The Hindu Business Line : Anantara Solutions will focus on second gen outsourcing

NEW APPROACH: Mr G.B. Prabhat (left), founder and CEO, Anantara Solutions, and Mr Sanjeev Aggarwal, Managing Director, Helion Ventures Pvt Ltd, at a press conference in Chennai on Wednesday. — Bijoy Ghosh

Chennai May 16 Anantara Solutions Pvt Ltd will focus on second-generation outsourcing (SGO) that combines business consulting services and IT services to deliver measurable business value to customers, according to its founder and CEO, Mr G.B. Prabhat.

Addressing a press conference to unveil second generation outsourcing, Mr Prabhat said Anantara will create a network of consulting firms and suppliers, including companies with capabilities in multiple technologies such as Java and Microsoft. It will get orders from clients and outsource the work to a set of vendors.

The first generation outsourcing model adopted by most software companies revolved around cost arbitrage and quality of service. However, in SGO the focus shifts from cost to value for clients. The focus is not just on IT benefits but also on a host of business benefits. Today, cost arbitrage has been completely eliminated and everybody offers the same in the market, he said.

Speaking to Business Line earlier, Mr Prabhat said that there is a lesson to be learnt from the experience of automobile manufacturing companies. "Each car manufacturing company in the West itself produced all parts of the car. The Japanese manufacturing model changed that with outsourcing the making of components. So, by making less of a car, you make a better car."

That is the philosophy Anantara wants to bring to the software table. "The number of people we have, on tap through partners, is in several hundreds and growing. We ourselves will programme less and integrate more. However, the final responsibility, for the solution working for the client, is ours."

Anantara has partners who specialise in a matrix of skills, including Java programming, web site development, information security, software testing and market research (which is a part of the consulting expertise that Anantara wants to offer clients).

Mr Prabhat said, "We will outsource some and keep some for ourselves. However, the integration capability would be in-house."

Focus

The company would focus on manufacturing, retail, logistics, Web 2.0 and online businesses, media and entertainment, BFSI (Banking, Financial Services and Insurance) and software product companies, he said.

Anantara has clients such as Mulitex Group (Hong Kong), Mahindra Logistics, Cooper Foundry and Pricol. Anantara is helping Cooper Foundry craft its business and information technology architecture. Mahindra Logistics has engaged Anantara to design an IT solution aligned to the business strategy, says a press release issued by Anantara.

Anantara also got a $6.5 million (around Rs 27 crore) funding from a syndicate led by Helion Venture Partners. Mr Sanjeev Aggarwal and Mr Ashish Gupta, Managing Directors of Helion, have joined Anantara's board. Other investors are Walden International, SVB Financial Group and Mr Christian Wedell, a former senior Microsoft executive and venture capitalist.

According to Mr Aggarwal, "Anantara's management team was the best after a set of people came out of Wipro to start Mindtree Consulting."

Anantara Solutions is the brainchild of a team of nine professionals formerly with Satyam Computers Ltd. Mr Prabhat, who was earlier the director, Consulting and Enterprise Solutions at Satyam, brought in eight other senior employees.