Natalia, you find it difficult to explain to clients what the Infowatch? Can compare with antivirus business in which spent almost 15 years. Compared with an antivirus product is more complex but intuitive. Suffice it to say one phrase "possible leak" - and people understand that they must fight. When it comes to the question of how this works, there is a snag. Corporate software - hard, and only one setting is not enough. Necessary to hold a series of institutional measures. This is not an antivirus that bet, and he catches the malware. If the company does not want anything to change within yourself, then the system of protection against leaks will not save them. But we manage, explain. Greatly helps the selection of a separate segment of the market protection from leaks in the definitions of the IDC and other research agencies. Initially (a product invented in the Kaspersky Lab in 2001) when a segment of the market simply was not faced with difficulties. The fact that large companies with whom we work, the budgets allocated. And if a product is not a category, then it simply will not buy. Conversation short: "In what area of ??information security you get? - To any. - No, then we can not." Now, with the explanations easier, but there was competition. Over the past year it has risen dramatically - both in Russia and the world. Major international players are bought up smaller companies involved in protection against leaks. Again I face the same competitors as in the antivirus market. But we are not afraid. The main thing here: a) have a quality product, b) provide a service through partners, c) to convey its message to the market. What share of the Russian market is Infowatch? At least 70%, we - the absolute leader. Market, although so small. That was the year will unfold a real struggle for him. There is something to fight for? According to the analytical center Infowatch, the Russian market for DLP in 2008 amounted to about $ 20 million As of 2009, this year's IDC did forecast growth of 30%. Of course, the fact will be less - we expect 10-15%. Weak for a market that is only beginning to develop. DLP Products is now focused on the segment of Enterprise. These are large, slow clients. Sales cycle of 9-12 months. Enterprise Market in principle, very tough, long, complex. You can not expect the explosive growth here. But, it turns out to be accumulated inertia? In theory, yes. The same IDC expects growth to accelerate 30-35-40%, then a "plateau" and reducing the rate. When you expect to achieve a "plateau"? Hard to say. Earlier it was planned that the peak of the market will reach over five years. But this year it will clearly be less than 30%. Further the market can be accelerated. Or slow down and then give a sharp jump. I do not presume to predict. Development of the situation depends largely on the vendors themselves, how effective are the means of struggle. What must be confessed, the current means of combating leaks are imperfect. Many holes through which you can climb. However, for such a young market that's fine. With a similar situation I encountered at the initial stage of development of anti-virus market, where if the system caught 90% of viruses, it was considered a very good result. Now, if you catch less than 99.99% of threats in the tests, you have an antivirus, but it is not clear what. Ways to combat leaks have yet to go the way of improving technology. Development of DLP-making will go in several directions. The first way - technology. If we are to successfully deal with leaks, then we should use all effective technologies or a combination thereof. For example, now uses Infowatch linguistics. You can define words or combinations of words, take them to be confidential to the company and have them keep track of documents, including the newly created. Have the technology of digital fingerprints (fingerprints), which we have built recently. Its essence is that it allows you to do with the file "snapshots" - part of the text, which are used as samples for comparison with the flow coming from the company's information. We also use technology to detect objects - a module that allows you to identify specific traffic in the analyzed text objects, built on certain algorithms, such as credit card numbers. There is a system of tags when the file is simply marked as confidential. This is one of the most simple technology, but requires huge changes in the information system of the company as at the implementation stage, and during use. Therefore, we do not apply. The second way - increase the number of channels protection against leaks. In many computer terminals for connecting, say, a stick, DVD or some network. These connectors also need to protect. Devices like the Blackberry or iPhone, which connect directly to the corporate network, also pose a significant threat to information security company, as a highly probable channel information leakage. On standard channels such as e-mail or http can not even speak. The total number of channels - a few dozen. As long as we protect only the main but the Pareto principle also applies in our market. That is investing 20% ??of effort, we are closing 80% of the channels. What are the plans to build a five-year term? I find it hard to talk about long-term plans. Business is very dynamic, market - an early stage. Changing paradigms and approaches. Therefore, we prefer to rely on the year. In the case of start-up such a policy is absolutely justified. For example, last year we planned a small increase of 25-30%, since