Kyndryl is the largest provider of IT infrastructure in the world, with a presence in the Netherlands since its inception. While the name is only a few years old, they have been operating in the country for decades—well before 2021—working alongside a strong portfolio of customers and partners. We spoke to Vice President and Managing Director for Kyndryl in the Netherlands Rob Bravenboer about the global giant’s selection of Amsterdam Airport City to have its new office.
Strategic move with people at the centre
Kyndryl relocated its offices to Amsterdam Airport City at Pharos office building just over a year ago and is already very settled in, according to managing director Rob Bravenboer.“The move is not just about having a nice office – it’s about offering a place that adds value to our employees in a hybrid world. We want employees to have a place they want to come to, not just because they have to, but because it offers something they cannot get anywhere else. Whether it’s for collaboration, innovation or connection, this is an employee-first space designed to support how people work best. It gets particularly busy here on a Friday, actually,” he laughs.
Amsterdam Airport City, the ideal location
Naturally, there were multiple reasons for choosing the location. “Our presence in Amsterdam Airport City shows Kyndryl’s commitment to being where our customers need us to be. It puts us at the center of a strong tech ecosystem, giving us access to top-tier infrastructure, partners, and a skilled talent pool. This enables us to deliver the right solutions with the expertise our customers rely on,” says Rob.
“Our location is ideal for both sustainability and convenience. We’re just a four-minute train ride away, with a station right outside our door, which aligns with our commitment to reducing carbon emissions through public transportation options. Then there’s the airport, which is very handy for our international teammates to come over and visit us. And lastly, parking is available near the office, which is not always a given in the Netherlands.”
An extended talent pool
As a spin-off of IBM and the world's largest provider of IT infrastructure services, Kyndryl is at the heart of the globe’s digital transformation. According to Rob, approximately 60% of the mainframes that still exist are managed by Kyndryl.
“We design, build, manage, and modernize mission critical IT infrastructure that our customers rely on every day. This is a daily job for many of our team members. But we also focus on innovations and the future. We have an excellent global team and are able to mobilize knowledge and subject matter experts across the world.”
While much of their IT talent is local, Kyndryl Netherlands can also leverage the company’s global pool of talent and capabilities. “This is the beauty of being a “glocal” company – we know the market and we have the skills to address its unique needs, but we have unmatched global expertise which we could tap into at any time. Our ultimate mission is to fulfil requests from the customer.”
Building cyber resiliency
The company has built the Kyndryl Bridge platform to help organizations manage and maintain complex hybrid IT environments, with automation at its core. “It provides customers with real-time view of their estate.”
Cyber resiliency is increasingly critical for organizations. “This includes meeting regulatory requirements like the DORA legislation. We've got capabilities, tools, and an approach that really helps those customers. The fact of the matter is that all the bigger financial institutions in the Netherlands are now working with us.”
One thing our company seeks to share with their customers is how ready they are as well as their infrastructure in today’s digital world and all the risks that come with it. A recent report from Kyndryl, shows a serious disconnect between the confidence business leaders feel for their IT infrastructure and their true cybersecurity readiness.
“Customers need to really understand what they need and work with us to define their actual needs, to make sure that these two questions are getting closer together.”
Local impact
This sense of the local extends to the company’s CSR and ESG efforts. “With a global vision comes global responsibility and that includes local initiatives. We see it as our responsibility. For instance, we donated 450 laptops to Allemaal Digitaal [‘Everyone Digital’] and we take part in organize Girls’ Day each year, opening up our offices to a group of high school girls and showing them the vibrant world of IT and technology. And we help to keep our surroundings clean, by collecting plastic with Plastic Whale for example. I am proud to see that a lot of my fellow Kyndryls are passionate about and actively participating in supporting the Amsterdam Airport City community.”
