The TX Group is a network of digital platforms in Switzerland offering information, orientation, entertainment and services to its users every day. The company consists of four independent companies: TX Markets comprises the classifieds and marketplaces; Goldbach stands for advertising marketing in Switzerland, Germany and Austria; 20 Minuten combines the commuter media in Switzerland and abroad; Tamedia includes the paid daily and weekly newspapers and magazines. 80 percent of the Swiss population use the media or platforms of the TX Group.
Digital applications are crucial for the company's activities and the TX Group maintains its own IT department. With the growing business and complexity of digital services the company has an increased need for IT support and professionals, which can drive forward the digital offers. Portugal was chosen as location of the IT development, because it offers an interesting alternative with very well-educated IT engineers. IT talents in Portugal are also increasingly coming from Brazil, since Brazilians like to move to Portugal because of the security and good quality of life. That multiplies the available Portuguese IT talent pool many times.
Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE) and the Lisbon based Swiss-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCISP) closely supported the TX Group in this project. To ensure that the TX Group receives the best possible information in its decision-making, S-GE and CCISP organized a total of 32 meetings in the three cities of Porto, Aveiro and Braga during a 5-day “Fact-Finding Trip”. In addition to the core topic of IT developer recruitment, the delegation met with municipal authorities, law and accounting firms as well as real estate landlords and developers.
The fact finding trip was very successful. The TX Group recieved first information on the regulatory environment and on costs of the investment. The company could analyse the availability of tech professionals in this region and explore the main tech hubs.
Finally, the TX Group decided to build up the branch in Braga. The office will be integrated in the existing structures of TX Services. In the first year, it is planned to build a team of around 25 people. S-GE and CCISP are pleased to have made their contribution to the future international competitiveness of the Swiss company TX Group with this project.
Thanks to the cooperation with CCISP and their local network S-GE could support the TX Group to gain a profound insight into the Ecosystem of Portugal. During the individual fact finding trip organised by CCISP the TX Group collected a lot of additional information, e.g. concerning intercultural features, which made it easier to take the decision concerning the location of their IT development center.
Beat Kuster, Senior Consultant Southern Europe + Benelux
