Print.IT Reseller - issue 87

01732 759725 50 AND FINALLY Nicola de Blasi, CEO and Co-founder, MPS Monitor 60 seconds with… What’s currently having the greatest impact on your business? I think that innovation and integration are by far the biggest differentiators between today’s businesses, at all levels. This is valid both for customers and for technology providers. The only way to survive and to thrive in these very difficult times, is to believe and invest heavily in innovation, positioning your company or product as part of an integrated and connected ecosystem. Where do you see the next big opportunity? Cybersecurity has become a top concern for all kind of businesses and organisations, but there are also big opportunities in it. The dramatic evolution of threats and the increase of quantity and quality of attacks is driving a natural evolution in skills, budgets and technology usage, which is ultimately leading to an unprecedented improvement in the security culture, posture and awareness of all kinds of businesses. We are all learning very fast how to do things in a secure way, as we have no other choice. What would make your day job easier? I think that one of the main skills for a business leader is to be able to anticipate future changes, to understand trends and to predict results. I think I have a little bit of these, but having more would make my business life much better. What’s the best bit of business advice you’ve been given? Always look at things in perspective, analyse the current and future situation, and do not react emotionally. Decisions, both big and small ones, need some thinking time, even when taken under pressure. I’m also a big fan of extreme specialisation: I think that everyone should find a sweet spot where he/she can stand above others, and fully commit to it. What was your first job? At 16, I worked as a delivery boy for a travel agency during summer. My first ‘real’ job was at 21 as a photocopier salesman. What would be your dream job? After a 35 year career in IT, I really cannot think of anything better than what I’m doing now. It is incredibly creative and rewarding, and the energy that I get from my team every day is unbelievable. Fine dining and good wine, or curry and a pint? Definitely fine food and wine, possibly fresh fish on a terrace just above the sea. How do you like to spend your spare time? My family gets it all. We travel whenever possible, and during weekends I follow the kids’ sports and activities. Money’s not an issue, what’s your perfect car… and where would you like to drive it? After so many years of driving, I’m not so much a car guy, but recently I’ve become intrigued by electric cars. So, I would probably choose a Tesla Model S or a BMW iX. I would love to tour central and southern Italy, visiting art cities and medieval villages. If you had had a crystal ball, would you have done anything differently? Of course I would. I’ve been learning by my mistakes for all of my career! Probably the biggest one lesson I learned is how to focus on the most important goals and ignore all the others. Avoid investing time and effort on activities and initiatives that are not bound to my ultimate targets and will not produce the results I expect. Describe your most embarrassing moment. I’ve probably removed most of them from my memory… I can recall something from my boyhood when I had to announce to my parents that I had crashed my first car badly. The standard ‘good news/bad news’ pitch helped in that case. Nicola de Blasi Favourite holiday destination? Puglia, in the south of Italy. It’s the place where I was raised, and I come back twice a year. The sea, countryside and food are incredible, and I enjoy them with a group of long-time friends.