BeyondWork: About the beauty of small things

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Ana Chirion: Photography, source of inspiration and personal balance 

Some people perceive life in a simplified black-and-white palette, while others view it through a vibrant spectrum of colors. But some don’t just stop at colors but notice every subtle nuance.

Ana Chirion belongs to this rare category of people who not only perceive the subtle differences between identical colors to others, but explore, capture, and immortalize them through photography. Ana Chirion is a 27-year-old Taurus sign, a Business Analyst at Connections, a position that requires attention to detail, precision, and analytical thinking.

But beyond numbers, data and business processes, Ana has discovered a new passion: photography.

This hobby is not coincidental, but an extension of her ability to find beauty in insignificant details.

I discovered photography several years ago, back in my high school days, when I used to pose for various acquaintances who were as passionate about photography as I was. From posing to the first photo was just one step. I still remember it now: it was a beautiful, almost magical sunset that I couldn’t help but capture, to make it a memory. Every sunset is unique for me and that’s why I try to admire and photograph it every day.

Analyzing business and everyday beauty 

In her daily work, Ana analyzes complex data, creates reports, and proposes innovative solutions to improve business processes. Her work is important to the Connections team, as Ana must see patterns and uncover details that may seem invisible to others but are essential to achieving high execution standards.

When I want to photograph a landscape, a building, an animal, or a sunset, I always make sure that the natural light is favorable, so I prefer to shoot in the morning or late afternoon. Since I do not own a camera yet, I use my cell phone camera. I maximize my phone’s default settings such as HDR mode, 4K, manual focus and exposure. I also use portrait mode, night mode and panorama. One of the advantages of using my phone camera is that I’m always ready to capture the moments I don’t want to miss. Cell phone photography also involves various challenges that I have faced along the way: cell phone cameras have smaller sensors than DSLR cameras, which can sometimes limit the image quality. Another challenge has been the size of the screen, which is small and limits my view of delicate details.

Attention to such details often makes the eye behind the camera more important than the camera itself, and Ana has learned to use different editing tools such as Lightroom or Photoshop.

She wants to get better and better at photography, which is why she watches video tutorials, from which she learns new photography techniques, and raises her standards by following other photographers in social communities.

In terms of inspiration, anything can be a good subject for Ana to photograph: from an oasis of beauty discovered on a trip, to unique moments at events or the smiles of friends on a night out.

Photos help me to preserve the special moments in my life and the beautiful places I have visited so far. Thanks to my Instagram account, where I post my own photos, I’ve met other amateur photographers,” says Ana.

For her, photography is a relaxing activity, and it also helps her to train her attention to detail and ability to adapt and mobilize quickly to different conditions.

Between her professional responsibilities and moments of artistic creativity, she manages to harmoniously combine logic with emotion, confirming that a well-chosen hobby can have a positive impact on one’s well-being. And photography becomes not just a passion, but also a source of inspiration and balance.

Tip for photography beginners 

Make the most of natural light. Especially in the beginning, this will help you get that extra touch.

Experiment and play with angles and perspectives.

Feel free to bend down and shoot from unusual angles to get dynamic compositions. Turn your phone upside down to give your photos a unique touch. Maybe the angle from which you take the photo will capture unusual details.

Make full use of your phone or camera settings.

They will help you capitalize on what your eye and your emotion want to capture.

Here are some photos Ana took:

 

BeyondWork: About patience and adaptability in business development and tennis

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Alex Vîlcea: Success doesn’t depend on one perfect shot or one good decision 

He tightens his racquet and concentrates. Every serve is calculated, based on precision and instinct. Every stroke requires balance and timing, just as every business decision must be well thought out and goal-oriented.

Failures in the field are often like challenges in business – difficult but fundamental to evolution. Both require adaptability, learning, and resilience. In both tennis and business, it takes patience, strategic thinking and the ability to adapt quickly.

Alexandru Vîlcea is a Connector, he works in business development and one of his favorite hobbies is tennis.

It’s an activity that not only keeps me physically fit, but also gives me a great opportunity to relax and disconnect from the daily routine. I discovered tennis a few years ago when a friend invited me to a friendly match. What initially attracted me to the sport was the combination of strategy, speed and stamina needed to play well, but also the pleasure of spending time outdoors.

Practice, patience, perseverance 

In the beginning, tennis was just a curiosity, an opportunity to learn something new. With each practice, however, he discovered the pleasure of playing and perfecting her techniques – from serve to forehand. Over time, he realized that tennis and business have a lot in common: both need strategy, attention to detail, and a desire to constantly evolve. It wasn’t easy to integrate this passion into her daily life, but through dedication, he managed to organize her time in such a way that he could train at least twice a week. And, of course, he began to watch professional tennis matches closely to learn new strategies and techniques to apply to his game. Progress came gradually and it showed especially in the first matches he won. But victory on the court is not about one perfect shot or one good decision, but countless moments of practice, patience and perseverance. And the road from learning to hold the racquet to winning in two sets has often been a challenging one.

