Fernando Nieto, Business Development Director of the Satec Group: ‘Developing and supporting local talent is very important’

Satec is a Spanish multinational technology company that has been operating in the Moroccan market for over 25 years. Atalayar interviewed its Director of Business Development and Marketing, Fernando Nieto, who explained how the company works and its positive experience in the neighbouring country.

What business does Satec carry out in Tetouan and Morocco? 

Satec is a technology integrator, a Spanish multinational. We have been in the Moroccan market for 25 years. Satec is growing and developing its activities in Morocco with the acquisition of a local company that retains its name in our business: Intelcom. This company, which joined the organisation shortly before 2000, carries out activities similar to ours in Spain. 

It is a technology integrator that provides solutions in the world of information technology. In 2014, we increased our commitment to the region and set up Satec Global Services. This is another company in the group located in Tetouan, which complements Intelcom's activities with technological services to support the development of companies in Morocco, the region and sub-Saharan Africa, including Spanish companies that are provided with services from there. 

How many people are working at Satec in Tétouan Shore, Morocco? 

The Satec team in Morocco currently has more than 200 people. In the Tétouan region, at the Satec Global Services centre, there are around 100 people providing technology services to both Spanish and Moroccan companies. 

Satec has made a big commitment to local workers... 

Yes, that's right. It's very important to us. In fact, one of the decisions, one of the main factors that leads us to continue investing in Morocco is the existence of local talent that helps us in all our support and service provision activities. 

This is also for cultural reasons, of course, with local customers, but also because of the capacity to grow and develop that talent and that activity. 

Over the years, have you noticed a noticeable improvement in the training of the new generations of young Moroccans? 

I think so. We believe that the value of local talent also lies in the ability to stay and develop their knowledge and professional career close to home, their roots and their families. There are training centres and universities that generate this talent, and companies like ours that naturally try to develop it to train increasingly valuable professionals, focused on every technological aspect or key aspect of the business, in our case, engineering and systems integration. Companies demand this talent and universities and training centres support us, sometimes even integrating us, asking us for advice on defining career plans and how to enrich them so that people entering the market are better prepared to face professional challenges. 

What services does SATEC offer in Tétouan and the rest of Morocco? 

We offer cross-cutting IT services alongside the group's companies in the region. We are responsible for the design and implementation of technological solutions in the field of information technology and telecommunications: communications networks, data centres, cybersecurity, development of tailor-made solutions and, in addition, we also provide support services for the maintenance and operation of systems and operating services. We cover more traditional technological infrastructure issues and technological development projects, such as Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence, and improvements and investments that companies want to make to increase the efficiency of their businesses and the services they provide to their end customers. 

Are your customers public or private companies of all kinds? 

A bit of everything. In Morocco, we work very closely with telecommunications operators, which is one of the main sectors we also develop in Spain, Portugal and other countries. The public administration is another of our most important customer sectors. In Morocco, we are very active in banking and companies in a wide range of sectors: industry, health, etc. 

More than 20 years in Morocco means satisfaction, good business and prospects for growth? 

Yes, that's what we're aiming for, and that's why we're investing in the centre in Tetouan and in the growth of our company Intelcom in the region. Morocco is a country with great growth potential, which in certain sectors has a level of development quite close to that of Europe, for example, telecommunications operators. We also see this in Africa, and although it may come as a surprise, it is true that they are very developed at this level. In our sector, the implementation of new technologies still has a long way to go, and we believe that we can help them along the way. 

Morocco is considered the gateway to Africa. Is this also true for SATEC? Are you considering expanding to other African countries, hand in hand with Morocco? 

Without a doubt, we decided to invest in North Africa, particularly in Morocco, because of the good relations with neighbouring countries. In fact, we are active in French-speaking countries and sub-Saharan countries. In Mali, Senegal and Gabon, there are many Moroccan companies, in telecommunications, banking and other sectors, that have interests in these regions, which facilitates the development of our activity there. 

What advice or recommendations would you give to any Spanish entrepreneur considering investing in the Tangier, Tetouan and Al Hoceima region? 

When it comes to business and investment, there is perhaps no single key recommendation that will guarantee success, but developing and investing in local talent is very important, as is being patient, as in any business, surrounding yourself with people you trust and also demonstrating that trust in return. 

Morocco's new Investment Charter facilitates procedures, bureaucracy and support, with a one-stop shop, for example, the Regional Investment Centre. Is this an incentive for starting a business? 

Without a doubt. Anything that facilitates administrative procedures when setting up a new business in a different country is always welcome.