Stefanini: a strategy rooted in digital transformation

For Stefanini, a company that focuses on people, performance, and results, both 2022 and 2023 were excellent years. Last year it broke all its EMEA records and exceeded its targets with its highest-ever revenue and profitability. Business Review talked with Farlei Kothe, the CEO of Stefanini EMEA, to discover the recipe behind this robust growth.

By Anda Sebesi

What were the biggest challenges Stefanini faced in 2023?

In 2023, our main challenges were essentially threefold. People: Keeping all contracts from 2022 and adding all new sales that mostly happened in 2022/2. We started the year with the biggest forecast and number of transitions to be implemented, with a significant need to hire new people: almost 1,000 employees had to be onboarded in less than 9 months. We did it. Performance: With a strong 2022, we had raised the bar. We started the year with a lot of pressure on execution.

Everything had to happen as planned, and everything had to be perfect. Each transition, each new employee, and each go-live had to be perfectly done. We did it. Results: We were expecting 30% growth YoY, and we will reach ~40%. We also expected to improve our profitability vs 2022, and again we are going to overperform, with an outstanding result. Our NPS has been above 60 for 3 years in a row when the market average is below 40, and we achieved an amazing 65.4 in 2023. We also had our best employee engagement ever, even better than in 2022. We did it!

What were the most important projects the company carried out in 2023?

Within our organisation, the Digital Transformation Centre (DTC) is devoted to building our future capabilities. Our Customer Service Transformation (CST), another dedicated team, focuses on bringing innovations to our current customers even if those innovations aren’t part of their current contracts. Additionally, we have a team working on new customers and prospects, applying a robust business consulting approach. We position ourselves as advisors, aiming to become partners on their journey. This proactive approach, spanning portfolio, customers, and prospects is integral to our strategy, which is rooted in digital transformation.

Our AI platform, SOPHIE X, addresses various cases using AI, whether through integration, functioning as a BOT or supporting real-time voice or chat translation. It’s a truly disruptive tool, enabling us to provide services in multiple languages to native speakers from locations such as Romania, India, Moldova, Brazil, etc.

What’s the current state of the IT&C industry and what changes should we expect to see in the coming years?

We are currently undergoing another significant disruptive moment that will impact society, and it is strongly connected with the tech world. It seems that soon, we will have the opportunity to apply AI in our reality, which has been under discussion for many years. Autonomous cars, the Internet of Things, the learning process, virtual and augmented reality, data management, etc.—all these new technologies are significantly boosted by AI. We will undoubtedly witness repetitive tasks being replaced by machines to produce and deliver faster, better, and cheaper. This transformation will extend to back-office activities as well, just as it has happened in the past.

How important are ESG and sustainability criteria for Stefanini and the industry in general?

As leaders in the field of IT services innovation, we acknowledge the fact that our contribution to society extends beyond the development of new technologies. For us, sustainability is more than a decision—it’s a tenet that directs our course. Our commitment lies in offering services that reduce environmental impact, maintain company integrity, and strive towards carbon neutrality.

What were 2023’s main challenges from a management point of view?

I believe that a key aspect, and still a challenging one, is connected to the covid-19 era. Work from home (WFH) has become a reality and is still prevalent in most businesses that don’t require physical presence to deliver a service. From a management perspective, coaching, supporting, and connecting with people become more challenging when parties never meet in person. On one side, there are those who appreciate the flexibility of working from home, and on the other, the company culture, quick alignment, and empathy may not reach the same level as they would while working in the same environment. Although technology supports various forms of communication—voice, video, and more—being in the same room still proves powerful for relationships and alignment.

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