Partner profile: IBM global 'rookie of the year'

Fresh from being named IBM worldwide info management 'rookie of the year' earlier this month, Melbourne reseller InfoReady isn't resting on its laurels and is gearing up for a big year in 2013. 

The Melbourne-based reseller beat out hundreds of IBM global partners to win the award, which recognises excellence in delivering business value with information management software. It's the first Australian company to claim the prestigious prize.

As InfoReady managing director, Tristan Sternson told CRN, there were many hoops the company had to jump through before crossing the line first.

"They [IBM] evaluate your base start, the software sales you made, the implementation of that software afterwards, the subject matter expertise you have in those particular toolsets and also the client references. So it was a pretty unique thing for an Australian to win."

Founded in early 2009, InfoReady began life as a professional consulting services firm specialising in information management. It eventually added software organisation to its portfolio following a partnership deal with IBM.

"I started InfoReady to fill a void in the market where there were no real specialists in information management. And apart from us, I still don't think there are any good ones," Sternson claimed.

"IBM encouraged us from day one to sign up and become a business partner of theirs. It took us a few years to realise what that actually meant and establish ourselves properly. We're now one of the largest information management pure players in Australia; having 50 experts just in information management."

InfoReady does consulting work for companies including NAB, Telstra, MLC, Queensland Super, Ace Insurance and a number of Queensland government departments. It recently completed deals at Dodo, QSuper, Energex, Powerlink, Teritory Insurance Office and Superpartners.

Sternson put InfoReady's success down to the core skills and expertise it has amassed over the past three years.

"All we do is information management; most of my guys are techies who are very, very capable consultants when it comes to IBM technology. [We] come from large tier-one consulting firms, so that's been the focus of our services."

InfoReady's headquarters are in Melbourne but it also has offices in Sydney and Brisbane. Sternson said the company had grown by over 100 percent year-by-year since it was founded.

"We started with one person, which was me, and we're now at 50 consultants today so we're growing quite nicely. Hopefully we'll be able to grow at the same rate for the next few years," Sternson said.