It wasn’t always easy. One of the biggest challenges was learning to stay calm and focused during matches, especially when I was at a disadvantage. To overcome these difficulties, I constantly worked on controlling my emotions and developing a strong mental strength, which allowed me to stay focused and improve my game.

Win or lose, the challenge stimulates you 

When we take up sports as a hobby, there are many benefits, physical, mental and emotional. We are stronger, more flexible, healthier, less stressed and more disciplined. We generally have a much better mood and mental clarity. So, all the hours Alex spent on the tennis court did not go “unpunished”.

I can’t help but notice how much tennis has helped me. First, it has helped keep me in excellent physical shape, contributing to better cardiovascular fitness and toned muscles. In addition, it has become an important source of relaxation and disconnection, giving me precious moments of escape from everyday. From a mental point of view, tennis has taught me to be more disciplined, patient and strategic, skills that have served me well in other aspects of my life.

At the end of the match, win or lose, it’s the challenge that energizes Alex. Whether he’s on the pitch or taking on the ‘coat’ of business developer, it’s about pushing boundaries and refining skills at every opportunity.

Tip for those who want to play tennis 

Be patient with yourself.

Tennis is a technical sport and mastering it takes time and practice. It is also essential to invest in quality equipment, especially the right shoes, to prevent injury.

Start with basic lessons.

Either with a coach or friends who have experience, and don’t hesitate to ask for advice or practice as much as possible.

Enjoy the game.

Don’t be discouraged by difficulties. Tennis is a sport that can be very rewarding if you give it the time and dedication it needs.

 

Meet our Connectors: Ciprian Onofreiciuc, The contributor and the poetry behind programming

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An engineer interested in what technologies can do to improve and simplify people’s lives. Pragmatic. Client-focused.

This is how Ciprian Onofreiciuc describes himself.

But if you get the chance to talk to him longer, you’ll also discover the eyes of an artist in Ciprian, one who loves people, values creativity just as much as cutting-edge technology, and has a broad perspective on the engines that drive the world forward, contributing to its development himself.

An artist in programming solution architecture, part of the Connections team since 2021, and one of the members involved in the major projects of the moment.

After being involved in projects with top 5 companies in banking and telecom in Romania, in roles such as Senior Developer or solution architect, in December 2023, he made another leap toward clients from the public sector, transitioning from the role of consultant to that of implementer and integrator.

The Secret to Success: Contributor in Every Role in Business and Life

Ciprian’s work, alongside the other connectors at CC, is based on a few clear principles: he focuses on results; he continuously strengthens his knowledge and skills base, from which he periodically makes technological and informational leaps; in his relationships with others, he always seeks to honor his commitments, offering predictability and consistency.

Throughout his career, he has been involved in various teams, either as a leader, taking on shared decisions and responsibilities, or as an executor/consultant, following directions defined by other people in leadership roles.

“I enjoy blazing new trails, seeking out untapped opportunities, taking moderate risks, and accepting challenges in unknown and high-potential areas,” he says. “In my career and life, I have alternated between leadership and management roles and that of an individual contributor. In every scenario, it’s important to adapt and contribute as much as possible to a project.”

Digitalization, the dance where technology takes other fields by the hand

If anyone doubts that poetry and programming go hand in hand, and that it is built on a deep understanding of the world we live in, they must meet Ciprian. For him, digitalization looks like a memorable dance, where impactful fields move in sync, holding hands with technology, and passing on multiplied value.

“When I started, I believed that computer science, or what was called digitalization at the time, was only about programming, and I felt extremely proud to be a programmer—until I saw other equally complex and useful technological wonders.

Today, I see digitalization more as one of the dancers in Henri Matisse’s painting ‘The Dance’: it joins a dance you admire with wonder, making the dance possible together with other dancers, which for me represent other important fields in people’s lives. Digitalization must intertwine with other domains to offer the maximum benefits, and the more fields there are, the greater the impact and the more beautiful the dance.”

“The Dance” by Henri Matisse, 1910. Image sourced from HenriMatisse.org.

We cannot disdain ancient civilizations for being outdated

How does Ciprian personally relate to technology? It is made to help and support human activity, he reminds us, and from this perspective, he views with respect all the stages of development humanity has gone through. He knows a well-known secret, though less often discussed in public: at some point, every technology was considered spectacular before it eventually became commonplace.

“We cannot ignore or depreciatively evaluate a certain technology, just as we cannot disdain ancient civilizations for being outdated. Everything is built by integrating or improving upon previous technologies. Many times, we adopt and use technology without realizing it, and only its absence makes us aware of its importance.”

The industry’s challenge: what do we choose to become along with progress?

The greatest challenge Ciprian sees is undoubtedly tied to progress.“Performance issues seem the most interesting to me because that’s where technological limits arise. Solving these problems generates progress and creates technological leaps,” he says.

Consequently, the challenge he would pose to the IT industry is one that will undoubtedly spark long debates for years to come: Do you believe augmentative technological implants will bring progress and a better life for humanity?

