SELISE: Creating software, selling innovation

The opportunity to use one's business acumen in the field of technology may still not seem mainstream to many of us. The elite business graduates of the country, however, can look forward to contributing in an arena as sophisticated as co-creating world-class software solutions, and can slowly, but steadily leverage the boom that the IT sector is experiencing not only in Bangladesh, but all over the world.

One such name in the industry that has made the above a reality is SELISE rockin' software. The Swiss-owned firm delivers software engineering and business consulting services to multinationals and startups from different sectors. Headquartered in Switzerland, the company's 100+ creative workforce is distributed over Zürich, Dubai, Thimphu, and of course, Dhaka. That means every bit of work is spread across different time zones, and so at SELISE, meetings are virtual, on-the-go and defying traditional setups.

SELISE's value proposition revolves around consumer-centric cloud and mobile solutions in financial services, smart government, telecommunication, entertainment, etc. The philosophy of constant knowledge creation and sharing makes the organisation a valuable contributor to the global tech and startup community.

For companies who aim to prevail in the post-digital age, SELISE's intelligent applications will provide a seamless digital interface to their end consumers. Different from traditional software firms that start to work once requirements are ready, SELISE understands business and begins at the strategic level. It presents a perfect opportunity for Bangladesh's business graduates who often lack exposure to the digital business world, which is currently transforming entire sectors in Europe and the United States.

The country office in Dhanmondi hosts some of the best working practices around, at par with its European counterpart. The timings are flexible, the attire casual, and there is little to no hierarchy in the structure. It's mostly fun and games in the office, unless of course we are talking about work. That's when each member is expected to own up to his responsibilities, not only as an individual, but as a member of the team he is collaborating with.

At SELISE, world-class technology is not only delivered to the clients, but used to optimise the processes within the organisation. The majority of the work is cloud-based and it's hard to find paper files anywhere in the premises. Skype and Google Hangouts are used extensively for both internal and external communication, and even the CEO, Julian Weber, is often just a knock away. This not only ties the cross-border teams together, but helps nurture an environment where everybody can voice their opinions.

Besides food and games all day every day, SELISE has a few norms unique to its culture. Annual trips happen to be the absolute favourite of SELISIANs. The most recent was a week's getaway to Darjeeling that brought everyone together over scenic hilltops. Team events happen to be another opportunity to bond and utilise the monthly team fund that every employee is entitled to. Whether you're turning 25 or 52, there's no shying away from celebrating birthdays.

One thing that sets SELISE apart from the industry giants is its deep commitment to grooming talents. SELISE School is an in-house initiative that aims to promote discussion on recent technological advances and share with the crowd the knowledge and experiences unique to each software specialist. The company's Super Talent Program is another way of reaching out to promising tech graduates through campus recruitment and honing them to become future assets for the organisation.

In today's era, creating technological solutions is no longer a one-way street where clients would simply pass their product requirements down the line. This is why at SELISE, every coder is an enabler, going deep into the innovations and taking charge of the deliverables. The Business Development team, led by graduates from IBA (DU and JU), continues to work as the liaison, helping coders and clients understand each other better, and hence, strengthen relationships.

Having signed two big names in the Swiss telecom and insurance industry in the first half of the year, SELISE looks forward to enjoying an equally exciting later half and flourish in Bangladesh as a truly global software firm spearheading technological marvels.

To find out more about SELISE, visit the website, or the blog.

The writer is a final year student at IBA, DU, and a Human Resources (HR) intern at SELISE rockin' software.