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BIOGRAPHY

Ricardo Arratia graduated from the Universidad Anahuac in 1998 with a degree in Information Technology. Prior to working with Brio Mexico, he headed Grupo SCAP’s Professional Services Department. During that period, SCAP developed more than 15 safety critical shutdown and control systems projects for PEMEX. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors of Grupo SCAP, he has served as Brio Mexico’s Director since 2000.

INTERVIEW

Ricardo Arratia

On the Right Path

TBY talks to Ricardo Arratia, Director of Brio Mexico, on its relationship with Oracle, Mexico’s technological infrastructure, and developing software solutions for local clients.

TBY How did your close relationship with Oracle come about?

RICARDO ARRATIA Brio Mexico was founded in 2000. Our core business was focused on implementing business intelligence solutions throughout the different accounts we managed. Our relationship with Oracle began in 2007, after the company acquired Hyperion Solutions and we became Oracle’s software integrator. With 11 years of experience, Brio has become one of Oracle’s top three partners in Mexico. The focus of our company is to understand the business strategies of our clients in order to facilitate the implementation of any information technology solutions that can add value. Brio currently manages operations in Mexico’s three main cities: Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara. We focus on the government, finance, distribution, service, and manufacturing sectors.

Where do you see the most demand?

Since the beginning, the government segment has been an important sector with high potential for us. The financial services segment is another sector that has always been very stable and reliable for us. Finally, we are active in the healthcare segment, which has been growing over the last couple of years. The companies in the healthcare segment require technology solutions that will improve their competitiveness and harness control over their internal processes. Furthermore, the government has a very large initiative to establish an electronic health record across the country. This will open up very good opportunities for our business.

What does it mean to be a partner of Oracle?

Brio is an Oracle Platinum Certified Partner. This achievement was obtained given the solid understanding and commitment we provide to our customers and partners. Our relationships are based on trust and high-performance results, which earns us a very solid reputation. Oracle sees this reputation as one of Brio’s main assets. We have made a full commitment to promote Oracle’s software licenses. As Oracle’s partner, we successfully develop consulting projects as well as participate in an education and training initiative. Over the last three years, we have carried out an increasing number of software education and training programs in Latin America. We export services to Central America, Colombia, Argentina, and Brazil.

How would you rank the technological infrastructure within the business landscape in Mexico?

The US has tended to lead the world in technological infrastructure, but Mexico has a huge advantage compared to other regions of the world. Mexico has become a center for much of the technology demanded by the US. Over time, the demand for technology services has shifted to Mexico. We have also directed our company toward the Hispanic market in the US. The southern markets of Texas, California, and Florida are excellent opportunities for Mexican companies.

Is Brio Software Mexico considering entry to any new markets?

Brio is determined to innovate, start new business partnerships, and enter new markets. Therefore, we are constantly looking for new opportunities to diversify our portfolio. Our goal is to be able to determine what new technology can be applied to a specific market through research and development. We see great opportunities for applied technology within the social networking, healthcare, and security segments. We will evaluate radio frequency identification (RFID) in the coming years in order to identify if and when it could be used. The Mexican market requires new technology in order to be more competitive.

What are some examples of your clients?

We work with several state-owned companies, including the Mexican Social Security Agency (IMSS), the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), and PEMEX. We also work with the state governments of Jalisco, Veracruz, Sinaloa, and Nuevo León. In the financial sector, we work with BBVA-Bancomer, Santander, and Grupo Financiero Interacciones. In the service and distribution sectors, our main client is Grupo Alsea, which has legal rights to establish a number of franchises including Starbucks, Domino’s Pizza, and Chili’s. Other important clients in this segment are 7-Eleven and Comex. In total, Brio has more than 350 clients.

What is your vision for the future of the company?

I believe that Brio is on the right path. In the coming years, we’d like to expand outside of Mexico and try to consolidate our business in the US. We will maintain our strong relationship with Oracle and our other partners, innovating and forming solutions that add value to the market. We want to emphasize our vision to integrate our services.