Johannesburg has a good
mix of multilingual population,
which can cater to clients of
different cultural backgrounds 

Mteto Nyati, Director,
Global Technology Services,
IBM South Africa

What attracted IBM Global Services to Johannesburg?
The availability of IT talent was the primary criteria, but it was their infrastructure, especially telecom, that attracted us to this place. Also this place has a good mix of multilingual population, which can cater to clients of
different cultural background.

Is the infrastructure in the city well-suited for ITO and BPO work?
Johannesburg offers state-of-the-art technology and telecommunications. Telecoms are almost 100% digital, reliable and competitively priced. Electricity and energy supply are also quite fast and reliable. 

Did you face any challenges in Johannesburg?
The challenges we faced are company specific. Our employees have to plan their vacations according to the local holidays of the clients they are servicing. Sometimes due to this issue, employee retention becomes a challenge.

What services are you offering from this center?
We provide customer-relationship management (CRM), HR, procurement, and finance and accounting.

Which regions are being served by your Johannesburg center?
Due to the same time zone, we have been chosen by customers from the U.K., Nordic countries, Belgium and the Netherlands. 

How is the economy in Johannesburg?
Johannesburg contributes 16% of South Africa’s total GDP. It has increased at a rate of 4.5%–5.5%. The GDP in IT segment is also in double digits.