the main objective was to establish a quality product release. The result exceeded the plan by showing an increase of 50%. But while this is not the most important indicator. The main task for 2009 - Out on profitability, because the project is still invested. It's about time already, the company has six years ... I agree, but until now the company has a lot invested in products and sales have been relatively small because of the narrowness of the market. Although now all the DLP-vendors are unprofitable. We can become the first player market, which will be profit. Tell us about your vision of the "bright future" Infowatch. Now the main line of work - selling to large corporate clients. They are distinguished by a long sales cycle, and sharp seasonal changes in the cash flow that puts the company in a difficult position. We have the most money comes in late December. The reason is that in Russia the fiscal year ends in December and all the companies prefer to pay at the end of the year. With the season we're going to fight in two ways. The first - access to other markets. Products international, and we can sell it, not only in Russia. We are actively working in Germany - there are early customers, sales funnel is formed. But in France the process until a little stalled, apparently, will have to find another partner. As the third of the country consider the UK. But she is now in a recession, we are likely to change those plans. The second way - the development of SME segment. In June, the first version of the product for medium and small companies. The idea for the protection begins to work among these customers, we see a serious increase in demand in this segment. Is not it logical to start with the UK? 90% of our competitors - the American company. The same names that anti-virus software, - Symantec, McAfee, WebSense. We - the only European on the DLP-developer of the market. A British market is in close contact with the U.S.. And to go to Britain without the U.S. is very difficult. In turn, the U.S. market is very big. Its conquest requires serious investment. As long as we train for light spots, in which the role of advocate, Germany and France. Understand the requirements of customers here, you can go to the States. Anglo-Saxons are well aware that they want protection from leaks. So that the requirements of the products out there to a certain extent formed. In Germany, this understanding is very approximate. A French non-existent. Why is that? Do not steal data? Hard to say. That they have no such category. There is no understanding that this is necessary. When you tell them "the system of protection against leaks, your words are uniquely associated with cryptography. And this stereotype is difficult to refract. You do not understand. By the way, we begin to work in Spain, where the market more than adequate. Even there is an association DLP, invites us to lecture. And we saw a very positive response. Spain initially had not planned, but now I think it's worth. The more support the Spanish language has already been implemented. Italy plans to have. Comment on problems encountered with the release of the company in Germany. Story as a fairy tale when shouted without thinking. Linguistic engine used besslovarnuyu morphology of German. We analyze the words, but not necessarily word-form. When you run the product with this engine in Germany found that our technology does not work on real instruments. The fact that in German there are two problems, difficult for automatic recognition. First - runaway console. For example, the verb ablegen prefix ab-can be separated and delivered anywhere in the proposal. Guess in this case, that refers to the ab-legen, - task for the system is nontrivial. The second problem - compound words. The Germans are very fond of stick together a few words together ... There are no difficult words in a dictionary, and our technology does not work. So, before going on the market no one bothered to test the technology. We did launch a pompous, loudly announced himself. And only then learned that the product can not be applied. Thank God that the launch was made only for partners and that we did not organize a massive advertising campaign. As a result, we had to make the morphology of the German language. It took about a year. And now we are proud that we are the only company in the world that uses a dictionary of German morphology in their products. Now we are second run on the German market. During this time, pulled the product quality, increased their functionality. Partners already have looked first version they like and they are willing to relent. What are the challenges you faced coming into Infowatch in 2007? The development was in serious condition. Former CEO Eugene Transfiguration in his time posted in the Kaspersky Lab for large corporate sales. Since Infowatch was immediately focused on the corporate market, it decided to appoint a supervisor. As a result, he was engaged only in sales. However, commercial software - a separate art, which he was not allowed. And I have the most while serving as CEO of the Laboratory "to Infowatch just never got around. "Laboratory" grew at a rate of more than 100% per year, about anything else to think it was just once. Therefore, Infowatch time allocated for the leftovers. As a result, after almost four years Infowatch product worked with enormous challenges. We have set Genet deadline to address these issues by June 2007. The new version did not come out. Not in June or in August or in