Petter Hagman, Head of Development at DN Media Group, explains they weren’t just after cost-efficiency — they needed senior-level expertise fast to scale operations.

DN Media Group has been collaborating with Cefalo for over ten years. They are one of our longest-standing clients. During this time, the relationship has only deepened. 

 With developers from Cefalo, our company has been able to grow and experiment in different ways than if we had hired solely in Norway. We can turn around faster, and it is a way to maneuver for us that works very well without costing us too much, explains Hagman.

Lower turn-over on the offshore teams

Hagman especially highlights Cefalo’s ability to find skilled developers who stick around.

– We actually experience higher loyalty in the offshore team than at our Norwegian office.

He adds that communication with Cefalo’s Norway office is seamless despite the Bangladesh location.

– I have good contact with Cefalo in Norway. You quickly become acquainted with the people there; they’re personal and good at recruiting sharp developers with the right competence. Availability and team stability matter greatly to us. The low turnover means a lot, especially since our setup is so large. We actually experience higher loyalty in the offshore rig than at our office in Norway, says Hagman

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Making the offshore setup work

It’s not entirely unproblematic to outsource such a significant portion of development to another time zone, in a completely different part of the world. A certain sense of security, DN Media Group’s Head of Development admits he had to relinquish.

But the investment has clearly paid off—financially and in terms of flexibility.

– It’s not that expensive to try. It’s a bit like backpacking: you must be a bit hungry for adventure. But there is a trade‑off and it takes effort from both sides to make such a setup work, says Hagman.

He believes you must be aware of the time differences if you consider this kind of setup. The advantage is clearly having people working for you across more hours of the day. But it also brings challenges that can become constraints if you don’t manage them.

Build the team as if everyone were in Oslo

One challenge when having a large division in another timezone is the many handovers. These are often written, and Hagman points out that context and information may get “lost in translation.” He continuously works to counteract this by ensuring the team functions as a team, even though some are in Oslo and others in Dhaka.

– You must build your team as if everyone were in Oslo — or at least in the same place. Actively work to break down barriers and treat your offshore developers as your employees. If you're going to take this step, you must take responsibility as a leader. You must be interested in their culture and well-being. Take a cautious approach initially. Also have a good balance, with some in Norway and some in Dhaka. I would not have put all the eggs in one basket from the start, he advises.

Strong leadership delivers results

Some of the main challenges Hagman highlights as the leader of such a development division is checking in with people and knowing the relationship you have with each other. Your relationship with those who only sit offshore (or at the home office for that matter) is different. Good leadership here will also yield good results.

– As a manager, I prefer structure over control. Now I have four team leads with whom I have weekly status meetings in Dhaka. I must check in: Is everyone doing okay? How are the developers doing? I experience that all of this is taken seriously in Dhaka and that everything that comes from management is well received by our developers there, explains Hagman.

His long tenure, leadership experience, and a good measure of patience have been crucial ingredients for the partnership’s success. Hagman says he’s never previously had such a large offshore setup, but it has exceeded expectations.

– A couple of things stand out. Our whole app-team is in Dhaka, which means everyone sits together except the product owner in Oslo. Then we get the empathy level we need to deliver results. This is also the team that gets the most pats on the back, says Hagman who thinks the reason for this is that everyone is located together in Dhaka.

He also enjoys experimenting with different team constellations, reorganizing the team over time — for variety and challenge — and then letting the team adapt to the incoming tasks.

THEY FEEL LIKE OUR EMPLOYEES: Even though the developers sit in Dhaka, they are treated as and feel like our own employees, according to DN Media Group.

Navigating cultural differences

What many are skeptical about when considering developers in Bangladesh is the "yes‑culture" often highlighted in media. What is DN Media Group’s experience here?

– Of course, it's a different culture, and there’s still a lot of yes‑culture in Dhaka. Here, my strategy is to pull on key people to provoke a "no". You need a certain technical understanding to succeed with an outsourced rig. Follow estimates and promises along the way. Keep track of how tasks stand and their progress, and don’t be afraid to question — also concerning time estimates, he suggests, clarifying that active ownership of the recruitment process is essential.

– I’m always involved in the final interview round to decide who moves on; I always double-check that the ones Cefalo hires speak fluent English and are good communicators. Passing on the entire responsibility to Cefalo isn’t right, says Hagman.

– Cefalo has a strong position in Dhaka

A major part of the success of the collaboration, he believes, comes from Cefalo having succeeded very well in establishing itself as a high‑end employer in Dhaka’s environment

– The developers I talk to are very happy that they’ve succeeded with employment to Cefalo, and many aim to get there. That is perhaps Cefalo’s greatest strength and a stamp of quality that they’ve succeeded well with. They’ve reached what I call a critical mass, which becomes self‑reinforcing. Cefalo says they will hire truly strong seniors — and they actually do, Hagman emphasizes, who himself has visited the Dhaka office on several occasions.

I think it’s great to visit the office and the people in Bangladesh. Be aware that this is a country experiencing massive growth; it’s no longer just a developing country, says Petter Hagman from DN Media Group.

NEW OFFICES IN DHAKA: The modern offices in Bangladesh testify to both the country and Cefalo´s growth.

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