“I believe that, in this entire evolutionary context, it’s important for people to be aware of natural human value. I’m sure the answer would be a resounding yes, but I’m not sure if humanity will remain the same with this progress.”

Message for a Beginner in IT: The Foundation is Everything!

For a junior just starting out in the industry, Ciprian has a fundamental piece of advice: Build a foundation, and then explore from there.

How can you do that?

“There are several ways to build this foundation,” he says. “You can do it theoretically, by accumulating knowledge in an academic way, followed by a certification aimed at achieving certain objectives; or practically, by participating in a project that follows specific industry standards and covers all stages of a product’s lifecycle.”

Simple, right? 🙂

Connections has achieved a revenue growth compared to H1 2023 and a record net profit of 4.6 million RON, surpassing the estimated budget by 200%

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Connections Consult (CC), a digitalization company listed on the BVB, AeRo market, announces significant improvements of the financial performance for the first half of 2024.

Net profit has exceeded the budgeted growth for this year by 200%, reaching 4.67 million RON, which is a 29% increase compared to the same period in 2023. The company’s revenues are also on an upward trend, showing a 15% increase from the first semester of the previous year and a dynamic business line performance that ensures balanced development.

“Early in 2024, at Connections, we aimed to focus on improving business efficiency, and the first six months demonstrate that we are achieving this goal successfully: profitability is rising across all indicators, including both gross and net results, as well as profit margins—an achievement all the more relevant given the ongoing challenges and consistent declines in the IT market quarter after quarter. The results we are reporting today confirm that effective management generates enhanced value, and CC is a pillar of stability for our shareholders“, says Bogdan Florea, Founder and Co-CEO of the company.

 The negative effects of the market context have only impacted the company’s results at the level of initial expectations—actual figures versus budgeted ones. However, Connections reports double-digit growth compared to the previous year in key indicators, including a reduction in debt levels, and continues to anticipate an even better second half of the year.

“The first half of the year was, overall, a period during which local market players were cautious about launching new digitalization projects, focusing instead on a thorough analysis of IT providers’ capabilities. Our advanced level of expertise is one of our strong points, so Connections is well-positioned to achieve significant growth and relevant projects in the second half of the year. We thank the entire team, as their talent and capabilities are the major differentiators”, says Radu Marcu, Co-CEO of the company.

 In addition to achieving revenues 15% higher than the first semester of 2023 (47.1 million RON), Connections Consult also experienced increases in expenses, primarily related to higher salary costs. During the same period, the company also internally launched the Stock Option Plan (SOP), through which the first 50 employees have become shareholders, in order to, as Bogdan Florea specifies, “clearly show the team that Connections’ success is directly linked to their performance“.

In parallel with enhancing business efficiency, Connections is strengthening its governance by developing a new resource management and workflow system, which is currently being operationalized to ensure a solid foundation for medium- and long-term development.

“We are making steady progress toward a clear multi-year vision“, says the company’s founder, “and in the second half of the year, we will extend our efforts to securing funding for research in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. We likely have some of the most educated and skilled colleagues in the market in the area of artificial intelligence, with experience and proven experimental results over the past two years, well ahead of the global market surge“.

The company will also intensify its efforts to secure foreign territories and projects, which generated 30% of revenues in the first semester, and is also focusing on accelerating digitalization projects funded through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and other European funds.

The financial results report for the first half of 2024  is available for consultation at the following link.

CASE STUDY Connections Consult: High-standard cybersecurity. Collaboration in mixed teams

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CLIENT: Agnostic Intelligence AG

Agnostic Intelligence, a Swiss innovative startup, has developed a platform that automatically analyzes various sources of information to manage supply chain risks. The platform targets companies in various sectors (e.g. financial, chemical and manufacturing). These face complex challenges, such as managing many suppliers, maintaining compliance with specific regulations (e.g. DORA, NIS 2, GDPR), and protecting against risks associated with their supply chain.

PRODUCT DEVELOPED

Agnostic Intelligence needed additional technical expertise to develop this highly complex product and chose Connections Consult as a partner. The collaboration led to the improvement of the innovative Third-Party Risk Assessment and Management (TPRM) platform.

PROJECT DURATION

The implementation of the platform’s key functionalities lasted approximately 2 years. The technologies used included backend .NET 6, SQL Server database, and Azure cloud infrastructure, with Agile methodology adopted to ensure efficient project management and adaptability to changing requirements.

The main functionalities of the platform included automatic risk assessment using artificial intelligence, agnostic integration, continuous threat monitoring, report generation, transparent communication, and the ability to add customized functionalities through add-ons.

IMPLEMENTATION AND FUNCTIONALITIES

The platform required a series of essential functionalities to be comprehensive and efficient, and the implementation included:

Automatic third-party risk assessment: using state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence technology, the platform can automatically and comprehensively evaluate risks associated with third parties based on a questionnaire incl. documentation which significantly reduces time to market and ressources involved.

Universal integration: the platform seamlessly integrates with various data sources, such as open-source systems, risk questionnaires, and third-party proprietary solutions, ensuring a holistic view of supply chain risks.

