Zeljko Vujinovic, IBM director general for Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania - We can create a smarter planet

(Zeljko Vujinovic)

- It is no longer a question whether there is a technology that can help create a smarter planet, but only what's the next step on that path - Zeljko Vujinovic, IBM director general for Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania, says in a talk with eKapija.

- IBM offers solutions in a variety of fields, for things one would never say to depend on computers - automobiles, household appliances, roads, power supply systems, and even natural systems such as agriculture and waterways. All these solutions lead to the creation of a smarter planet.

The 5th IBM Forum, which was held last week in Belgrade, was attended by over 300 experts from various fields. The theme of this year's event was "Smarter Planet in Action." It was an occasion to present a case study of the Austrian e-government solution, PureSystems - integrated systems with built-in expertise that are an ideal infrastructure for the cloud, as well as the transformation of business models that companies worldwide carry out to increase their competitiveness in the market.

eKapija: What else did mark the IBM Forum 2012?

- Aside from central topics, which we believe to represent concrete smarter solutions in action that can help IT development in the forthcoming year, it is important to stress that we also talked at a panel session about some solution of ours aimed at the optimization of already existing business processes and information analysis. Also, we spoke about the possibility of IBM providing consulting services directing users on how to adapt their operations.

eKapija: How will IBM help create a "smarter planet" in the future?

- The question we ask ourselves today is not 'Is there a technology that could help build a smarter planet?' Now we have to know what to do next. How is intelligence used within a system that no company or agency is responsible for? How to connect all required factors? How to fight for a budget? Where to start?

Over the last few years we've learned a lot about what is required to make a smarter planet. It is also important that we've realized that our companies, our cities and our world are all complex systems - actually, systems of a system - which demand new things from us as leaders, workers and citizens. A smarter planet will call for a radical change of management and government for the purpose of achieving better cooperation.

eKapija: What challenges will you face on that path?

- The first challenge is to boost market growth. We have to raise the local IT market's awareness in order to recognize new segments and new directions of development, as well as to open the eyes of our users and gave them ideas as to which directions of IT development to take. IBM can respond to the requests of both small and large users. We have solutions aimed at the optimization of already existing business processes and information analysis, but we also offer consulting services directing users on how to adapt their respective operations.

eKapija: Can you tell us something about IBM's business results in 2012? What do you expect by the year's end?

- IBM's results in Q2 2012 were satisfying on the global level. The operating net revenue grew 8 percent, earnings per share rose 14 percent, to USD 3.51, and IBM also generated the free cash flow of USD 3.7 billion.

Annual results are expected to be announced in January 2013. We still have Q4, the most important quarter of a year, ahead of us.

eKapija: What are your forecasts for 2013?

- Judging by what we can currently see and conclude from a market research, 2013 will be similar to 2012. I don't want to give any forecasts. It is up to us to show our users the ways in which IBM can help them optimize their operations and invest in new technologies that are necessary for development.

eKapija: When we talk about IBM's operations in Serbia and the region, what did mark the year 2012?

- It is for sure that 2012 was a year of challenges for all of us. When it comes to the effects of the economic crisis on the IT market, we've seen it as a chance for us and our partners to make further progress and use IT systems in an even better way. There is a room for further development of the IT market in Serbia, and our role is also to constantly educate users on what they can expect and get from IT.

eKapija: What does IBM, as an American company, expect from a Memorandum of Cooperation between Serbia and the USA in the field of IT?

- Among the top priorities will be USA's assistance to Serbia in the digitization process, introduction of e-management and further development of information society. IBM, as a multinational, wants to give its contribution on the basis of the experience we've gained during hundred years of doing business, through proven practices, in order to help projects in that field in our market.

eKapija: What is your development strategy for the following period?

- Our development strategy is to respond to the increased requests of our users. It is up to us to provide them with a smart infrastructure, e.g. through PureSystems we presented at the IBM Forum, as well as with business analytics that enable the best possible utilization of information in companies for the purpose of improving their operations.

eKapija: IBM is also characterized by constant acquisitions of leading companies in their respective fields. What are your future plans in that regard?

- Plans for acquisitions at IBM are made on the global level. In order for the company to grow and develop, it is necessary to invest in technology, which is one of the conclusions from our panel session at the IBM Forum. IBM also invests in new products, thus complementing and enriching its portfolio and offering its users end-to-end solutions they need for their operations.

M.S.