Company-X earns praise from multinational technology giant.
Forget Silicon Valley. When multinational networking equipment maker Cisco Systems Inc wanted a software solution it turned to New Zealand based Company-X for help with various international projects.
The San Jose, California, multi-national asked the Waikato company based at its Level 2, Wintec House, headquarters to provide a project manager, business analysts, technical programmers, a graphical designer and user experience designers.
Company-X directors David Hallett and Jeremy Hughes were happy to oblige.
“At Cisco, we have so many varying requirements that we need resources that can solve a multitude of problems and keep pace with change,” said Cisco project manager Ashela Webb.
“Many resourcing firms are stretched for skilled resources that can think at a business value level. David and Jeremy have an amazing ability to attract and retain talent that is both skilled and business savvy.”
Hallett and Hughes oversaw their team who designed and developed highly specialized software solutions for the multinational that could be scaled across the organization of tens of thousands of staff.
“Company-X resourcing has always been skilled, professional and analytical. They handle themselves professionally internally with peers and leaders. Every resource provided to us, from program management to development, has the ability to think on his or her feet and get the job done,” Webb said.
“Company-X manages to find experts that keep updated, continuously bringing new technology and development insights to our organization.”
David said he hand-picked the teams for the projects and was not surprised to hear how pleased Webb and her Cisco colleagues were with the results.
“We love providing thought leadership around technology.”
Hughes said that the Company-X team were highly passionate about remaining exceptionally customer-focused during the projects.
“I’m not surprised that our team did a great job. What blew me away was how spectacularly the results were received by a renowned Silicon Valley technology company.”
Our first job is to listen
David Hallett and Jeremy Hughes founded Company-X in 2012.
The company specializes in innovative and cutting-edge software solutions, software integration, and also provides skilled people to resource the in-house software projects of clients.
“Our first job is to listen,” they both say in their LinkedIn profiles. “The true source of many business challenges can be complex or hidden. We know the right questions to ask to uncover what really needs addressing – so even if you’re not quite sure what you’re after, we can help.”
Both are also directors of Elevate9, which designs and develops bespoke websites which support business strategy and offers branding and digital marketing services.
Hallett is a Chartered IT Professional. He chairs Wintec’s Centre for Business, IT and Enterprise Employer Partnership Group, chairs the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand’s Bachelor of Information Technology Advisory Group and is current branch chair and former board member of the Institute of IT Professionals.
Hallett and Hughes are also both University of Waikato graduates.
Hallett studied computer science and was elected Vice President of the Waikato Students’ Union while he studied.
Hughes studied management and marketing alongside information systems and programming technologies.
Hallett, who has more than 20 years’ professional IT experience, has been an early adopter and industry thought leader since before the World Wide Web was invented.
“By the time most people have heard of a new technology I have most likely discovered it, researched it, experienced it, written about it, and replaced it with something new and exciting,” he said.
Hughes, an IT development consultant with 30 years’ experience, said nothing beats the “aha” moment.
“I’ve helped all kinds of teams, businesses and organizations take their ‘ums’ and ‘ahs’ and turn them into the brilliant, bolt-out-of-bed ‘aha!’s’ that successful software projects are founded on.”