In the spring of 2019, a new chapter began for Tunga, sparked by a call from Mark van der Ploeg, COO of rb2, a well-respected Dutch web agency. Mark was looking for fresh perspectives to broaden their developer team beyond their existing network in China. This wasn’t your typical business inquiry. What made rb2 stand out wasn’t just their quest for diversity in their development team but Mark’s connection to Africa, a continent he grew fond of during his time in Kenya.
rb2, a digital development agency and a two-time winner of the emerce Digital Agency of the Year award in the Netherlands, builds e-commerce, loyalty, subscription, and bespoke platforms for companies from SMEs to enterprise organizations. When we met, rb2 was already distributed with a team of delivery managers and tech leads, managing clients from their Dutch headquarters in Purmerend, Netherlands, and leading their development teams in China. However, to further spur their growth, they wanted to diversify to Africa.
Although China offers brilliant developers who can build unique solutions, significant language and time zone barriers exist. In Africa, a second rb2 team could alleviate those barriers. Additionally, during the COVID pandemic, while rb2’s operations were limited in China, we kept the African team relatively stable. With the need to diversify and offer separate propositions to their clients, rb2 embarked on a transformative journey with Tunga by hiring from Africa.
The Journey
From our first meeting, it was clear that rb2 is more than just another company looking to outsource. Their leadership, including their CEO Dennis van Marle, showed an openness and professionalism that matched our values at Tunga. We hit it off, built a foundation of trust quickly, and by August 2019, we welcomed the first three developers to the rb2 team.
After conferring with rb2, we started the African team in Lagos. We sent our senior Project Manager on a 3-month reconnaissance mission from Uganda to Nigeria to scout the perfect location for our first office for the rb2 team. We opened up in the tech center of Yaba, and our CEO, Ernesto Spryut, flew in with our COO, Reinier van Scherpenzeel, to host a launching meetup there. At that time, the team grew to 13 members, one of whom is in Uganda. Interestingly, one of the starting developers, Serere Jegede, is still with the team!
The key to our joint success is that we’re both very entrepreneurial companies, always looking for the next frontier. Plus, we cooperate with a deep intent to understand each other. Of course, we’ve had our difficulties and challenges to face, but because we always try to know where we are coming from and what’s at stake in the relationship, we always find a win-win-win solution. This has helped RB2 to become the number one e-commerce solutions provider in the Netherlands!
The Transformation
Over the next few years, the exciting series of events was transformative for rb2 and their ability to serve their clients. What started with a trio of developers five years ago has since grown into a formidable team of 17 .NET, Angular, and Magento developers and QA specialists in Lagos, Nigeria, and Kampala, Uganda. rb2 is now poised to serve more clients with an established and growing team ready to implement projects.
Last year, we took our relationship to the next level by entering into a Joint Venture with rb2. This decision wasn’t just about business; it reflects our mutual respect, shared visions, and the close-knit partnership we’ve built over the years. It’s a testament to what can happen when you mix a genuine passion for a cause with a solid business sense and a culture that values collaboration.
This story isn’t just about the growth of a partnership. It’s a reminder that shared values, mutual respect, and a genuine commitment to achieving common goals are at the heart of successful collaborations. Here’s to the ongoing success of our journey with rb2 and all the possibilities that lie ahead when we work together with purpose and passion.
Discover how Tunga can help your business grow, manage risks by increasing diversification, and improve efficiency. Contact Bart (bart@tunga.io) to learn more.
