Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1265531
02.07.2020 6 INTERVIEW You were appointed CEO of GO in April 2018. What do you consider the company's greatest accomplishments since then to be? GO has been operating for the past 45 years. Every accomplishment is the re- sult of the company's strategic direction, which is driven by a committed board and an excellent team of individuals who strive every day to do what's right for the company, to add value to customer's lives and deliver returns for our shareholders, year after year. We do this whilst devel- oping a learning organisation. I am very proud of the fact that we have kept up on past successes and continued to deliver on all fronts over these past two years. Of most relevance in these times, I think our response to the Covid-19 pan- demic is certainly an accomplishment on many fronts. We really obsessed about our customers' needs that changed as the pandemic evolved. We opened up TV viewing, offered our TV app even to non-GO customers, kept over 6000 front liners connected as their lives were completed disrupted, redesigned pro- cesses and products to ensure that all our customers' needs are met, and in most cases accessible online, and opened up more channels of communication for our customers to reach out to us. As an organisation, we rallied together as One Team to ensure that we were always one step ahead of the game in keeping our employees safe and protected, whilst keeping our complex operations running remotely. We did everything we could to make sure that no one is left behind in these difficult times. Looking beyond Covid, we have had many other accomplishments as an or- ganisation. We have continued to grow into a more digitally driven, custom- er-centric organisation. Whilst technol- ogy is the backbone of our operations, and continues to drive the innovation to our customers, we have really focused on how we can deliver additional value to customers, and as a result, overhauled our product portfolio, offering complete flexibility for customers to design their own bundles, with our new Mix and Match offerings. We have brought to the market innovative products, such as our SmartHub, that is a hybrid modem that was designed and developed by our own engineers, which promises and 'always on' internet connection. We recently launched the Wi-Fi mesh pods, which guarantee connectivity in every corner of one's home. Our latest milestones was seeing GO become the first provider to introduce a fully flexible Wi-Fi driven TV service in Malta for customers to en- joy the best TV content from anywhere and on any device, without the need for a set top box. rough this achievement, we are revolutionising the way people in Malta get to enjoy their favourite televi- sion content. e list is endless. We now have a product portfolio that really ca- ters for everyone's needs. Amongst the company's many accom- plishments, I must mention the highly successful IPO of BMIT Technologies. is subsidiary was formally listed on the Malta Stock Exchange after institu- tional and general investors subscribed to close to 99 million shares valued at €49 million. is is another milestone in GO's success story which reflects a forward-looking organisation that is building its future growth on strategic investments. Such processes allow us to reinvest in areas that will create greater value, both for our shareholders and cus- tomers, and ultimately, the economy. What are the major challenges the company faces now and in the near future? GO is a very complex organisation that offers services on which so many busi- nesses, households, individuals, lives, and livelihoods depend. is comes with a great sense of responsibility, wheth- er it is to our employees, customers, shareholders, or the community at large. rowing Covid 10 into the mix, created a new set of challenges. Whilst we were prepared, well ahead of the outbreak in Malta, our challenges now lie in ensur- ing the wellbeing of our employees in the aftermath of Covid so that we can con- tinue to deliver additional value to our customers. e world as we knew it has changed. However emerging technologies will continue to drive growth and innova- tion. Like every other company, we too are feeling the pinch of the economic downturn. Our challenge is to find ways of ensuring that our past and present in- vestments continue to deliver returns. Considering the environment in which we operate, we also need to keep abreast with technological development so that we can help our customers connect to what matters to them most, without worrying about how they will connect. Another challenge we face is access to the right talent for our organisational needs. We are a learning organisation that supports a growth mind set. We therefore need to partner with the rele- vant companies and invest in education and in mentorship and development programmes to create a digitally skilled workforce that matches the demands of the future. How do you see the media and telecoms sector developing in Malta in the next five to 10 years? Five to 10 years is a long time in the tel- ecom's world. Whilst we base our busi- ness plan on a five-year view, we are con- stantly forced to revisit and adapt in line with sectoral and regulatory develop- ments. Technology changes. Customers' demands change, content delivery can change, and in a relatively short period of time at that. Digitisation has created a natural overlap between the media and telecoms sector. One cannot exist with- out the other. In telecoms, we provide the infrastructure and technology over which media content is delivered. On the other hand, customers dictate how they consume that content. So, each sector, in a way, drives and shapes the other. As more and more people and business- es are moving online, media reach is even greater. is will continue to drive demand for capacity and bandwidth. Connectivity and content delivery are merging into a seamless experience for customers as they expect news and other online content to be delivered at a click of a button. As a result, always on con- nectivity will become ever more critical. is necessitates continuous investment in infrastructure and technology plat- forms. As these two sectors continue to con- verge, the challenge lies in ensuring that no one is left behind, and that everyone has equal opportunity to benefit from, and contribute to, the digital economy, whether it's a matter of accessibility, skill or affordability. We will challenge our- selves to find ways to get everyone on- line and build digital skills so they can do more of what matters to them most. To drive a truly digital Malta, we will not only have to continue to invest in state-of-the-art network and digital in- frastructure, but also bring to life inno- vations that enhance the lives and busi- nesses of our customers. How is GO gearing up to remain a major player in this future environment? ere is no future without guaranteed connectivity to the rest of the world. I think GO has been exemplary in this re- gard with its ambitious investment plan in ensuring a truly digital Malta. GO has invested heavily in Malta's digital infra- structure, it has invested in technology and in its people to ensure that it is al- ways as the forefront in delivering in- novative solutions to its customers and the community at large. Our investment goes beyond infrastructural. We have in- vested in different companies, diversify- ing our business portfolio to ensure we remain relevant in a fast-changing world. Our aim is to not only continue maxim- ising our impact on the Maltese society but beyond the Maltese shores. Our con- tribution to the digital economy has sup- ported the growth of other sectors such as iGaming, FinTech and so many other emerging sectors. As these sectors con- tinue to grow, international connectivity becomes even more critical. It is for this reason that GO is investing a further €24 million as it embarks on a project to lay a third submarine cable system. is is a bold move that will reshape Malta's international connectivity to the rest of the world. Unlike all current submarine cables, this new system will branch out into a dual connection. is means that for the first time in telecoms history in Malta, the country will have an inter- national high-speed fibre connection towards both the Western and Eastern The long game Since April 2018, Nikhil Patil has been at the helm of communications giant GO. BusinessToday spoke to him about his achievements thus far and his outlook on the local telcoms sector in the coming years PAUL COCKS