Continuous monitoring: the platform provides a continuously updated external threat view on a company. Potential vulnerabilities and threats are identified and notified on the platform.

Detailed reports: the platform generates different reports (audit report, management summary) which provide a complete picture of the identified deviations and risks associated with a third party.

CHALLENGES IN THE PROJECT

Cultural diversity within the team: The project brought together members from countries such as Switzerland, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, and Spain, each with their own working norms and organizational culture.

Connections’ expertise was essential in adapting the solution to the specific needs of the clients, ensuring easy and efficient use.

The implementation of the platform led to a significant reduction in time and costs associated with third-party assessments, while also enhancing cybersecurity and operational efficiency for Agnostic’s clients.

IMPACT

  • Significant reduction in time and costs: Third-party assessment became up to 90% faster, resulting in substantial savings for clients in both time and costs. (On average, a manual third-party risk assessment process took two months, with costs amounting to 60’000 Euros per assessment.)
  • Enhancement of TPRM: Continuous monitoring and real-time notifications enable rapid identification and mitigation of potential vulnerabilities and risks.

CONNECTIONS TEAM INVOLVED

The collaboration resulted in a top-standard cybersecurity product, and from a technical standpoint, the project involved a team from Connections with expertise in areas such as software development, AI & ML engineering, and technical consultancy on product architecture.

Meet our Connectors: Georgiana Sotir, the Harmony Wizard

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Within the software industry, challenges are everywhere, and the complexity of the situations we face increases as projects become more ambitious and technologies rapidly evolve. It is essential to have a flexible and innovative approach, to be willing to constantly learn, and to collaborate effectively to find optimal solutions to complex problems.

In such moments, different perspectives can lead to conflicts or misunderstandings, and a mediator becomes indispensable within every team. We have Georgiana, and we genuinely acknowledge: when things tend to get complicated, it’s incredibly reassuring to have her around, as she brings harmony to any team, turning tense moments into opportunities for collaboration. With a deep understanding of human relationships, she manages to bring the necessary balance to our team, no matter the challenges that arise.

The challenges of a Wizard: turning obstacles into creativity

Georgiana’s ability to integrate different personalities into a common project is based on one essential principle: people are what make a team, and their skills extend beyond professional duties, encompassing aspects related to character and compatibility with other team members, as well as with client teams.

“My strengths lie in the ability to create high-performing teams that align with the requirements, patterns, and values of Connections, as well as the client’s expectations. This demands a great deal of flexibility, adaptability, and continuous analytical skills. With my colleagues on the projects I work on, I must demonstrate and prove my ability as a team leader, but always in a delicate balance of empathy and understanding, which go hand in hand if you want things to work perfectly—or almost perfectly.”

Beyond her ability to bring talented people together, her success as a master of balance is also due to a special ingredient: every new challenge pushes her to refine her skills. In fact, that’s how we managed to win her over 🙂: through the complexity of the projects, we’ve been working on together since 2017.

“I was really drawn to the idea of joining the team for one of the largest projects in Connections’ portfolio at the time, under the guidance of Vlad Sgindar. I saw a huge opportunity for professional growth alongside a manager who worked directly with the company’s CEO—so on very relevant projects—and was known for his unconventional style, which was the first challenge. The fact that I was facing a complex, difficult-to-coordinate project—a kind of ‘trial by fire’—was the second challenge,” Georgiana recalls. “It was one of my best decisions, especially since I met wonderful people here, whom I now consider a second family. I am always surrounded by positive energy from satisfied people, whether they are clients or teammates, and that brings me great joy.”

Digitalization? The perfect relationship between humans and technology.

After seven years with the Connections team, Georgiana has begun to see digitalization as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) that everyone turns to when complex situations arise.

“I believe digitalization should represent the perfect relationship between humans and technology. As IT innovations evolve, digitalization finds efficient and adaptive methods of communication, saving time and resources for those who manually perform certain processes. It helps them increase their productivity and knowledge in areas relevant to the future, and technology has enormously changed the way we work. This is particularly evident in private companies, as many state institutions still operate on principles where digitalization remains aspirational.”

For her personally, technology is very convenient, as it provides access to information, and she often wonders: where would we be now if this continuous evolution had not existed?

“Technology helps us do things more efficiently, from a washing machine that knows how to wash clothes faster and better with a fraction of the resources a similar product used 10 years ago, to the cars we use to move around and innovative safety systems like pedestrian detection or imminent impact alerts, things that save lives. It’s also convenient that trips to the bank, to various institutions, and online shopping can be done much more easily from a distance, adding extra time in a world where time means everything.”

Equally relevant is how technology is changing opportunities for digital native generations.

“I believe the internet and the benefit of having it available anytime on a device that fits in your pocket is the greatest human progress. This is not just because there is raw information that you can access anytime, but because every person is now free to inform themselves about anything at any time, making it easier to turn a simple curiosity into a passion and a possible career in a certain field. In the past, we were adaptive; there were opportunities for which school prepared you. Current generations are reactive: school presents the basics, but they will discover the specifics on their own. It’s important to mention that misleading, false, or purposefully biased information online is a future issue that, if unregulated, has the potential to severely impact human evolution, and it’s important to always be interested and up to date with what is happening.”