September. In October, we parted ways with Eugene. I do not blame Zhenyu one. I guess I should have more to help him. By the way, later, he Infowatch, I found that imagined a business case, it turned out that everything else: other approaches, other channels, a completely different marketing. I took six months to look into the case. As the crisis has affected the number of hits to the company and selling? The number of hits - in any way. Interest even increased. True, we should understand - we do not have statistics because of the very pronounced seasonality. In the first quarter sales are the lowest. While the plan for the second quarter much more than last year. But everyone will decide the outcome of October-December. Among the clients who were planning to put Infowatch, no-one refused. The first trend - customers are asked to reschedule the payment. Or take it away, or break. The second trend - "So many do not buy, first do a pilot project." Pleases interest from SMB. Smaller companies have suddenly realized that they have a problem leak, which has exacerbated the crisis. Another trend is the growing interest from financial institutions. Some big banks have used the facts of leaks in the competition. There were even advertising offers the following lines: "From the information flowing out of smaller banks, so they should not be trusted. But we have everything in order." Reception is not quite honest ... But in a crisis all good. - It appears so. Where to go to small banks? Just put the system of protection against leakage. Among SMB system only interested in banks? We plan to sell to small banks, retailers - all companies associated with personal information. We hope that the entry into force of the law on personal data to help companies think about the problem. Currently there are no requirements for protection against leaks are often thought of as a residual. What changes in the environment you would expect with the coming into force of the law on personal data? Many criticize him for being too vague wording ... The number of publications on the subject to increase. As a consequence, the interest will grow. In reality, I do not think that the new requirement would bring us a lot of customers and seriously change the business. There is a joke that the severity of Russian laws is balanced by not having their performance. Now personal information on plants protected by the very ugly. And I do not believe that will surge when on the very bad situation, we suddenly turn to the perfect good. This did not happen. The process will be long and tortuous, with checks and corruption. Why develop a separate product for SMB? Current Traffic Monitor (the main product Infowatch) too expensive, "heavy" and difficult for small companies. To install it requires expensive Oracle database and a few servers that do not suit small businesses. On the other hand, these companies turn to us for about two or three calls a week. That is why we decided to develop a special product for companies. Is a question of quality here - because the system of "heavy" is not at your whim? Balance problem. If you really simplify the decision, make it easy and cheap, it probably will not be effective. But set all the technology that we have in SMB-product is unlikely to succeed. Hence, need something to cut. What proportion of sales will SMB? In fact DLP-business system for protection against leaks more demand on the part of Enterprise. Radical redistribution of demand, we are not waiting. It is unlikely that the share of the SMB sales amount to more than a third. We still continue to focus on larger customers. Here we come to in order to offer industry-specific solutions. What will be cut in the solution for SMB? First of all, everything is installed on one server. Such indicators load SMBs do not need, so the requirements for her fall. For example, we keep a database of several terabytes - for a small company so many do not. Linguistic technology in the first version will not include, but later it will integrate. The product is a streamlined interface and not much room for analysis, as in "big" decisions. After the first version, we plan to improve the system according to customer requests. Generally speaking, bring to market a new product is very difficult because it is difficult to immediately think up all possible functionality. How to do it? Or expensive to conduct market research on the entire target audience, and the sample must be correct, otherwise the result will be worthless. Either follow your instinct. The second way is much cheaper. Based on common sense and consultation with three or four companies who are eager and ready to be beta testers, we were functional. And as far as it will be perceived by the market - to be seen. Who is usually in companies engaged in negotiations with you: IT or security service? This is an interesting point. We are dealing with the security service, and sometimes reach up to top management. IT pros often play the role of opportunists. They do not want to on the system hung, another distinguished gizmo to resist. We have to fight them, explaining that the system is needed: "Yes, it does not protect against leaks 100%, but where did you see the absolute protection? And in any case it's better than nothing." Often able to attract them to his side. Who owns Infowatch? Major owners of two: Kaspersky Lab and your humble servant. I have a controlling stake. For one simple reason: I said that I would do this problem is only active if I will have control. I think the deal was to their mutual benefit. We had to decide what to do with Infowatch: whether to close, whether to invest. The second step was a very risky, as could "distort" laboratory. " The variant with the sale. But, having studied the figures and decided that sell expensive it will be difficult. And cheap - is inappropriate. So I became the owner of Infowatch. Thinking about leaving this project? Early.
