Italian software distributor sets up Malta base for overseas operations

Mantala, a Rome-based software distributor, has established a subsidiary in Malta to expand its overseas operations, with an immediate focus on Switzerland, North Africa and the Middle East.

Established in 2006, Mantala delivers sophisticated software for audit, risk, resource and time management, data analysis, integrated governance, risk and compliance solutions, and fraud prevention and detection. Most of the software is developed in Canada, the UK, and Germany.

Mantala is able to offer product development such as customisation or content scripting embedded in software, and is capable of tailoring products based on specific requirements with local knowledge in different markets. It also provides specialised training, consulting, sup­port and implementation services.

Marketing manager Andrea Trunzo told The Sunday Times the company had witnessed rapid growth in a relatively short time, and won over 100 customers ranging from the Italian public sector to state-owned companies and international organisations.

Its client base is a cross-section of fields, including banking and insurance, and high-tech manufacturing in the aerospace, IT, defence, utilities and oil sectors. Implementation sizes varied from a single to 140 users.

Mantala began its mission by sourcing and distributing access control list (ACL) software for audit and data analysis, and built its portfolio to incorporate five extensive product families with wide-ranging applications for large and medium-sized firms. The latest product family to be added to Mantala’s offering was Fulcrum Way, an integrated governance risk and compliance (GRC) ‘software as a service’ solution for Oracle and SAP customers.

Mr Trunzo said pricing across the portfolio made Mantala’s product range easily accessible to single professionals.

He added that Mantala’s key differentiators were its wide, integrated offering, based on high-end products and cutting edge technology, combined with innovation, flexibility and consistency.

“We previously operated solely in the Italian market to distribute a best product portfolio, and business grew rapidly to several dozen companies, including some Global 500 organisations,” Mr Trunzo said. “We gained extensive experience of user needs, and last year we realised we needed to venture overseas, particularly in the Euromed area and the Middle East, as these particular regions were ideal to help Mantala reach its long-term goals, including high rate growth.”

Mantala’s strategy is focused on rapid, flexible deployment of products and ancillary services. A lean organisation, it was seeking to minimise differences between its current business environment and that of the location for its international hub, its first significant operation outside Italy.

Mr Trunzo said Malta ticked the right boxes: presence of potential customers, talent pool, proximity to its target clients, pro-business environment, and sound banking industry.

“It is a stable, reliable market where there is good opportunity for local and foreign investment,” he added. “One of the problems we have in Italy and other countries we were examining was the availability of English speakers. Malta being a member of the Eurozone was also a plus. We manage a number of countries outside the euro area but a base in Malta makes currency management and accounting more straightforward.”

Mantala has deployed a team to its Swatar office composed of some professionals previously based in the Italian capital. Before becoming fully operational recently, Mantala undertook some basic marketing activity here as Mantala (Italy).

Responsibilities for existing business relationships with its first customers in neighbouring regions and Switzerland have now been handed over to Mantala Malta, which has also won a handful of local clients.

Mr Trunzo said the company planned a recruitment drive for technical support and implementation officers, and business development executives, after the summer.

Among the Malta team’s immediate briefs is the short and medium-term management of integration and development activities, including the provision of specific software that can be developed for the local market.

It has also been tasked with developing an international identity for the firm. Its wider global strategy will be underlined by a localised approach to better deal with varying cultures and business styles, Mr Trunzo explained.

Meanwhile, Mantala has received several queries from potential new customers in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and marketing efforts have also been initiated in Morocco, Libya and Egypt.

The marketing strategy varied according to market. Some markets will be entrusted to the Malta team. Countries like Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates allow for direct marketing combined with business development with sales people on the ground, and Mantala planned to establish a presence in the Euromed and the Middle East regions.

The company sought to balance the investment and activities in these markets where there were different requirements and sales cycle timings so that results were generated in specific time frames.

Particular markets such as Libya required Mantala to deal with local partnerships as a way to reach target customers more directly.

Most marketing is, however, carried out online through e-commerce channels or by e-mail.

Other combined e-marketing strategies were designed to target customers more directly: Mantala runs partnership alliances with professional associations to which training and consultancy packages are also offered to support business groups’ own initiatives.