Events • New members
Launch of the new branch of our new member Sofrecom in Georgia
Sofrecom - subsidiary of the French Telecom Group Orange.
Launch of the new branch of our new member Sofrecom in Georgia
13 April 2018
Sofrecom is a subsidiary of the French Telecom Group Orange. The subsidiary was created 50 years ago in order to develop 3 core businesses:
- Consulting: (business, IT, Netwwork, Services)
- Engineering of networks and information systems
- Service center: 3 service centers that are specialised in the development and the integration of IT solutions.
That is why Sofrecom defines itself as an actor of the digital transformation for telecom operators and governements.
Sofrecom today it is 1750 consultants in more than 100 countries. More than 200 major playors trusted the company to lead their strategic and operational projects.
Sofrecom has been operating in Georgia and supporting the Georgian company Silknet since 2013 to define its strategy and to lead it with its IT transformation. This strategy especially included for Silknet to take over the mobile/phone operator Geocell in order to develop its activity.
The vision Sofrecom has, is: a Digital Georgia. First through services, the acquisition of Geocell being the first step as it allows a convergence in services in order to offer mobile financial services (through Silkroad bank). Also with digital innovations, e-governement services, a capacity building program and their application to the regions.
The French Ambassador Pascal Meunier and the chairman of the supervisory board for Silknet George Ramishvili took part as speakers for this opening.
His excellency Pascal Meunier mentionned that the companies created a strategic alliance and this is visible through their success. This alliance will allow Georgia to enter a new world, an IT world. Also the new grouping will challenge the country economically to reach EU standards. He also underligned the fact that Georgia is an innovative country with many ingeniers, mentionning the Technopark (start-up hub). Some start-ups even went to France to exchange. Thanks to IT technology and connectivity, there is an acquisition of knowledge. The French Ambassador also underligned the training aspect offered by Sofrecom. There is a need to know how to use the technology (otherwise it is a loss of time and investment) that is why an university cooperation will be established. Finally he also underligned the fact that the regional aproach of the program was very important and it is a vision supported by the French government. For exemple, the construction of a water heater plant in Kutaisi, that was inaugurated end of March 2018.
M. George Ramishvili then underligned the long and prosperous cooperation with Sofrecom. They have been sharing their work experience for 5 years now and have been involved together in the strategic development of Silknet. The acquisistion of Geocell was a strategic decision and the intergation and transformation of this last one should take two years. He then underligned the similarities between the two groups: orange being first known for its telecomunication and then combine it with its banking activities (orange bank).
