Reasons such as the size of the Colombian market, the growth potential of the information technology sector, the availability of talent and the facilities to establish an investment were decisive for the Chinese multinational Whale Cloud to set up shop in Colombia, with an initial operation in Bogota.

The company founded in 2003 specializes in the development of software for the telecommunications sector, business intelligence through data analysis, artificial intelligence, internet of things (IoT), solutions for smart cities, among other services including consulting and execution. Since 2018, the Alibaba Group, the Chinese technology and e-commerce giant, has made strategic investments in Whale Cloud with the aim of taking the value proposition of inclusive finance globally.

“We arrived in Colombia with the expectation of creating value for the country, with the incorporation of new technologies, hiring local personnel and providing visibility of the potential of this territory in our headquarters in China and allies in Asia, which entails attracting more investment to Colombia for various fronts of the industry”, said Alex Xiao Liang, general manager of business for America.

Before arriving in the country, Whale Cloud was already present in the region, in Chile, providing business support services (BSS) for the telecommunications company WOM, which recently entered Colombia. Among the software products it provides are CRM or customer relationship management, billing systems, business intelligence, integration with payment platforms, among others.

With the entry of WOM to Colombia, the arrival of Whale Cloud to the country was also completed, replicating the operations model of both companies in the southern territory.

“The presence of Whale Cloud in the country and its choice for Bogota ratifies the development potential of Colombia's technology sector and the opportunity we offer as a business and nearshoring location. We celebrate the arrival of this strategic partner of the Alibaba Group to our territory and we hope that more companies from China and the world will see in Colombia a platform for growth and access to third markets. Investments such as these contribute to the reactivation and competitiveness of our nation”, assured Flavia Santoro, president of ProColombia, an entity that together with Invest in Bogota accompanied the arrival and installation of the company in the country's capital.

It is estimated that 81% of the companies in the information technology sector that operate in Colombia are located in Bogota, which is why, for Juan Gabriel Pérez, executive director of Invest in Bogota, for multinationals such as Whale Cloud it is strategic to do presence in the city. “The arrival of this company will also serve to promote business development such as electronic commerce, in which Bogota and Colombia have great opportunities to position themselves as regional leaders.

Xiao Liang adds, “Colombia is one of the largest countries in the region, in terms of population, economy and technology, so at Whale Cloud we have high expectations in the local market given the variety of industries that exist. We are sure that our investment in this country will be successful."

Whale Cloud is looking for engineering professionals with skills in information technology IT and e-commerce and marketing.

Since 2004, Whale Cloud has initiated its globalization strategy, it has 19 technology offices around the world, among which are India, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Netherlands, Myanmar, Pakistan, Germany, Luxembourg, Georgia, Chile, Runda, Sri Lanka and Colombia, among others.

China is the second largest Asian investor in Colombia. In the last decade, according to the Balance of Payments of the Banco de la República, the investment generated from this market amounted to US $ 279 million. It should be noted that this amount may be even higher given that a large number of projects in this market come from Chinese subsidiaries located in third countries.