– The developers from Cefalo have a high level of technological understanding and competence. Some of their stars are at such a level that they dare to challenge and be sparring partners for our Norwegian developers. They are incredibly competent. We're talking top technologists with solid English skills, says Tor Richardsen, product manager at NTB.
Cefalo provides external development teams from Bangladesh in permanent positions to the Norwegian market. We have been operating for 15 years and now have over 250 employees in Dhaka. Much of the reason is that Cefalo meets an important need in the Norwegian market and has an excellent reputation in Bangladesh. Among other things, we were certified as a Great Place to Work in February 2025, with world-class results
NTB is a Norwegian news agency that delivers news, visual content, entertainment, and technology. They have been a customer of Cefalo for five years and currently have an external development team of 11 skilled developers. The experienced developers elevate the level of the entire team and have, among other things, contributed to building their new media bank.
We are very satisfied with the quick access to competent developers. They are at least as technically qualified as our Norwegian technologists, and we appreciate that they challenge us. The fact that we get the opportunity to be challenged back gives us great value, says Terje Ravnsborg, Director of Technology and Development at NTB.
Many companies struggle to hire Norwegian developers. Too few are being educated, and the cost level is increasing. Cefalo meets this need with the best developers from a large labor market in Dhaka, Bangladesh, at a lower price of what Norwegian developers cost. NTB needed external developers when they were developing a new and innovative media bank with flexible scaling.
– In general, it's tough to find developers in today's market. With Cefalo, we got access to well-qualified developers at a much lower price than in Norway. Additionally, the solution is flexible and efficient, with quick onboarding and offboarding, and the ability to scale as needed. Hiring a Norwegian resource binds you to a greater extent. Now we avoid employer responsibilities, as well as the costs and time associated with that, says Tor Richardsen.
When starting a collaboration with Cefalo, the customer's positions are advertised, and Cefalo conducts the recruitment process. The developers are handpicked according to the customer's wishes. The employees are physically located in the office in Dhaka but are led by the Norwegian customer and become part of the Norwegian team. The goal is for them to be perceived as your own employees as much as possible.
What I really like about Cefalo is the efficient recruitment process and quick access to highly competent people, says Tor Richardsen at NTB
Recruiting over a screen has its challenges, but Richardsen experienced that Cefalo optimized the recruitment and minimized the problems along the way.
– So far, they have hit the mark with the candidates we have wanted.
Since Cefalo is a Norwegian company, the work culture at the office in Bangladesh is influenced by Norwegian corporate values. The team from NTB recently visited Cefalo’s offices in Dhaka and came away with an incredibly positive impression of the working conditions, atmosphere, and culture.
– They have amazing working conditions, and honestly, I could see myself working there. The offices were at least as nice as ours. There was a great atmosphere and an inclusive environment throughout. It was reassuring to see that the people working for us are truly living well in Bangladesh, says Tor Richardsen.
For NTB, having a high degree of stability among the people they want to work with long-term is important. It was especially reassuring to see how well the developers are doing.
– It’s clear that HR and personnel functions are well structured to allow the developers to do their jobs effectively. And the Norwegian-inspired culture, with its focus on work/life balance, really contributes to their well-being. That matters to us — because it helps reduce turnover in critical roles, says Terje Ravnsborg.
Proud and passionate developers gave the NTB team a warm welcome during their visit. The inclusive atmosphere made them feel truly appreciated. The healthy, Norwegian approach to work/life balance — combined with strong relationships among the developers — creates a great working environment.
– Seeing the pride and passion they have for the work they do for us – that’s something you can’t fully experience over a screen. They were genuinely happy to see us, and I was moved by meeting them in person. You realize that this truly means something to them.
We brought back the experience from the visit — the workshops, the conversations — and it’s helping us improve collaboration and communication, even internally here at NTB. That trip was priceless – now we’re getting even more code per NOK, says Tor Richardsen.