Regarding the future, all is well: everything is always changing

 Automation and Artificial Intelligence are two “hot” topics that Georgiana closely follows, not through the eyes of a programmer, but from a sociological perspective, considering their concepts and impact on human behavior.

“Role and service automation is a field that, at first glance, might scare many people regarding job security in the medium term or how they will be valued as professionals in the future. However, people are not dispensable by principle; it’s just that those who cannot adapt will suffer more than those who are adaptable and curious.”

How does she envision the evolution of a career that can be considered secure in the future? It’s deeply tied to two key words: relevance + openness to change.

“It is our duty, and that of future generations, to choose a relevant field and to remain always open to change. It’s important to embrace change, whether it comes in the form of digitalization, artificial intelligence, or automation. AI currently helps us find detailed answers faster than we can through search engines. However, the information that AI is trained on is both public and private, and it is not particularly accurate. It is based on probabilities, in a field that is not well regulated. When Deep Fakes and cyberattacks are taken to an art form, human value becomes even more important,” Georgiana believes.

She also thinks that the IT industry should support the creation of artificial intelligence based on accurate information, the reorganization of cybersecurity with an increased focus on information protection and fraud detection, and the development of applications that improve medical systems, transportation safety, the sustainability of manufacturing processes, and the reduction of pollution.

MESSAGE FOR A BEGINNER IN IT

“Always keep your curiosity alive, adapt and stay informed, and stay one step ahead of your current role. Your career will change the world we live in, but only the best will go far.”

CEO TALKS – 2024 IT MARKET TRENDS: WHAT DO LOCAL CLIENTS WANT?

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We are halfway through 2024, and we are analyzing to what extent the year’s trends are confirmed or changing. Bogdan Florea, founder and co-CEO of Connections Consult, discusses the construction of the IT business this year and what local clients desire. 

“While on international markets, the trend we observe is the localization of services, in the domestic market, we notice an accelerated trend of concern, investment, and development in the area of technologies that define the cloud/cloud computing, both at the infrastructure level (Infrastructure as a Service) and at the Platform as a Service level, as well as the entire technological stack that defines the cloud. 

When we talk about the cloud, we are referring to a generic term that actually provides the possibility of accessing services economically and efficiently from anywhere, offered by a service provider, not just infrastructure and applications. 

As I mentioned, we observe a marked trend of companies investing and developing and accumulating new capabilities in the cloud computing area. We have seen this trend starting from 2023, and, in my opinion, we will continue to see it in the coming years.“ 

Connections follows this trend, just like many other players in the market. Although our main specialization is in application development and, more recently, in technology integration, the vast majority of client requirements focus on cloud-ready applications, prepared to operate in the cloud in various forms—whether we’re talking about Microsoft, Amazon, Google Cloud, or OpenStack. Consequently, the push from technological advancements compels us to take steps towards developing cloud-ready applications. 

At this moment, we consider ourselves one of the leading providers of complex enterprise applications that are ready to be used in the cloud. 

Meet our Connectors: Ionuț Stănescu, The Listener

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In every team there is a person who prefers to keep quiet, to listen, to extract information and then put it into practice, without too much discussion. In our case, that’s Ionuț Stănescu, who, in the almost two decades he’s been part of the team, has listened, evolved, helped train new IT talent, delivered complex solutions and put brick upon brick to Connections’ growth. Now, he holds the role of AI Expert & Data Scientist.

Ionuț is curious, so he’s always exploring new technologies and solutions, adapting, and in doing so, he manages to keep up with the changes in the industry and shows perseverance. This perseverance “keeps me going, even when I face challenges,” he says. Both in IT and in sporting events – we say – because Ionuț is a dedicated sportsman, taking part in competitions and triathlons. Deeply enthralled and engaged in the fast-paced development of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, Ionuț is doing his best to keep up.

“This emerging sector, with its potential to revolutionize different industries and aspects of our lives, has managed to arouse intense interest and deep passion on my part. I’m excited to delve deeper into this field and contribute to the innovation that is happening now.”

From 2007, when he was still in college, to the present, Ionut has been part of the Connections team. Throughout these years he has been involved in numerous projects and has been the one to listen, assimilate information and then put it into practice.

“I became part of the Connections team in 2007, during my university studies.  Since then, I have been constantly evolving, working on innovative projects and learning a lot from colleagues, professionals, clients and various projects. I’ve always taken responsibility for technical decisions, set the direction and acted proactively or reactively – depending on the situation – to remove possible obstacles. With this way of working, I participated in the development and delivery of complex solutions, contributed to the training of new IT talent, and I hope I played an important role in Connections’ rise.”

About digitization and physics

After 17 years of extracting valuable lessons from every action, of always approaching every project and every situation from a forward-looking perspective, Ionuț has fully understood what digitization means and sees it as… an element of physics, more precisely, light.

