Beyond the buzzwords

Maurizio Mamo, CEO of 4Sight Group, has been at the forefront of Malta and Cyprus' digital transformation journeys. From helping businesses transition from legacy systems to the cloud to navigating the complexities of international expansion, Mamo's approach is simple: technology must serve the company, not the other way around. In this exclusive interview with TECHMAG, Mamo shares his insights into 4Sight's success, its expansion into Cyprus, and how cloud solutions and AI are shaping the future of business. His story is one of agility, foresight, and a relentless drive to innovate.

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4Sight Group has been instrumental in driving digital transformation for businesses in Malta and Cyprus. What is the key to your success in helping companies adapt to a digital-first world? 

I have always been more intrigued by business and how it functions than by technology itself. I've always been a bit of a geek at heart, but my focus was on understanding how technology can support businesses and, using my technical know-how, help them make more money. Over the years, I've worked with several companies that genuinely value technology and invest in it to drive their success. This experience has helped me develop a mindset where technology revolves around the business to support it, not vice versa.

I started consulting at an early stage in my career, with the understanding that for technology to make a real impact, businesses need to transform first. It's pointless for a company to lack processes and expect technology to work like magic. However, I wasn't the IT person who expected businesses to go through complex procedures just to use tech. I quickly realised that the simpler the technology, the easier the adoption. That's why I've always worked towards making tech as accessible as possible for my clients. You could say that 4Sight has been tackling digital transformation long before it was even a buzzword!

Your expansion into Cyprus in 2021 marked a significant milestone for 4Sight Group. What motivated this move, and how has the experience of entering a new market shaped your approach to business transformation? 

Cyprus was our first significant step towards going international. We knew that while Malta was a great starting point, it had its limitations in terms of market size. To achieve our long-term goals, we had to expand beyond our shores. Cyprus felt like a natural fit. I had visited Cyprus several times, and it seemed like a safe option for our first international venture. It was familiar enough not to take us entirely out of our comfort zone but still exciting and new. However, as similar as Cyprus may seem on the surface, it introduced its unique culture, business dynamics, and ways of working, which were quite different from what we were used to in Malta.

This expansion was a massive eye-opener for us. It taught us how to adapt and evolve our strategies in a new environment with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. We encountered different business realities compared to Malta, and this experience was invaluable in shaping our growth. We've always been a structured and organised company, but this move pushed us to become more agile and flexible. We had to learn on the fly, and it's been a continuous learning process ever since.

Looking ahead, as we plan to expand into other countries, Cyprus has been an essential stepping stone. It has taught us how to navigate the challenges of international business and avoid repeating early mistakes. We've grown as a team and a company and are eager to take these lessons forward as we explore new markets beyond Cyprus.

With the increasing demand for cloud-based solutions, how is 4Sight helping businesses transition from legacy systems to more agile, cloud-based infrastructures? What are the most common challenges companies face during this migration? 

4Sight has always been ahead of the curve regarding cloud technologies. We've been riding the wave from the very beginning. In fact, we've been entirely cloud-based since 2012, without any need for in-house infrastructure to keep us operational. So, when Malta went into lockdown during COVID-19, we were ready. We sent everyone home, and no one needed new equipment or software; we were already set up to work from anywhere, anytime.

Unfortunately, many of our clients weren't in the same position. COVID-19 has made many businesses rethink their operations, not just in terms of working from home but also in terms of being able to work from anywhere. Our client's biggest challenge was trust, trusting the idea of having their data in the cloud, beyond their immediate control, rather than in a server room they could see. Initially, this was a challenging concept to sell. Still, over time, many clients realised that, regardless of business size, they couldn't match the redundancy and security of major cloud providers. Keeping data in-house was far riskier than moving to the cloud.

As you rightly pointed out, migration is a challenge and one of the most significant pain points we see with our clients. Change management during migration projects can be complex, not just because businesses resist change but because changing software often means changing business processes. Many SMEs struggle with this because they lack solid processes from the outset, which makes adopting new systems even harder. Sometimes, it's not just about adopting new technology. It's about gaining a better understanding of your own business, which can cause frustration and delays.

Implementing core changes while keeping the business running is also tricky and can lead to unexpected costs if you're unprepared. That's why we created FLOW, our annual Digital Transformation Event. We wanted to help businesses, with input from independent industry professionals, understand what it takes to transition to smarter, more accessible systems because it's not just about technology; it's about empowering businesses to evolve.

AI and automation are transforming industries worldwide. How is 4Sight leveraging these technologies to help businesses improve decision-making, productivity, and customer experiences? Can you share an example of how automation has made a tangible difference for one of your clients? 

At 4Sight, we offer a range of AI-powered technologies and products designed to help our clients boost efficiency. But here's the thing: buzzwords like 'AI' and 'automation' are meaningless if our clients don't understand how to use them to their advantage. We often meet clients who are excited about AI. They've heard the hype and want to jump on the bandwagon but are unsure how or why. This is where 4Sight truly excels. We don't just hand them tech solutions. We help them understand how to transform their business first, and technology comes after.

