Former Logicalis CEO Vince DeLuca is wasting no time in performing critical actions as incoming Six Degrees CEO, doubling down on AI, a more service-oriented approach and driving unprecedented growth in the MSP’s heritage solution stack.
DeLuca was appointed Six Degrees CEO in June and quickly focused his energy and attention on growth and, to a strong degree, an AI-driven solution model having recognised the need to evolve with the transforming technology landscape. “In three years time I want to show a CAGR in the 10-15 per cent range on top line and very healthy margins with a set of technologies that are ideally suited to the market,” stated DeLuca. “This means being ahead of the curve with our growth, being ultra-relevant with our technologies and keeping customers at the forefront.”
Six Degrees currently generates around £80 million revenue and has a 400-ish headcount. Its 850-plus customers include mid-market businesses in the finance, legal, retail and manufacturing sectors; and DeLuca noted that the MSP is experiencing consistent demand in the key focus areas of cloud, cyber, connected workspace, data and AI. “Even more positive is that we continue to see good demand for our heritage products including comms, connectivity and colo,” he added. “That’s a great combination and shows that we’re on the right growth path.”
DeLuca has set about immediately optimising Six Degrees’ traditional products while at the same time strategising how the company will position its next generation of solutions. “In the medium term it’s about enabling us with AI,” he explained. “Six Degrees is missing a strong data and AI position, so one of my first tasks will be to infuse this into our product lines. The second point is growth. I want everyone across the entire organisation to understand that our main goal is to grow. I’ll assess how work is carried out internally to improve everything we do, and put the vehicles in place to drive further growth across goals, strategies and objectives. This will happen quickly but it will be a team effort.”
His first job to address is to make sure that the right people are in the right places and to familiarise himself with all aspects of the business. “My first task will be to look at the organisational structure and ensure that we have the right foundation in place,” he said. “The focus should always be outside-in, so I also want to spend time understanding Six Degrees’ customers to learn what works for them and what doesn’t. It’s the combination of absorbing all of that data – more externally than internally – that enables you to formulate an organisational structure designed for growth.”
The rapid organic growth demonstrated while I was leading Logicalis plays right into the journey we’re on now
Optimising margins and ensuring growth are the key dimensions that have to be understood by anyone in the ICT channel, noted DeLuca. Good partner strategies are also important, particularly leveraging technology partners in a different way to the traditional resell partnership format. “When I look at Six Degrees and our relationship with Microsoft, I want to be doing far more than just reselling its technology,” he added. “I want to be co-developing and co-selling with Microsoft. It’s not about devaluing resell, but looking at it through a different lens, particularly with AI, to build more of a service orientation into the customer base with a healthy value-based set of capabilities.”
In terms of AI, noted DeLuca, there is a growing number of offerings available right now that he is carefully considering. “There are some natural intersections with many of our product lines,” he commented. “For example, cloud and AI coming together and data-centric workloads. Because we’re deeply embedded in the Microsoft ecosystem we also need to think about how Copilot plays into our portfolio and how we use it internally. These are the trends that will completely shape our future and we need to be specific about what we’re going to do. I want to use AI to deliver unique value-based services. And in the longer-term, we need a platform where customers can consume those services easily which will also open up a whole host of new opportunities. The pace of change is huge and we need to be out in front.”
When I look at our relationship with Microsoft, I want to be doing far more than just reselling. I want to be co-developing and co-selling
Striking the right balance of technology partners is also key. The company is a Microsoft Azure Expert MSP and works with many other organisations including Fortinet, LogicMonitor, VMware and Acronis. “We support our customers with their digital transformation initiatives, enabling them to operate securely in the cloud,” added DeLuca. “Technology partnerships are therefore a vital part of our company’s ecosystem.”
Leadership
DeLuca became a lynchpin in the Six Degrees ecosystem when company owner Charlesbank identified him as the business leader best able to keep the MSP on track and create long-term value. If you were to hear DeLuca speak you’d soon realise that he is American, but steeped in the British way of working. Having been tapped on the shoulder by Charlesbank, he grasped the Six Degrees opportunity with both hands and is building on past leadership experiences including spells at Marconi and Infocrossing before becoming Logicalis Chief Exec and then CEO of Sapphire Systems.
“The focus at Logicalis was on services across infrastructure like comms, cloud and collaborative technologies,” stated DeLuca. “I have a strong foundation in this technology and leading an organisation through the conversion from pure play reseller to much more of a service-oriented, scalable and professional managed service provider in the solutions space, which is what we’re doing at Six Degrees. The rapid organic growth demonstrated while I was leading Logicalis plays right into the journey we’re on now.”
Just a minute with Vince DeLuca...
Role model:
My dad... a second generation Italian immigrant who inherited a grocery business from his father. He’s always been an inspiration to me and I am incredibly proud to be his son.
Your main strength and what could you work on?
I am a people-focused leader with a strong agenda to push a business forward. I’ve seen many people go one way or the other... too cut-throat or too nurturing without driving the agenda. My strength is finding that balance. But I would like to work quicker. Not impulsive, but at a consistent high degree of urgency.
Three ideal dinner guests:
Nelson Mandela to understand what he went through and how he managed to lead a nation under so much scrutiny; Michael Jordan, simply the best of the best; and my grandfather – he lived an incredible life.
If you weren’t in ICT what would you be doing?
I wanted to be a doctor. It’s people-centric and focuses on helping people and that resonates with me.
Your favourite comedian or comedienne?
Kevin Hart.
Best advice you have been given:
‘Don’t surprise me’. My first manager said this to me just before I showcased a big presentation. He said, ‘If you surprise me, you don’t know your business well enough to have a handle on it to accelerate what you need to push, or fix problems’.
What talent do you wish you had?
To perform music on stage to thousands of people – watching Glastonbury on TV inspired the inner rock star in me.
The biggest risk you have taken:
Accepting my first CEO job. With a heavy focus on resale, the company I ended up working for was very different and much bigger than anything I had tackled beforehand. But I was successful, taking the business from $400 million turnover to close to a billion.
How do you relax?
Playing golf, but that’s only relaxing if I’m doing well! I also love music and spending time with family.
Your biggest career achievement:
Early in my career, and through perseverance, I took the consumer of a technology product from point-blank not wanting to talk to me to having them want more with high fives and hugs.
One example of something you have overcome:
A fear of public speaking. I overcame this by learning that the better grasp I had on the subject matter, the more confident I felt. Over-preparing definitely helps.
In three words, what are today’s top leadership priorities?
Vision, tenacity, people.
If you could change any aspect of the tech revolution what would it be?
We can be too tethered to technology. It’s important that we find a way to harness tech while still valuing the human element.
Top tip for resellers:
All businesses need to weigh up increasing margins versus growing the business. This will depend on market conditions and cycles, but there comes a time when you will need to major in one of these two areas. Margin is important, but growth is the most important thing we have right now. I would encourage resellers to look through both of these lenses and find where their own business focus is. This is especially important if they’re private equity owned.