“Like light, digitization can reach the farthest corners of the world, bringing clarity, removing information barriers and bringing knowledge. Light has a dual behavior, behaving both as electromagnetic waves and as packets of energy (photons). Similarly, digitization also has a dual behavior. It can be a tool for development and learning as well as a medium for entertainment and relaxation. Light is also composed of many colors, each with its own wavelength. Similarly, digitization is composed of many different elements – data, software, hardware, networks, people, knowledge – all working together to create a complex system. Digitization, like light, is essentially good, but it can also be used maliciously. For example, in the case of light, ultraviolet radiation can cause sunburn and other health problems), and digitization, in its essence, is a good thing. Digitization on the other hand can be used in the case of cyber-attacks or invasion of privacy. Both are highly adaptable: while one adapts to its environment, the other adjusts to new technologies and trends, overcoming obstacles and always moving forward, and both transmit information extremely fast! And last but not least, they are both so necessary! Just as the physical world needs light to function, the modern world needs digitalization. Without it, many of our daily activities, such as communicating, working, learning and entertaining, would be much more difficult, if not impossible.”

Message for a beginner programmer

Learn to listen and evaluate opinions through your own filter, be curious and don’t be afraid to make decisions. Failures are part of the process, but recognizing them will point you in the right direction.

2024, THE YEAR TO SHOW HOW GOOD WE ARE

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Today, we are launching a series of analyses on Connections, a digital transformation company listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) under the symbol CC. This initiative aims to offer a clear and detailed overview of our rapidly expanding business. 

Our goal is to consistently highlight the essential aspects of our operations, providing maximum clarity and an overall picture of the journey we are building day by day. For financial details, you can find us on BVB (CC), where we offer transparent and updated financial reports, or visit our website at https://connectionsconsult.ro/investitori-v2/ 

As part of our #ConnectionsCEOTalks series, we start with an intervii featuring Bogdan Florea, Co-CEO and founder of Connections. He provides insights into the developments of 2023 and our plans for the current year, exploring revenue growth in our business divisions, the strategic decisions impacting company growth, and the balance between local and international markets. We will also discuss ambitious profitability goals for the year ahead. 

Let’s proceed to the interview with Bogdan to delve deeper into the company’s activities and future perspectives. 

REVENUE DISTRIBUTION: 

IT vs. non-IT, local vs. global 

HOW DID 2023 LOOK FOR CONNECTIONS CONSULT? HOW DID THE COMPANY’S REVENUES EVOLVE BY BUSINESS DIVISIONS? 

In 2023, we observed a shift in the balance between our business lines, driven primarily by accelerated revenue growth in the software development and digital transformation team, making this division the primary contributor to the group’s revenues. By the end of 2023, the revenue breakdown by business lines was as follows: the BPO division accounted for 15% of the group’s total revenues, IT outsourcing/IT support contributed 5%, combined private and public software accounted for over 70%, RPA (Robotic Process Automation) represented 2%, and technology outsourcing or consulting accounted for 5%. 

Compared to 2022, we notice a difference, an increase, as mentioned, in the software development and digital transformation area, at the expense of the BPO division, which decreased from contributing 48% to total revenues to 15%. However, this decrease was only in terms of percentage of total revenues, as the absolute value of the BPO department’s figures remained the same as in 2022. This is due to the evident growth in the group’s revenues, a rapid increase in 2023, as we would say. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The revenues of all business lines, except for the digital transformation business unit, remained stable in 2023 compared to 2022, and we are pleased to observe a rapid growth in the digital transformation team from 2022 to 2023. So, we have stability across all lines and a very — I would say an impressive growth in the digital transformation area. 

WAS THE GROWTH OF THE SOFTWARE DIVISION A STRATEGIC DECISION OR RATHER MARKET EVOLUTION? 

The shift in revenue distribution within the group’s total revenues is the result of a strategy formulated around 2021, coinciding with our entry into the capital market (listing on the BVB). Its essence lies in our strong desire to migrate almost exclusively towards the technology sector. 

Looking back to 2021, when we made the decision to list the company or group of companies, we also had a non-IT sector that was closely tied to technology, historically providing significant cash flow and opening doors to potential technology projects through cross-selling effects. Our goal was not only to maintain but also to significantly increase the group’s revenues, shifting predominantly towards technology and especially new technologies in the service portfolio offered to clients. 

We achieved this by adding clients from the governmental and public sectors to the group’s portfolio, heavily relying on European funds. We all hope these funds will contribute to the digitalization of both central and local public administrations, along with the National Recovery and Resilience Plans (PNNR) obtained by all EU member states following the Covid pandemic. Through this blend of strategy and opportunities emerging in the public sector domain, we successfully shifted the revenue distribution, placing much more focus on the tech IT area. 

FROM A GEOGRAPHICAL PERSPECTIVE – LOCAL VERSUS INTERNATIONAL MARKETS? 