Natalia, you find it difficult to explain to clients what the Infowatch? Can compare with antivirus business in which spent almost 15 years. Compared with an antivirus product is more complex but intuitive. Suffice it to say one phrase "possible leak" - and people understand that they must fight. When it comes to the question of how this works, there is a snag. Corporate software - hard, and only one setting is not enough. Necessary to hold a series of institutional measures. This is not an antivirus that bet, and he catches the malware. If the company does not want anything to change within yourself, then the system of protection against leaks will not save them. But we manage, explain. Greatly helps the selection of a separate segment of the market protection from leaks in the definitions of the IDC and other research agencies. Initially (a product invented in the Kaspersky Lab in 2001) when a segment of the market simply was not faced with difficulties. The fact that large companies with whom we work, the budgets allocated. And if a product is not a category, then it simply will not buy. Conversation short: "In what area of ??information security you get? - To any. - No, then we can not." Now, with the explanations easier, but there was competition. Over the past year it has risen dramatically - both in Russia and the world. Major international players are bought up smaller companies involved in protection against leaks. Again I face the same competitors as in the antivirus market. But we are not afraid. The main thing here: a) have a quality product, b) provide a service through partners, c) to convey its message to the market. What share of the Russian market is Infowatch? At least 70%, we - the absolute leader. Market, although so small. That was the year will unfold a real struggle for him. There is something to fight for? According to the analytical center Infowatch, the Russian market for DLP in 2008 amounted to about $ 20 million As of 2009, this year's IDC did forecast growth of 30%. Of course, the fact will be less - we expect 10-15%. Weak for a market that is only beginning to develop. DLP Products is now focused on the segment of Enterprise. These are large, slow clients. Sales cycle of 9-12 months. Enterprise Market in principle, very tough, long, complex. You can not expect the explosive growth here. But, it turns out to be accumulated inertia? In theory, yes. The same IDC expects growth to accelerate 30-35-40%, then a "plateau" and reducing the rate. When you expect to achieve a "plateau"? Hard to say. Earlier it was planned that the peak of the market will reach over five years. But this year it will clearly be less than 30%. Further the market can be accelerated. Or slow down and then give a sharp jump. I do not presume to predict. Development of the situation depends largely on the vendors themselves, how effective are the means of struggle. What must be confessed, the current means of combating leaks are imperfect. Many holes through which you can climb. However, for such a young market that's fine. With a similar situation I encountered at the initial stage of development of anti-virus market, where if the system caught 90% of viruses, it was considered a very good result. Now, if you catch less than 99.99% of threats in the tests, you have an antivirus, but it is not clear what. Ways to combat leaks have yet to go the way of improving technology. Development of DLP-making will go in several directions. The first way - technology. If we are to successfully deal with leaks, then we should use all effective technologies or a combination thereof. For example, now uses Infowatch linguistics. You can define words or combinations of words, take them to be confidential to the company and have them keep track of documents, including the newly created. Have the technology of digital fingerprints (fingerprints), which we have built recently. Its essence is that it allows you to do with the file "snapshots" - part of the text, which are used as samples for comparison with the flow coming from the company's information. We also use technology to detect objects - a module that allows you to identify specific traffic in the analyzed text objects, built on certain algorithms, such as credit card numbers. There is a system of tags when the file is simply marked as confidential. This is one of the most simple technology, but requires huge changes in the information system of the company as at the implementation stage, and during use. Therefore, we do not apply. The second way - increase the number of channels protection against leaks. In many computer terminals for connecting, say, a stick, DVD or some network. These connectors also need to protect. Devices like the Blackberry or iPhone, which connect directly to the corporate network, also pose a significant threat to information security company, as a highly probable channel information leakage. On standard channels such as e-mail or http can not even speak. The total number of channels - a few dozen. As long as we protect only the main but the Pareto principle also applies in our market. That