The key is helping them understand that, to improve decision-making, they need to stay on top of their data. AI learns and makes decisions based on the data it's given. So, we start with the basics, looking at the core of the business, how they're managing their data, where it's stored, how reliable their data structure is, and what they're doing with it. Once that foundation is in place, we can help them see how AI can be leveraged to its full potential.

Many businesses still rely on spreadsheets to run their operations, which may seem like a cost-effective solution but is risky. It's labour-intensive, error-prone, and limited in its capabilities. Businesses need to realise that before jumping into AI, they must embrace something equally important: business intelligence (BI). BI gives business owners quick, easy visibility into their performance, which is essential before automating processes. To automate decisions about your business, you first need to understand what your business is telling you. Once you've got those data insights, you can make informed decisions and automate where it makes sense.

AI and automation are incredible tools, but they're just that—tools. They help eliminate repetitive tasks and improve efficiency, but they're not advanced enough to make critical business decisions for you. That's why business leaders need to understand which digital technologies will aid in decision-making so they can use them to drive real change and move their business forward.

The Flow Digital Transformation event has become a cornerstone of 4Sight's thought leadership in digital transformation. What are your goals for the 2025 edition, and how do you see this event evolving? 

The upcoming 2025 edition will be the fourth time we've organised this event, and it's incredible to see how much it has grown since the first year. We're beyond excited about what's in store and confident we'll deliver even more value than last year. The 2024 event was a huge success; it was easily the best of the three we've hosted so far. Attendance hit an all-time high, we attracted more sponsors, and the feedback we received was outstanding.

For the 2025 edition, we're ready to push the boundaries even further. While it's still early to reveal too much, we plan to bring even more cutting-edge tech and deeper business insights than ever before. We're also expanding our reach by inviting international contributors to share their expertise, ensuring that the hundreds of attendees gain even more knowledge. A big part of what drives us is the high percentage of repeat guests, which motivates us to continually introduce fresh technology and innovation every year.

At its core, this event is all about education. FLOW is designed to guide businesses through the digital transformation process, making it easier for them to innovate. We invite all companies to join us for the 2025 edition, where they'll have the opportunity to learn about digital transformation, experience the latest technology, and network with like-minded professionals. It will be bigger and better than ever, and we can't wait to share it with everyone!

As a company that offers end-to-end digital transformation services, how do you ensure that your approach remains holistic, addressing not just technology but also branding, business processes, and digital marketing for your clients? 

End-to-end service has always been at the heart of what we do. At 4Sight, we have a diverse ecosystem of professionals working with us, from creatives and business consultants to systems engineers and developers. We also have SEO specialists, digital marketers, data analysts, and technology experts under one roof. It's a broad, horizontal approach, and I'll admit, it's not the most manageable model to maintain. But after years of honing this process, we've become experts at running an actual end-to-end business.

One of the key factors behind our success is our deep understanding of processes. Digital transformation is, at its core, all about processes, and we like to think of 4Sight as a digital transformation company, not just an IT company. The reason is simple: we're more than just an IT service provider. We've built a team of people who truly understand how businesses operate, and we excel at helping them use technology to grow. But we go beyond tech; we can also help companies run more smoothly by leveraging our knowledge across different areas of operations.

Our strength lies in our ability to blend technology with a fundamental understanding of business processes, which makes 4Sight unique. Maintaining such a holistic approach is no small feat, but our incredible team consistently brings it together to ensure our clients get the best possible solutions.

Looking ahead, what emerging trends or technologies do you believe will be critical for businesses to stay competitive in the next five years, and how is 4Sight preparing to help companies navigate these changes? 

As things stand, it's nearly impossible to predict the future with certainty, especially given the lightning-fast pace at which technology evolves. Since we started in 2007, we've seen tech move at an unprecedented speed, and it's only accelerating. Businesses must stay on top of the latest technologies and, more importantly, learn how to leverage them effectively to remain relevant and competitive.

AI, without a doubt, will be a game-changer for those who crack the code on how to integrate it seamlessly into their operations. At 4Sight, we're already helping companies navigate this rapidly changing landscape. Our approach goes beyond simply introducing the latest tech tools. We strategically guide businesses to adopt these technologies to maximise their impact. We firmly believe that the newest, flashiest tech isn't always the best solution. In business, it's about finding the right fit for your specific needs, and today's reality is that if you're not agile and ready to adapt, even the smallest competitors can outmanoeuvre you with the right tools and technology.

In this new landscape, the playing field has levelled. Armed with the right technology, small businesses can compete just as effectively as their larger counterparts. That's why it's crucial for companies to not just chase trends but understand how to implement and integrate the tools that will make them faster, more efficient, and better equipped to meet the market's demands. At 4Sight, we're committed to helping businesses do exactly that by ensuring they're not just tech-savvy but tech-smart.

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