Historically, Connections has typically derived between 20% to 30% of its revenues from international markets, with some fluctuations up until 2022. However, starting in 2023, this percentage has seen a significant decline in terms of its share within the total revenue mix. 

In absolute terms, our revenues from international markets have remained relatively stable or have shown slight growth. Yet, due to the rapid expansion of local revenues, the proportion of international revenues has diminished in the overall revenue composition of the group. 

We remain dedicated to identifying new clients in international markets, actively pursuing relationships with foreign companies to enhance our overall revenue streams. At the same time, we are committed to nurturing our presence in the domestic market. 

In economic theory and practical corporate management, there is a straightforward principle suggesting that international expansion becomes feasible when a company establishes a solid foundation in its domestic market. Expansion here entails not only establishing subsidiaries abroad but also effectively penetrating foreign markets. 

Considering ourselves a medium-sized company, with potential aspirations to grow into a larger entity in the near future, we are encouraged by our robust stability in the domestic market. Strengthening our foothold in the domestic market presents promising opportunities for expanding exports in the near to medium term. 

This perspective is compounded by current global economic indicators, unfortunately forecasting a downturn in the months or years ahead, alongside a prevailing trend towards localization of services. 

We observe a nuanced philosophical underpinning derived from global political and geopolitical dynamics: companies are increasingly sourcing suppliers closer to delivery locations, which introduces certain barriers in engaging with foreign markets. However, technology remains a unifying factor in the global economy, where common language transcends cultural or national barriers. We maintain our interest in international revenues while concurrently focusing on serving our domestic market clients. 

INCREASING PROFIT MARGIN: CONNECTIONS’ FOCUS FOR 2024 

Regarding the profit margin, in 2023 we saw a slight increase in percentage terms as well as in absolute value. Due to revenue growth, we achieved significantly higher gross and net profit figures, but the percentage terms remain within the same range, around 8%. One of the major goals of the group is to achieve a double-digit gross profit margin, including EBITDA, and sustain it for the next 5 years, aiming for a gross profit margin of approximately 11-12%, certainly above 10%. For us, it’s important not only to quickly achieve this margin in a single year but also to sustain it reliably over the long term. 

HOW WILL WE MOVE FROM A SINGLE-DIGIT PROFIT LEVEL TO DOUBLE DIGITS? 

Unfortunately, there’s no magic solution; it requires a lot of hard work and a clear plan that the entire strategy and team must follow. 

We can increase operational margin, but this is more challenging considering we are operating in an already stable market. 

The main opportunity lies in optimizing expenses, focusing on delivering services much more efficiently. A project that previously took 3 months to achieve a certain result can be revised to be delivered in a shorter time frame while maintaining the same quality standards — this represents a significant internal improvement and enhances the professionalism we offer to our clients. 

Additionally, we need to manage fixed expenses, where Connections is already performing well — fixed costs represent less than 10% of total revenues, which is considerably positive in my opinion. However, we will continue to monitor and control fixed costs to increase our operational margin and achieve our profitability goals for the entire group. 

This is the major challenge for this year, and we must demonstrate how capable we are in managing these aspects. 

 

Discover the free technologies and products from Oracle

Posted on by andreea.pislariu

A presentation delivered by Ciprian Onofreiciuc, at Dev Talks 2024

The Big Data & Cloud stage at Dev Talks, an event where Connections served as the Tech Area Partner, hosted a compelling presentation by our colleague, Ciprian Onofreiciuc, Oracle Architect, on a topic of interest to all involved in software development and IT architecture: “What’s free in Oracle? – Top 7 free technologies and products from Oracle”.

During his presentation, Ciprian highlighted seven free technologies and products offered by Oracle that are revolutionizing how developers and companies approach the technological landscape.

HERE ARE THE TOP 7 FREE TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTS FROM ORACLE:

  1. Oracle VM VirtualBox

A versatile tool, free and open-source software that allows users to run multiple operating systems on a single computer, a great option for both personal and professional use.

It can be used for:

  • Software development and testing: Developers can test their applications on different operating systems.
  • System administration: IT professionals can simulate network environments for configuration testing.
  • Education and training: Students can learn and practice using different operating systems.
  • Support for legacy applications: Run older software that may not be compatible with newer.

Oracle VM is a virtualization solution that meets the needs of data centers seeking a high-performance, scalable, and reliable solution.

ADVANTAGES:

High performance and scalability:

  • Supports up to 384 physical CPUs and 6TB of memory
  • Supports a wide range of host operating systems

High reliability and availability:

  • Secure live VM migration.
  • Live storage migration of VMs.
  • High availability.

Management:

  • Faster software deployment with Oracle VM templates.
  • Support for virtual appliances: OVF format, OVA format.

6. Oracle Linux: Optimized OS for Oracle Products

An excellent choice for companies relying on Oracle products and seeking a secure and reliable operating system.

Key benefits:

  • Optimized performance: Smooth operation of Oracle software, including databases and enterprise applications.
  • Stability and reliability: Built on a solid foundation (Red Hat Enterprise Linux) and rigorously tested to ensure a stable and reliable system.
  • Security: Includes integrated security features and receives regular updates to keep your system protected.
  • Cost-efficient: Free to download and use, with optional support subscriptions available.

