Smart50 rank: 29
Revenue: $13,404,672
Growth: 58.98%
Founders: Ken Gutterson, 53; Matthew Ryan, 33; David Simmons; Julian Ballard; Tony Winmill; Carolyn Beake; Stuart Althaus, 45
Based: ACT
Employees: 42
Industry: Property and business services
Website: www.cordelta.com
Consultancy firm Cordelta has built a blue-chip client list that spans the defence sector (including the Department of Defence and the Defence Materiel Organisation), the Government sector (including the Australian Customs Service and the Department of Finance and Administration), the financial services sector (including Commonwealth Bank), telecommunications (including Telstra) and the start-up space.
Founder Ken Gutterson says this spread of clients has helped the business weather the downturn.
"I believe it has affected Sydney and Melbourne more, as commercial organisations were quicker to reign in their business investment in ICT," he says. "The federal, state and local governments can't move that quickly. They tend to have the same outputs and outcomes that need delivering and therefore they don't react as quickly to changes in the economy."
The company's growth has been impressive, despite the tough economic climate. Revenue hit $13.4 million in 2008-09, with average annual growth of 58.9% over the past three years.
Gutterson says the change of Federal Government two years ago has led to big changes to the way the consultancy sector operates in Canberra, with contractors moving into permanent positions inside Government.
"Which is very interesting for us as the people that used to work through us as contractors and love what we do are now turning into our clients," Gutterson says.
As the economy starts its march towards recovery, Cordelta is ensuring it is ready for the upswing.
"We are hiring the best people we can, as the rates they are demanding have come down and we can pick up talent for less."
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