Qualogy 1998 - 2023: 25 years of innovation and growth
It is 2023 and Qualogy celebrates 25 years of innovation, progress, and success. In this blog, we relive Qualogy's journey through the eyes of CEO Paul Mehilal. He talks about the company's challenges, highlights, and future plans. Qualogy has proven it can adapt to market changes and keep leading, from a modest niche-market player to a prominent IT organization.
The beginning: a new vision for the IT sector
"When I started Qualogy 25 years ago, I wanted to combine the best of two worlds. The aim was to be the best in one niche market, Oracle, while also being a compact organization where everyone is seen and heard," Paul says proudly. The goal was clear: deliver high-quality IT services while creating a great work environment where employees thrive. This vision laid the foundation for Qualogy's success and has guided the company for decades.
"Our company culture makes Qualogy unique: family-like, with short lines and a winner's mentality."
Over the years, Qualogy has adapted to changes in market and technology. In addition to Oracle, Java, Data Science, Mendix, and recently AI became part of our path. "We had to play on multiple boards and were careful not to become a jack of all trades," Paul notes. At the same time, Qualogy grew as an organization, with the challenge of preserving the family feeling. We succeeded. Qualogy offers a great work environment where almost everyone knows each other personally.
"Technology is in our DNA. We closely follow technological change and adapt where we see added value."
Challenges along the way: economic crises and talent retention
Over 25 years, we have experienced various challenges. Economic crises, such as the banking crisis of 2008, tested us, but we navigated through them steadily. "Prudent policy and a strong team helped us," our CEO explains. Our adaptive mindset has enabled us to embrace and respond effectively to changes in market and technology.
One of the key aspects of our approach is closely monitoring trends and developments in the market. We are always looking for new opportunities to expand our services and adapt them to our clients' needs. This has helped us stay ahead and add value in multiple sectors, such as finance, healthcare, government, and more.
Photo: Paul Mehilal during the celebration of Qualogy's 5-year anniversary in 2003.
"Focus on yourself as an organization and you can ignore the competition. A good vision, market strategy, and a solid organization are enough to be successful."
Another recurring theme in our history is finding and retaining great people. In a competitive labor market, attracting talented and motivated employees is an ongoing challenge. But by focusing on a personal company culture and creating a pleasant working environment, we have succeeded in fostering loyalty. We are proud to have so many anniversaries of colleagues who have been with Qualogy for 10, 15, or even more than 20 years.
"A compact yet specialized organization, while most competitors are of a different scale. That is a merit of our loyal management team and employees."
Without our people, no success
There are several moments in Qualogy's history that are especially memorable to Paul. "I am particularly proud of our colleagues. Qualogy is a compact but specialized organization. Most competitors operate at a different scale, and if you still manage to claim a prominent position and level the playing field, that is thanks to the loyal management team and loyal employees." Qualogy's founder is convinced the company's success is due to its people. Their commitment, passion, and dedication have led to Qualogy's strong position in both the Netherlands and Suriname.
Our subsidiary in Suriname is also a success story we value greatly. Over the past 16 years, we have built a skilled IT team there. Qualogy Caribbean has gained a strong position by delivering high-quality IT services to clients in the region and focusing on innovative solutions. Above all, we are proud of the long-term trust we enjoy as a reliable outsourcing partner for leading clients in the Netherlands.
We have worked hard to build a reputation as a reliable and expert IT partner. In Suriname as well, we continuously invest in employee development so they remain up to date with the latest technologies and trends in the IT sector.
"The role of our employees is beyond words. Especially the loyalty within Qualogy is exceptional in the IT sector. When you see how many colleagues celebrate 10, 15, or more than 20 years at Qualogy, that is heartwarming and also where that family bond comes from."
CEO and entrepreneurship
In addition to developments within the organization, Paul himself has also grown over the past 25 years in his role as CEO, both professionally and personally.
"No one is born a CEO, and as far as I know there is no specific training for it." Paul says soberly: "You learn along the way, and mostly from setbacks." Leading twenty people locally or four hundred across two continents is not the same. Different cultures in Suriname and the Netherlands also require different approaches. You must keep practicing to become and remain a good leader. The most important lessons come from feedback from colleagues and self-reflection. He emphasizes that entrepreneurship and the CEO role can sometimes be at odds. The former embraces risk, while as CEO you are mainly focused on finding a safe course.
With a stable management team, after all these years you know what you can expect from each other. Twenty-five years ago, I did not find delegating that easy. Now, after all these years, almost 95% is handled autonomously within the different business units.
"I believe that as CEO you must be connecting, trust your management team and employees, and be able to set your ego aside from time to time."
"Entrepreneurship is hard work and can be challenging and sometimes stressful. Precisely when things get tough, it is important to stay positive and motivated. I have always kept my goals in mind, even when setbacks came my way."
Working together and celebrating together
Looking back on our journey of growth and innovation, I am grateful to the people who supported us and helped us get where we are today. Grateful for the support of our clients, partners, and employees during these 25 years. Of course, this year we are celebrating our 25th anniversary in a big way. There are festivities throughout the year, and in September we will enjoy an anniversary weekend in Istanbul with all colleagues and their partners. Because that is what we do at Qualogy: we not only work together, we celebrate all milestones together. I am really looking forward to it.
I am also looking forward to the next 25 years: to all developments and new technologies, but above all to all the successes we will still achieve as a team. The future is promising, and Qualogy is ready for it!
The future: flexibility and innovation
While celebrating our 25th anniversary, we are also looking ahead and planning for the future. The (IT) world is changing rapidly, so as an organization it is important to remain flexible in operations to adapt quickly to change. We continue to evaluate and adjust our strategies and processes to remain relevant in a fast-evolving landscape. This also includes exploring new market opportunities and expanding our services to meet client needs.
With a strong focus on collaboration, expertise, and social commitment, Qualogy will continue to contribute to the growth and progress of both the Dutch and Surinamese IT sectors.
Qualogy's future plans will in any case include a transformation toward AI and machine learning. "The exciting AI revolution has already begun," says our CEO. AI and automation will play a major role in Qualogy's future. Thanks to AI, our employees can work more effectively and efficiently while becoming directors of their own programming work.