News
HERMES SoftLab opens a new development center in Banja Luka
Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, February 7, 2007 – HERMES SoftLab Banja Luka is the second development company, after the subsidiary in Sarajevo, to be founded by HERMES SoftLab in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In addition to software development services for international customers, the company will provide e-business solutions for the local market, public sector, telecommunication providers, financial institutions and large companies.
The establishment of HERMES SoftLab Banja Luka is consistent with the HERMES SoftLab Group strategic focus on accelerating business growth in the Adriatic region. The company’s goal in the Republic of Srpska is to accelerate its growth on the local IT market, where the company seeks to establish itself as a key solution provider for telecommunication companies, financial institutions, the public sector and larger companies. At the same time, HERMES SoftLab wishes to open a global development center that will contribute substantially to solution and software development for the group’s global customers.
The company currently employs 10 developers with years of experience in software development. The company’s head office in Banja Luka will be managed by Dragan Ostojić.
Peter Testen, CEO and President of the Management Board at HERMES SoftLab: “HERMES SoftLab Banja Luka will be an export-oriented company and, at the same time, an important partner to our customers in the Republic of Srpska, which include Mobis, a mobile operator, Telekom Srbske and Hypo Group Alpe Adria. With HERMES SoftLab Banja Luka, we will build upon the successful business model we have been developing in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The establishment of HERMES SoftLab Sarajevo was one of the first foreign investments in Bosnia and Herzegovina after the signing of the Dayton agreement. Today, the subsidiary employs over 100 experts. Over the past 4 years, the Sarajevo subsidiary has exported over 4 million euro worth of services, which places us among the most important exporters in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In Banja Luka, we are planning to achieve strong growth in both revenue and number of employees. We hope the local IT expertise, accumulated in the company, will have a significant, long-term effect on the economic development of the Republic of Srpska.”
Dragan Ostojić, Manager of HERMES SoftLab Banja Luka: “In the local business development, HERMES SoftLab Banja Luka will be supported by the entire HERMES SoftLab Group, one of the largest IT solution providers and software development companies in the region. This will lend additional credibility to the newly established company and ensure the quality of IT solutions and services for the local customers. HERMES SoftLab Banja Luka will mostly employ young IT professionals and will collaborate with the University of Banja Luka to provide internships and other student training programs. The employees will have numerous possibilities for international career development and access to internal training programs within the HERMES SoftLab Group. We plan to hire additional 10 IT professionals by the end of the year.”
After the press conference, representatives from the HERMES SoftLab Group and the newly established company in Banja Luka also met with Igor Radojičić, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, to whom they presented the company’s plans for the future.
The evening reception for numerous guests from the political, social and business spheres will begin at 6 p.m. in the Citadela restaurant.