is investing 20% ??of effort, we are closing 80% of the channels. What are the plans to build a five-year term? I find it hard to talk about long-term plans. Business is very dynamic, market - an early stage. Changing paradigms and approaches. Therefore, we prefer to rely on the year. In the case of start-up such a policy is absolutely justified. For example, last year we planned a small increase of 25-30%, since the main objective was to establish a quality product release. The result exceeded the plan by showing an increase of 50%. But while this is not the most important indicator. The main task for 2009 - Out on profitability, because the project is still invested. It's about time already, the company has six years ... I agree, but until now the company has a lot invested in products and sales have been relatively small because of the narrowness of the market. Although now all the DLP-vendors are unprofitable. We can become the first player market, which will be profit. Tell us about your vision of the "bright future" Infowatch. Now the main line of work - selling to large corporate clients. They are distinguished by a long sales cycle, and sharp seasonal changes in the cash flow that puts the company in a difficult position. We have the most money comes in late December. The reason is that in Russia the fiscal year ends in December and all the companies prefer to pay at the end of the year. With the season we're going to fight in two ways. The first - access to other markets. Products international, and we can sell it, not only in Russia. We are actively working in Germany - there are early customers, sales funnel is formed. But in France the process until a little stalled, apparently, will have to find another partner. As the third of the country consider the UK. But she is now in a recession, we are likely to change those plans. The second way - the development of SME segment. In June, the first version of the product for medium and small companies. The idea for the protection begins to work among these customers, we see a serious increase in demand in this segment. Is not it logical to start with the UK? 90% of our competitors - the American company. The same names that anti-virus software, - Symantec, McAfee, WebSense. We - the only European on the DLP-developer of the market. A British market is in close contact with the U.S.. And to go to Britain without the U.S. is very difficult. In turn, the U.S. market is very big. Its conquest requires serious investment. As long as we train for light spots, in which the role of advocate, Germany and France. Understand the requirements of customers here, you can go to the States. Anglo-Saxons are well aware that they want protection from leaks. So that the requirements of the products out there to a certain extent formed. In Germany, this understanding is very approximate. A French non-existent. Why is that? Do not steal data? Hard to say. That they have no such category. There is no understanding that this is necessary. When you tell them "the system of protection against leaks, your words are uniquely associated with cryptography. And this stereotype is difficult to refract. You do not understand. By the way, we begin to work in Spain, where the market more than adequate. Even there is an association DLP, invites us to lecture. And we saw a very positive response. Spain initially had not planned, but now I think it's worth. The more support the Spanish language has already been implemented. Italy plans to have. Comment on problems encountered with the release of the company in Germany. Story as a fairy tale when shouted without thinking. Linguistic engine used besslovarnuyu morphology of German. We analyze the words, but not necessarily word-form. When you run the product with this engine in Germany found that our technology does not work on real instruments. The fact that in German there are two problems, difficult for automatic recognition. First - runaway console. For example, the verb ablegen prefix ab-can be separated and delivered anywhere in the proposal. Guess in this case, that refers to the ab-legen, - task for the system is nontrivial. The second problem - compound words. The Germans are very fond of stick together a few words together ... There are no difficult words in a dictionary, and our technology does not work. So, before going on the market no one bothered to test the technology. We did launch a pompous, loudly announced himself. And only then learned that the product can not be applied. Thank God that the launch was made only for partners and that we did not organize a massive advertising campaign. As a result, we had to make the morphology of the German language. It took about a year. And now we are proud that we are the only company in the world that uses a dictionary of German morphology in their products. Now we are second run on the German market. During this time, pulled the product quality, increased their functionality. Partners already have looked first version they like and they are willing to relent. What are the challenges you faced coming into Infowatch in 2007? The development was in serious condition. Former CEO Eugene Transfiguration in his time posted in the Kaspersky Lab for large corporate sales. Since Infowatch was immediately focused on the corporate market, it decided to appoint a supervisor. As a result, he was engaged only in sales. However, commercial software - a separate art, which he was not allowed. And I have the most while serving as CEO of the Laboratory "to Infowatch just never got around. "Laboratory" grew at a rate of more than 100% per year, about anything else to think it was just once. Therefore, Infowatch time allocated for the leftovers. As a result, after almost four years Infowatch product worked with enormous challenges. We have set Genet deadline to address these issues by June 2007. The new version did not come out. Not in June or in August or in September. In October, we parted ways with Eugene. I do not blame Zhenyu one. I guess I should have more to help him. By the way, later, he Infowatch, I found that imagined a business case, it turned out that everything else: other approaches, other channels, a completely different marketing. I took six months to look into the case. As the crisis has affected the number of hits to the company and selling? The number of hits - in any way. Interest even increased. True, we should understand - we do not have statistics because of the very pronounced seasonality. In the first quarter sales are the lowest. While the plan for the second quarter much more than last year. But everyone will decide the outcome of October-December. Among the clients who were planning to put Infowatch, no-one refused. The first trend - customers are asked to reschedule the payment. Or take it away, or break. The second trend - "So many do not buy, first do a pilot project." Pleases interest from SMB. Smaller companies have suddenly realized that they have a problem leak, which has exacerbated the crisis. Another trend is the growing interest from financial institutions. Some big banks have used the facts of leaks in the competition. There were even advertising offers the following lines: "From the information flowing out of smaller banks, so they should not be trusted. But we have everything in order." Reception is not quite honest ... But in a crisis all good. - It appears so. Where to go to small banks? Just put the system of protection against leakage. Among SMB system only interested in banks? We plan to sell to small banks, retailers - all companies associated with personal information. We hope that the entry into force of the law on personal data to help companies think about the problem. Currently there are no requirements for protection against leaks are often thought of as a residual. What changes in the environment you would expect with the coming into force of the law on personal data? Many criticize him for being too vague wording ... The number of publications on the subject to increase. As a consequence, the interest will grow. In reality, I do not think that the new requirement would bring us a lot of customers and seriously change the business. There is a joke that the severity of Russian laws is balanced by not having their performance. Now personal information on plants protected by the very ugly. And I do not believe that will surge when on the very bad situation, we suddenly turn to the perfect good. This did not happen. The process will be long and tortuous, with checks and corruption. Why develop a separate product for SMB? Current Traffic Monitor (the main product Infowatch) too expensive, "heavy" and difficult for small companies. To install it requires expensive Oracle database and a few servers that do not suit small businesses. On the other hand, these companies turn to us for about two or three calls a week. That is why we decided to develop a special product for companies. Is a question of quality here - because the system of "heavy" is not at your whim? Balance problem. If you really simplify the decision, make it easy and cheap, it probably will not be effective. But set all the technology that we have in SMB-product is unlikely to succeed. Hence, need something to cut. What proportion of sales will SMB? In fact DLP-business system for protection against leaks more demand on the part of Enterprise. Radical redistribution of demand, we are not waiting. It is unlikely that the share of the SMB sales amount to more than a third. We still continue to focus on larger customers. Here we come to in order to offer industry-specific solutions. What will be cut in the solution for SMB? First of all, everything is installed on one server. Such indicators load SMBs do not need, so the requirements for her fall. For example, we keep a database of several terabytes - for a small company so many do not. Linguistic technology in the first version will not include, but later it will integrate. The product is a streamlined interface and not much room for analysis, as in "big" decisions. After the first version, we plan to improve the system according to customer requests. Generally speaking, bring to market a new product is very difficult because it is difficult to immediately think up all possible functionality. How to do it? Or expensive to conduct market research on the entire target audience, and the sample must be correct, otherwise the result will be worthless. Either follow your instinct. The second way is much cheaper. Based on common sense and consultation with three or four companies who are eager and ready to be beta testers, we were functional. And as far as it will be perceived by the market - to be seen. Who is usually in companies engaged in negotiations with you: IT or security service? This is an interesting point. We are dealing with the security service, and sometimes reach up to top management. IT pros often play the role of opportunists. They do not want to on the system hung, another distinguished gizmo to resist. We have to fight them, explaining