L-R: Phillip Jenkinson, Jack Reis (Baidam Solutions)
The ‘Partner Spotlight’ series explores partners operating in the local channel landscape right around the country, from Cape York to Hobart, Byron Bay to Fremantle and beyond. This edition focuses on Brisbane-based managed services provider (MSP) Baidam Solutions.
Baidam Solutions is an IT services provider that wears its heart on its sleeve. Quite literally.
The Brisbane-based and Indigenous-owned company is well-known for its vibrant blue polo shirts emboldened with a vivid Indigenous-inspired print.
The shirt and the name Baidam, the Badulaig word for shark, serve as a key insight into the business' mission: to make a cultural difference in the Australian IT landscape.
“In the astronomical traditions of the Torres Strait Islanders, the Baidam Constellation takes the form of a shark and these seven stars form part of the company logo,” co-CEO and founder Phillip Jenkinson said to ARN.
“The stars of Baidam were used as a navigation point, a sign to harvest certain foods for the village as well as a security pointer – to stay out of the water when it was shark breeding time.”
According to Jenkinson, co-founder Jack Reis is a man from Badu Island, a Badulaig, who helped inspire Baidam's name and ethos. Meanwhile, Jenkinson’s background isn’t based in First Nations heritage but England, Scotland and Wales.
“Jack firmly believes that he has been gifted with one lifetime and he uses that word gifted very strongly. He's making it his lifetime's mission to give back as much as he can for the betterment of his people,” he said.
“When he's talking about his people, he's not referring to Torres Strait, he's referring to First Australians.”
Meanwhile, Jenkinson believes that his ancestors caused most, if not all of the problems that Jack’s mob experienced in the past and continue to experience today.
“If I also can't acknowledge that my mob caused this and can't then tell the truth about it, how can Jack and I work together in harmony in true reconciliation of non-Indigenous Australians working with Indigenous Australians for the greater good?” he said.
As such, the pair both share the same motivation around leaving a legacy.
“It's around creating multiple, multi-generational change and we're doing it in such a way that it's not argumentative, it's not confrontational, it's not inflammatory,” he said.
Baidam Solutions first began life in 2018 to address what Jenkinson saw as a glaring gap in the market for an Indigenous-owned, staffed and operated cyber security partner. Today, the business has offices in NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia in addition to the Queensland headquarters.
Baidam’s Indigenous focus isn’t just lip service, however, but filters through to its operations. Its joint security operations centre (SOC), for example – which opened on 4 May – is said to be the world’s first Indigenous-owned, operated and staffed SOC.
Jenkinson considers the service as not only providing business-as-usual managed security services but also acting as a 'cyber range' for students and an “incubator for Indigenous cyber security talent”.
It’s not just through the business’ direct offerings; Baidam is also helping other Indigenous Australians find their way through the cyber security landscape.
“We are only four years old but have already donated two-lifetime scholarships into the national university sector for Indigenous students pursuing STEM qualifications,” Jenkinson said.
“We all hope that other larger companies who operate in the national market start to give back to support greater diversity and inclusion in the ICT security sector.
“In 2023 it is simply not acceptable for organisations to say, ‘I don’t know where to start, so therefore I will do nothing.’ We want all organisations to say, ‘I may not know where to start, but I will ask for help for other people who have done it before.’”
The Indigenous focus goes even deeper with Jenkinson claiming that 52 per cent of the business’ national gross profit is diverted to the Indigenous community, as well as educational and certification pathways. This was ascertained following an audit by not-for-profit Social Ventures Australia.
The attention to detail to First Nations can even be seen in the blue polos, with Jenkinson explaining that the the colours make up the Torres Strait Islander flag. Additionally, the dark blue symbolises the ocean, the light blue means rivers and streams, the green means for land, the white stands for peace and the black represents the First Nations people of Torres Strait.
Although unable to disclose its gross profit, Jenkinson said Baidam's revenue currently growing at around 126 per cent per cent.
“Not only did we identify a rapidly changing perception in our customers' minds to what true value means, but we also identified that a ‘social’ return on investment (SROI) was becoming more and more important in our customers' buying decision matrix,” Jenkinson said.
However, he claimed that the reason the business has been so successful is due to its employees.
Baidam’s workforce – which is on the rise with headcount rising by 36 per cent – comes with a range of experiences, including former police and NRL players, Paralympic gold medallists and veterans, ranging from industry professionals to newcomers.
“Without a shadow of a doubt, the number one reason we have experienced and continue to experience market dominance in this sector is our people," Jenkinson added. "The men and women who choose to work with Baidam Solutions, to make this national sector a better place to work."
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