labour force which a global organisation can harness.

“Planning and consensus building both stand out. I love the culture of ‘plan, plan, plan and execute. The consensus approach means from a technology transformation perspective, you take people along from the beginning which is invaluable when it comes to implementation. Having buy in from all stakeholders to make transformation happen results in flawless execution.”

“There is an art in Swedish society to plan and get a consensus. When you marry that with Indian business culture of doing things fast and managing uncertainty, it can create magic.”

HCL now has 14 delivery centres across the Nordics, a regional hub in Gothenburg and its regional headquarters in Stockholm.

 

Challenge

Understanding the initial requirements for entry to market including tax, business regulations, employment law and other business critical needs. Ongoing needs to secure local talent, expand into new markets, build local networks and identify suitable locations for delivery centre expansion.

Solution

Working with Business Sweden on a consultancy basis provided HCL with market insight and support which sped up the company’s initial entry to market, providing step-by-step advice on regulatory and business processes. HCL worked with Business Sweden to gain access to local networks and universities which have unlocked resources and business opportunities.

Result

HCL have become a leading technology company in the Nordics, establishing a strong presence with local and global companies. Most recently working with Volvo and Electrolux on next-generation transformation projects. HCL was awarded the Key to Gothenburg in 2017.


ABOUT HCL

HCL is a leading global technology company helping customer across industry and sector boundaries to meet and exceed customer expectations by transforming their business for the digital age. HCL has operations in 44 countries and has been present in the Nordics since 2007. It works with some of the region’s biggest companies including Volvo and Electrolux.


WHY SWEDEN?
  • High concentration of international company headquarters
  • Advanced IT and digitalisation across business and social ecosystems
  • Clarity of tax laws and ease of doing business