that the system is needed: "Yes, it does not protect against leaks 100%, but where did you see the absolute protection? And in any case it's better than nothing." Often able to attract them to his side. Who owns Infowatch? Major owners of two: Kaspersky Lab and your humble servant. I have a controlling stake. For one simple reason: I said that I would do this problem is only active if I will have control. I think the deal was to their mutual benefit. We had to decide what to do with Infowatch: whether to close, whether to invest. The second step was a very risky, as could "distort" laboratory. " The variant with the sale. But, having studied the figures and decided that sell expensive it will be difficult. And cheap - is inappropriate. So I became the owner of Infowatch. Thinking about leaving this project? Early. First you need to make a workable business. And there is going to think, to deduce whether its on a stock exchange, sell, whether for good money, or grow as an independent company. You can try to collect other companies under our concept of security. Such consulting and holding the software ... Business has a lot of ways, but it is too early to discuss them. Now you sell a product through our partners - what's good about such a scheme work? To enter your sales system, I need to hire 40 salespeople in the regions. Moreover, they need implementers who will be constantly on business trips. Why are all these difficulties, if there is normal partners? I do profess the concept that to be shared. People who are interested in your business and make money on it, will you support it. One difficult, though of course there are exceptions such as Dell. One of the reasons that 1C has become the market leader, a "consultant" has overtaken "Guarantor" has been effective working with partners ... I think it is very correct. I would not be able to work as Michael Dell, which sells computers, bypassing the partners. And we share. There is a group loyal to companies that are interested in the prosperity Infowatch. It's wonderful, it ensures our stability. And if the partners will be more by entering the Gaza SMB, then our only resistance will increase. Is currently based, the success of the Kaspersky Lab? Not on the super-technology. After all, the quality of technology can not be verified externally. The commercial success of the company is based on a strong partner network, which to me at the time managed to build. Now at Lab "30 thousand partners worldwide. Even if something happens to the product, then this huge airbag will allow the company to sail a long time. Gone, and you will arrive. How now Infowatch partners? About 20, not counting overseas. How six years have been invested in Infowatch? Interesting, but we did not consider. Several million dollars, I suppose. Since 2005, sales have gone more or less to make steel in 2006. Have you thought about raising venture capital investor? I hope to go to profit this year - then foreign money is not needed. Venture investor, it makes sense to bring under an ambitious development plan, for example abroad. If we had a foreign investor, I would not cut spending. We could no longer afford internationally. Although even the four countries that we have set ourselves this year - this is very ambitious. And we are actively hiring people to work in the international department. What anti-crisis measures taken by Infowatch? I see opportunities for cost optimization, and we will apply them. True, the cost reduction does not apply to staff, then we do not save. The only thing we do - it replaces the inefficient people the benefit of the market there were good shots. Employers now have a good time. People are more willing to move and wages, and conditions became less ambition. Until now, we are not engaged in procurement optimization techniques and software. Is what to save. When you start tightening the belt, it appears that many more places. Why when he was CEO of the Laboratory, "you did not use an opportune moment and did not ask the company to IPO? Opinions diverged shareholders. What is the cause of disagreement? Someone thought that we should come to the exchange and use the proceeds for further growth, and someone wanted to leave the company home page. Communicate with potential organizers? We spent a lot of work for the organization prior private placement. I think the private placement as a first step towards the IPO still do. What is interesting you talked underwriters? They are very positive about the company and its chances for success even in a falling market. "Laboratory" to show good growth. And its great stability thanks to the huge affiliate network. Flagship product, Kaspersky Anti-Virus actually one of the five best in the world for quality. Foregone conclusion that he was number 1, I can not: we can not win all the existing tests. But the program really is one of the best on the market. What grades voiced the organizers? For example, Journal of Finance. " in its April list of the most expensive companies rated "Laboratory" at $ 600 million in at least twice. Before the crisis? And now, too. "Laboratory" - that investors are called unique story. Growth and profitability for a long time remained at a high level. We went to fourth place among the world's anti-virus companies by sales. Cash receipts in 2008 reached $ 360 million This business has high profitability and clear business model. I understand that we are talking about the amount of contracts. It varies widely with the proceeds? Revenues on a GAAP is