Q&A: Dr Keshab Panda, Director and SVP, Head of Europe Operations, Satyam Computer Services Limited  

Satyam Computer Services, a global consulting and information technology services provider, has signed up as the new FIFA World Cup Sponsor and Official Information Technology Services Provider to the FIFA World Cup, replacing Avaya. The relationship will initially cover two event cycles - the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and the 2014 edition in Brazil – and each cycle will include the FIFA Confederation Cup tournament. Satyam is one of four FIFA World Cup sponsors announced for the 2010 event and is the sponsor in the IT services category.
Dr Keshab Panda (pictured right) is the Director and Senior Vice-President for Satyam’s regional business unit in Europe, as well as being in charge of the company’s growth strategy. He has held this senior management position since 2004 and under his leadership, Satyam Europe revenue has grown to from 12% to over 20% of the global revenue. Dr Panda has been instrumental in expanding Satyam’s client base and geographic footprint across Europe as well as managing several global Strategic Customer Relationships. He is an Executive Member of GE Consumer & Industrial IDC and is Senior Vice President of Satyam’s Energy and Utilities practice. Dr Panda also holds the position of being the CEO of Satyam Technologies, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Satyam.

Please explain how Satyam became involved in the FIFA sponsorship?

“Satyam had already been working as a service provider to FIFA and we were aware that Avaya’s sponsorship was not being renewed after the 2006 event in Germany. We thought that this would be a great opportunity for us not only to work more closely with FIFA, but also for us to showcase our company’s offerings. Since announcing the deal, we have received lots of calls from potential new clients saying they would like to work with us. Some have called to say that they had heard of us, but had no idea that we were such a big company and could do so much.”

Is brand visibility therefore your main objective from this deal?

“Brand visibility is extremely important, not only in terms of new clients but also to show our current customers and investors how we can grow as a company. This sponsorship is certainly a great platform to enable us to do that. Our aim is to reach across markets globally and showcase our technologies to the world. By taking on this sponsorship, we will also be able to recruit more employees globally and attract the best talent, which will enable us to grow as a company further.”

What’s involved in the sponsorship?

“As the Official IT Services Provider to the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups, Satyam, which already enjoys a business relationship with FIFA, will play a crucial role in developing the core IT event management system for FIFA and its service partner for IT, Accommodation and Hospitality - MATCH AG, as well as Local Organising Committees during the next seven years. With a presence in more than 57 countries, Satyam can fully leverage its global expertise and therefore enable FIFA not only to deliver world-class events but also focus on generating a long-lasting legacy for the host countries through hiring and educating local event staff.”

How is the deal structured and what is your sponsorship experience so far?

“As you might expect, the deal on paper is part cash and part value-in-kind. Although in reality it’s a little more complicated than that. One thing we are certain of is that we wanted to take our existing technology and use it to add value to the sponsorship. Our sponsorship experience so far extends to smaller sporting events in India with our aim being to make our country a healthier environment. Now we will have the chance to do that on a larger scale with the FIFA World Cup sponsorship.”

Will you be showcasing new technology during South Africa 2010 or sticking to that which is tried and tested?

“It’s very important that the FIFA World Cup evolves between events and we expect a transformation in technology to have taken place by the time of South Africa 2010, which builds on what was learnt in Germany 2006. I can’t say yet what those changes will be, but Satyam will make sure that the technology works and can be used in a trouble-free way by all parties. We want to make sure that fans as well as internal parties have access to the data. We are certainly looking forward to the challenges ahead.”

Are you expecting any particular challenges in South Africa?

“The sponsorship will build on Satyam's fast-growing presence in South Africa and across the region already. Satyam's business in South Africa doubled this past year, and the company will soon be opening offices in Ghana and Kenya. Satyam is a significant investor in South Africa and leads a skills development initiative for South Africans under the Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition programme. Currently, more than 80 South African students are enrolled in a year-long technical training programme at the company's campus in Hyderabad, India. We expect similar initiatives to have developed in Brazil by 2014, and already are establishing a centre there.”

Finally, what do you think your sponsorship will do for India, Satyam’s home nation?

“We aim to use our sponsorship to promote sport in India and encourage more young people to participate in games such as football [soccer] which is popular in some parts of India, but not others. India has already undergone a rapid transformation over the last 15 years or so, and we expect that to continue over the coming years. The 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi will be great for India and there’s no reason why we can’t host a FIFA World Cup or Olympic games one day in the future. We would be very glad if that happens, and you can be sure that Satyam will try to be involved!”

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