  1. Database Management Systems – Oracle Database 23ai Free vs. Oracle MySQL 8.4

Two popular Database Management Systems, each with its own strengths and occasional limitations. Choosing the most suitable one depends on the specific needs of your project.

  • Oracle Database 23ai Free: A free version of Oracle Database, offering a perpetual license with certain resource limitations. Ideal for personal projects, learning, testing, and prototyping.
  • Oracle MySQL 8.4: A popular open-source database known for its scalability, performance, and reliability. An excellent choice for production environments requiring efficient large-scale data management.

4. Oracle SQL Developer vs. MySQL Workbench: choosing the right tool for Database Development and Administration

Both Oracle SQL Developer and MySQL Workbench are powerful tools for database development and administration, but each has different strengths. Here’s a quick comparison to help you choose the right tool:

  • Oracle SQL Developer: Optimized for Oracle databases but can also work with other relational databases (requires additional connectors).
  • MySQL Workbench: Designed specifically for MySQL, but can also manage other relational databases with limited support.

3. Oracle Integration Tools: ORDS vs. GoldenGate Free

Both Oracle ORDS and Oracle GoldenGate Free are free tools provided by Oracle for integration, but they serve different purposes.

  • Choose ORDS if:
    • You need to quickly expose data as RESTful web services for your applications.
    • Your database size is under 20 GB.
  • Choose GoldenGate Free if:
    • You need to replicate data in real-time between Oracle or MySQL databases.
    • You want error tolerance and continuous data synchronization.

  1. Oracle APEX

A low-code development platform that allows building web applications with minimal programming. It’s free with an Oracle Database license and offers advantages such as:

  • Easy to learn and use, even with limited programming experience.
  • Rapid application development for time and resource savings.
  • Scalable to adapt to your business needs.
  • Secure to protect data.
  • Accessible from mobile devices.
  • Extensible through custom code.
  • Active developer community for support.

  1. Oracle Cloud Free Tier Service

The Oracle Cloud Free Tier offers users free access to a variety of essential cloud services, including AMD and Arm-based virtual machines, block and object storage solutions, and autonomous databases. These free services are available for an unlimited period, allowing users to experiment with and use Oracle technologies without initial costs.

Thus, the free technologies and products from Oracle are not just a collection of tools, but rather a source of opportunities for those passionate about innovation in the technology field. From virtualization and database management solutions to low-code development platforms and cloud services, Oracle puts accessibility and performance at the forefront. To further explore this universe of possibilities, we invite you to access the links above and venture into the world of Oracle technologies.

Virtualization

Operating Systems

Database Management System

TOOLS FOR DATABASE DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION

TOOLS FOR INTEGRATION

Application Framework

Cloud

Free, but with significant benefits

These free solutions come with numerous essential advantages:

  • Savings: using these free products can bring significant savings by eliminating expenses related to licenses or other associated costs.
  • Flexibility: free products allow for flexible adoption and usage, giving companies the ability to test and implement solutions without major financial constraints.
  • Community: many of these free solutions are supported by large communities, providing support, updates, and continuous innovation.
  • Transparency and security: most free products, especially open source ones, offer full code transparency, allowing for security audits and customizations.
  • Avoidance of vendor lock-in: using these free solutions can prevent being locked into a specific vendor’s ecosystem, offering the freedom to switch solutions as needed.
  • Support: while varying, free products generally benefit from community or vendor support, providing a minimum level of assistance and guidance.

Ciprian also highlighted the essential differences between terms such as “free,” “zero license cost,” and “freeware” in the software industry, emphasizing that understanding these is crucial for making informed decisions.

  • Free (Free of Cost): software labeled as “free” does not require payment for use, which can significantly reduce expenses.
  • Zero License Cost: software with zero license cost does not require a license fee, but there may be other costs, such as support or premium features.
  • Freeware: software distributed for free but with proprietary licensing. Usage is free, but there may be restrictions on modification, redistribution, or commercial use.
  • Open Source vs. Freeware: open-source software can be free but offers different freedoms compared to freeware, including modification and redistribution.

CIPRIAN ONOFREICIUC: AN EXPERT IN ORACLE TECHNOLOGIES

Ciprian Onofreiciuc, Oracle Architect, has built an impressive career in the technology field, accumulating twenty years of experience in software development, project management, IT architecture, and service operations. With his vast expertise and passion for innovation, Ciprian has become a reference point in the industry, making significant contributions to technological advancement and the development of the professional community.

More on the subject? We’re glad the above information has been helpful and has helped you discover new opportunities for use in your work. If you need support to explore any of the resources in depth, to give consistency to the ideas you have, we invite you to complete the form below, and one of Ciprian’s team specialists will help you turn intention into concrete action.

    A specialist from our team will contact you as soon as possible to arrange a detailed discussion and provide you with the necessary assistance.

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