Ness Czech, a leading Czech system integrator under the leadership of Martin Silvička, recorded its most successful year to date, with a 33% year-on-year revenue increase, reaching almost CZK 1 billion. The company, known for delivering large IT projects in both the public and private sectors, plans further expansion in the coming year.
A Vision for Continued Growth
Last year was exceptionally strong for Ness Czech. What are your plans for this year?
We expect continued growth, driven by strong demand for digitalization from both public and private sectors. As a technology-independent system integrator, we aim to support customers at all stages of their digital transformation—from solution design to implementation—to enhance efficiency and competitiveness. We are targeting a 50% revenue increase over two years, amounting to approximately half a billion crowns.
Factors Driving the Increase
What is behind this impressive growth?
Our success stems from a combination of factors:
- Strategic Focus: We have long prioritized large-scale projects in public administration, particularly in geoinformatics.
- Shifting Commercial Sector Dynamics:
- Historically, our key clients were large enterprises like banks and telecommunications operators.
- These companies are increasingly building in-house IT teams, leading us to focus on technically demanding, one-off implementations such as SAP and billing solutions.
- Expansion into Medium-Sized Companies:
- Manufacturing, construction, and retail companies view digitalization as a competitive advantage but lack internal IT resources. This presents a significant growth opportunity for us.
Major Public Sector Projects
Which public sector projects had the most impact on your success?
One key driver is the Digital Technical Maps program, a cornerstone of construction management digitalization. We are delivering projects for organizations like:
- Railway Administration
- Road and Motorway Directorate
- City of Prague
These projects, valued at over CZK 1.5 billion, are transforming infrastructure management.
Additionally, we maintain a strong partnership with the Czech Office of Surveying and Cadastre, supporting three critical systems until 2027, including the Register of Territorial Identification, Addresses, and Real Estate. This system processes over 5 million requests per month and is part of the core public administration registers.
Adapting to Growth
How has this growth influenced your organization?
We’ve adjusted our structure and processes to align with the company’s expansion. After a decade, we returned to a divisional model where individual divisions oversee both business management and delivery. Previously, sales and execution were handled separately at the company level.
Leadership Changes
What personnel changes accompanied this restructuring?
To support our growth, we strengthened middle management and introduced new leadership roles:
- Chief Operating Officer (COO): Martin Broskevic, previously Head of Public Administration, now oversees operational management.
- Public Administration Division Head: Pavel Šubrt leads projects worth CZK 2 billion.
- Commercial Sector Division Head: Michal Bulánek focuses on new technologies and digital transformation.
- International Business Head: Adam Melichar leverages Ness Digital Engineering’s global presence for projects in Europe and the U.S.
Insights from Leadership
You’ve been with Ness for two decades and CEO for two years. What have you learned?
Over my career, I’ve held various roles—from analyst to CEO—and have learned to appreciate the complexity of leadership.
One surprising realization was the value of divisional uniqueness. Initially, I questioned why different divisions operated with distinct rules and processes. However, I’ve come to see this diversity as a strength. Instead of unifying everything, we now focus on enhancing collaboration between divisions.
Global Integration with Local Roots
How has joining KKR’s global investment group impacted Ness Czech?
For our customers, nothing has changed—we remain a local Czech company with local management and a strong vision. However, being part of Ness Digital Engineering provides:
- A stable global backing.
- Access to advanced expertise and strategic insights.
- Opportunities to participate in multinational projects.
This balance allows us to maintain a family business atmosphere while benefiting from the support of a global organization.
International Opportunities
Where do you see the greatest potential for international expansion?
There’s significant interest in digital technical maps, and we are exploring opportunities in:
- Slovakia
- Germany
- Austria
Additionally, our SAP solution expertise aligns with global demand, especially in Europe and the U.S.
Regional Advantage
How do your locations in Prague, Brno, and Ostrava benefit you?
Our regional presence allows us to attract talent from across the country, especially with the rise of remote work. Customers also appreciate having a local branch nearby, ensuring easy access and stronger relationships.
Work Culture Post-Pandemic
How has the pandemic influenced your work culture?
We’ve adopted a hybrid model, balancing three days in the office with two days of remote work. This approach:
- Accommodates employee preferences.
- Enhances flexibility for both employees and projects.
We plan to maintain this balance long-term. íka, ale snažíme se o co nejpříjemnější pracovní podmínky. V principu momentálně fungujeme z poloviny v kanceláři a z poloviny vzdáleně a dlouhodobě takový poměr plánujeme udržet.
About Martin Silvička
Martin Silvička (47) has been the Director of Ness Czech since 2021 and has been with the company since 2005. He has extensive experience in large-scale IT projects, particularly in the telecommunications sector. In his free time, Martin enjoys climbing in the mountains.
This article was originally published in Reflex magazine.