An aggressive growth strategy and new challenges for the Comarch Group in 2010

Joint projects with business partners in new markets, preparation for new acquisitions and international R&D projects are all elements of an aggressive growth strategy, which Comarch intends to pursue in 2010.
- After a period of very rapid growth in recent years, the recession has helped us consolidate the Comarch Group and make it more productive. Despite a less than favorable global prognosis we have decided to continue this aggressive strategy of development – announced Professor Janusz Filipiak, Comarch’s CEO.
December in the Comarch Group is a time for summarizing past achievements and developing a strategy for the coming year. The financial situation of Group has enabled the definition and implementation of an aggressive strategy of development for 2010. Comarch is planning new business ventures, new products and services and the reinforcement of its sales networks. Comarch hasn’t forgotten about infrastructure, necessary for production.

Asian tiger, the African continent and old Europe
- The group consciously bears the costs of developing new products and activities on foreign markets. In this way, Comarch has invested in building a competitive advantage for the future – said Professor Filipiak.
With regard to Germany and France, Comarch has invested in these countries through building a full-scale business structure.
- Choosing this path must be distinguished from an opportunist strategy, which involves first obtaining a contract, and then the creation of organizational structures - Filipiak says.
In France, apart from the Public Administration Business Unit, Comarch would like to offer the full range of their product portfolio. Comarch will invest 3 million euros in 2010 in the construction of business offices, the employment of staff and the creation of new products.
Despite the DACH and French market, the new challenge for Comarch in 2010 will be the Asian market.
In Filipiak’s opinion: We have exchanged an opportunistic strategy for a methodical approach in order to succeed in this market. There are different business practices on this market, which we must adopt in practice. We realize that knowledge from books is only partially helpful. Unlike other companies in Poland, we would like to export to China rather than import from China.
Global activity may result in potential profitability for contracts in Africa. Comarch isn’t going there alone, but along with large international corporations.
- Because our implementations have worked well in the EU countries, European companies expect that they will also operate in their branches in Africa - explains the President of Comarch. Today business activities and projects are carried out in Nigeria and Ghana. 
Comarch has an opportunity to further strengthen their position in North America as well as maintain its acquired position in Latin America.

Comarch versus corporate structure
Comarch's decentralized structure allows us to define what products should be developed for individual markets and how they should be effectively sold.
There does not appear to be too many orders on the market. Comarch is in a better position as compared to large corporations. Global competitors are feeling the effects of the decline in contracts. In the opinion Filipiak - Large corporations are ceasing to be attractive candidates as suppliers of services. They need to be restructured. This situation has given Comarch a completely open market. It is worth fighting for it.
- The business structure and production are fully decentralized in our company. There is no hierarchy, and no intermediate structures. Comarch is divided into centers of responsibility, which are designed to facilitate success.

Business management: “Paperwork” is not for a leader.
As Professor Filipiak points out, currently it is the company that is managing the CEO – A president must do what the business requires. More than 50% of my time is spent outside of Poland. I travel non-stop. Not only to Germany and France – relates Filipiak.
Travel is also the bread and butter for every Member of the Board.
- The board is not responsible for the management of structures but rather for the management of the business. One of the biggest challenges for staff in our corporation is to find the appropriate balance between the time they must be away on business and time spent at the office. This month there has been more than 500 business travel departures from Poland. We are perhaps the biggest travel agency in Poland. We fly in all directions – jests Professor Filipiak.


45 international R&D projects
Comarch’s past as well as future is in the development of software. Comarch is currently carrying out 45 innovative projects in its R&D centers at home and abroad. The most important of all these projects are those which are realized within an international partnership, simultaneously in multiple countries.
As a result, we have created new functionalities for Semireamis – the leading product of the German SoftM Group (acquired in 2008). The project is carried out simultaneously in R&D centers in Hanover, Munich, Kirchbichl, Austria as well as Warsaw . The document management system, DNS in Buchs, Switzerland, as well as in Krakow, Łódź and Warsaw. The financial-accounting system, ISAR is being developed in Breme, Munich and Warsaw and the corporate IT infrastructure management system in Grenoble and Krakow. Polish R&D centers are working on ECOD 2.0, the loyalty platform, Altum as well as CDAR Comarch Workflow Business Intelligence.