difficult for antivirus software. If we sell one-year license in December, and even once got the money to revenue in accordance with GAAP, we can carry only 1 / 12 of that amount. Therefore, in accordance with GAAP Revenue by approximately 25-30% less. In 2010, the "Laboratory" can be estimated at $ 2 billion? Until now, the company is focused on growth. The main objective was not profit, and accelerate or maintain growth. This year some changes made crisis, we had to cut costs. A reduction of unintentionally result in a decrease in growth rates. "Laboratory" from the beginning of its existence, was engaged in regional expansion. You go out into the country, to find partners. Gradually the business is growing: the backbone is composed of partners, there are one or two or three master distributor, increasing brand awareness. And once the business reaches a certain critical point where it no longer needs to push. Like a snowball - you are his lepish-lepish, and then toss with the roller coaster. And he himself carries with increasing speed. This happened with the "laboratory". After a certain point regional expansion began to spread itself. But such a development would inevitably ends. Go to Zambia-Congo-Nigeria does not make sense, because the effort did not pay off. Number of countries that could potentially generate income, of course. And we, by a greater degree, is already there working. Hence, further regional growth would necessarily decline. We should seek new growth drivers. Thus the impetus can be output to the segment of Enterprise. But it is possible to develop adjacent areas, offering a load of other antivirus products ... There is such a possibility. But for the development of parallel lines need more free money. Or to buy the company, or to organize them for yourself. The latter path - a long and complicated. In the Lab "took root only that it is easy to cleave to the virus scanner. For example, close to the concept of antivirus antispam. But then we started to develop a draft security as a service. That is, keep in their hosting system, and customers use it to work remotely, according to the type of outsourcing. And it turns out that this is an entirely different business that operates on different laws. We have three years of its launch. Only now he is beginning to yield preliminary results. And to buy companies at Lab "no money: it develops at their own expense. In fact, growth opportunities we have limited, if we do not do something drastic to raise cash: IPO, selling shares to the financial investor. Now "Laboratory" in-house developed segment of the Enterprise. And this is a good opportunity, a big market. Not bad, if there can competently go. How many more years "Laboratory" will be able to rapidly grow? I think the growth rate will gradually decline. In the end, it all depends on whether we ride the second wave - so go for Enterprise-market that it served as a new growth driver. But in the development through acquisitions also have pitfalls. Of course, thoughtless purchase of companies - not the best strategy. Takeovers often end badly - there is no synergy. Yes, in the first year you have income soars. But in the second year the effect fades. We should not just buy and buy intelligently: to understand that properly fit into the business as we are able to provide the following growth rates. Think about Symantec. The company suddenly decided to enter the storage market by buying Veritas, which was twice her anymore. And now in its fifth year of trying to digest it. At this time, Symantec's stock price declines, figures in the antivirus market - too. Another example - McAfee. The company's business began to fall when they bought a lot of things. Then he changed management, the paradigm has changed. And McAfee has started to sell the purchased earlier. Now they are firmly focused on a segment of Enterprise security. As a result of these steps capitalization McAfee began to grow. And now it costs only half as Symantec with sixfold lower turnover. In the industry there is an inner feeling that McAfee greatly quickened. I could be wrong, but my theory is this: Companies have focused greater chance of success. Of course there are exceptions. For example, Microsoft. But that is another story. What is the reason your departure from the post of general director of the Laboratory? Accumulated fatigue, differences emerged. I decided to do something else. And here is the way turned up Infowatch. Although I worked for many years managing a large company, but I feel like not only a major manager, as a businessman. I like to run a business, develop it. And the last two years, "Lab" had to deal with the control of growth. Uninteresting. In addition, when the scale and complexity of tasks grow by an order, you must have to attract professional managers. What is involved in the management of a "laboratory" you accept as chairman of the board of directors? Is a purely formal charge - charges the board of directors. In addition, I participate in two committees. The first - risk committee, where we analyze the possible risks to business, commit to research and make recommendations. Second - grocery committee associated with the portfolio management products, "Lab." Now it is about 30 products. And quite difficult to decide what to produce in the first place where we are expanding, and that is truncated. Once a week I appeared in the Lab, "because meetings are held regularly. Now less than before, of course.
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