Paul Gibbs is telco, man and boy.
Twenty plus years ago, he was a 19-year-old newcomer: his vision, ambition and ferocious work ethic inherited from his entrepreneurial parents.
Like many of his contemporaries, he had a natural skillset perfectly suited to capitalising on the opportunities of a sector with seemingly limitless potential to change the world.
Today, he and those contemporaries find themselves leading some of the most disruptive and dynamic businesses; leveraging innovative technologies, products and solutions that are doing just that.
A year ago – post its acquisition by Southern Communications Group – Paul was asked to help reinvent UK-based hosted telephony provider MyPhones.
Cue: a potent coming together of those naturally-inherited commercial instincts plus an infectious passion for people – qualities that are now at the heart of the rebooted organisation’s fresh and eye-catching new commercial proposition, as well as its culture.
“We’ve rebranded, overhauled our partner portal and launched a new commercial offering,” says Gibbs.
“But it’s more than just the things people can actually see. It feels like a much more fundamental change has occurred here"
“It feels like we are viewing our partners through a different lens. We’re connecting more with their own business models, their own customer requirements and their customers’ end-user challenges.
“Yes, it’s about our products and the way we price and deliver them; but it also has to be more about people, trust and the mutually-beneficial nature of relationships.
“To me, that’s the essence of the channel. It can be a weird beast. You have to know the way it functions and be constantly tuned-in to all of the various dynamics that are at play.
“It’s a place where your own success depends on the success of others. In that sense, it’s a very collaborative and relationships-driven space. I think that’s why I’ve always loved it so much.”
In terms of the whole digital transformation thing, Gibbs undoubtedly knows his onions.
But it seems like there are a few more layers to him than just understanding the technologies, the delivery or the commercials.
So, why are those more ethereal sensitivities important?
