"Be agile and adaptable."
With an over 20-year career driving strategic alignment and transformation to accelerate product adoption for F500 industry leaders, Vince Padua has developed a record leading product management, architecture, engineering, design, and innovation for enterprise platforms.
His efforts have allowed him to deliver large-scale business initiatives to democratize and scale technology and business outcomes via API management, iPaaS, AI/ML, Cloud, and Integration platforms.
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Table of Contents
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
Vince Padua: Hello, I’m Vince Padua, the Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Axway. Axway is a B2B integration company that serves thousands of clients around the globe. B2B integration solves complex business processes across supply chains, business and government ecosystems, and global financial networks. For instance, for a PC manufacturer to build and ship a new PC may involve tens of hundreds of partners across a supply chain to bring that PC to life.
Or, sending money to a business or individual may involve many financial and regulatory institutions that are involved in executing and securing the transaction. To successfully complete these connections and transactions, Axway works with its customers to deliver a platform that can securely open its infrastructure and ecosystems to innovate and differentiate in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
As the CTIO, my role is to facilitate the vision and strategy for our platform and products. My background is computer science, development, design, and product management
In the past year, what is the greatest business achievement you’d like to celebrate with your team? Please share the details of that success.
Vince Padua: At Axway, we have a core focus on customer success and value. Each year we seek to improve how we deliver and support the capabilities and products our customers rely on.
It means a rigorous assessment of how our products are doing, how we perform across the entire sales cycle, and how well we predict and stay ahead of customer needs. We measure this journey with NPS (Net Promoter Score). While NPS isn’t a perfect measure of customer success, it is one metric we use to determine whether we are progressing along the right path.
Over the last three years, Axway has seen a 50 point increase in our NPS. We are incredibly proud of these results, but more importantly, we are grateful for the customers who continue to trust us with providing their core B2B integration capabilities.
What advice do you wish you received when you started your business journey and what do you intend on improving in the next quarter?
Vince Padua: Luck (good or bad) plays a significant role throughout your journey. Whether it is luck winning a deal, luck inheriting a great team, or luck finding a great mentor. My career has been riddled with luck and fortune that would have been impossible to predict.
As someone who thought they had their career planned out, I wish I had understood that luck and serendipity play a significant role in how your business journey will unfold. Understanding this has taught me that the ‘highs’ are never as good as they seem, and the ‘lows’ are never as bad as they seem
Business is all about overcoming obstacles and creating opportunities for growth. What do you see as THE real challenge right now?
Vince Padua: The shift toward digital businesses as a share of total commerce will continue … even in a recession. And should we dip into tough economic times, I expect the shift toward digital business will accelerate, much like we saw during the pandemic.
As the shift occurs, there is a ‘transformation’ that has to occur across business ecosystems. How they communicate will need to change. The skills they need to have must be updated. Customer demands will increase. Axway, as a B2B integration company, is well-positioned to help its customers capitalize on this shift.
To help them securely move data across diverse ecosystems, to help them modernize business processes and workflows, and find innovation across a changing partner landscape.
Business is all about overcoming obstacles and creating opportunities for growth. What do you see as THE real challenge right now?
Vince Padua: Focus and energy are the biggest challenges. There is a lot of uncertainty in the market. And for some, there is real pain in the form of layoffs, reduced wages, and fewer prospects. These times, staying focused on what you can control and where you derive your energy is vital.
Today we are working through the hangover of a long bull cycle with cheap capital. So now we are facing the transition back to the ‘mean’ of market performance. Today, it is even more important to step back and see the bigger picture and focus on the elements we can control in our lives: what we think about, how we spend our time, whether we seek to help others, etc.
2020, 2021, 2022 threw a lot of curve balls into businesses on a global scale. Based on the experience gleaned in the past years, how can businesses thrive in 2023? What lessons have you learned and what advice would you share?
Vince Padua: The pandemic has certainly thrown a few curveballs at businesses and in some ways, pulled forward changes that were already underway. It has also led to some positive changes. For example, many businesses have had to adapt to new work methods, such as remote work digital platforms. This has spurred innovation and forced businesses to be more agile and adaptable.
In addition, the pandemic has highlighted the importance of businesses being prepared for unexpected events and having contingency plans in place. Overall, while the pandemic has been difficult for businesses, it has also provided some opportunities for growth and innovation. Here are a few pieces of advice for business leaders:
- Be prepared for unexpected events. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of having contingency plans in place. Make sure you have a plan in place in case of unexpected disruptions or challenges.
- Be agile and adaptable. The pandemic has forced many businesses to adapt to new ways of operating, and this will likely continue in the future. Be prepared to adapt to changing circumstances and take advantage of new opportunities as they arise.
- Focus on the customer. During times of uncertainty, it’s more important than ever to make sure you are meeting the needs of your customers. Ensure you listen to their feedback and offer high-quality products and services.
- Take care of your team. Your employees are the heart of your business, and it’s important to support them during this difficult time. Make sure you are providing them with the tools and resources they need to be successful.
- Stay informed. The situation is constantly changing, so make sure you are staying up-to-date with the latest developments and adjusting your business accordingly.
On a lighter note, if you had the ability to pick any business superpower, what would it be and how would you put it into practice?
Vince Padua: If I had the ability to pick any business superpower, I think I would choose the power of foresight. This would allow me to predict future trends and events, and plan for them in advance. This would be a valuable superpower for any business, as it would allow me to make strategic decisions that would help my business succeed.
To put this power into practice, I would use my ability to see into the future to anticipate changes in the market and the economy. I would use this information to make decisions about what products or services to offer, where to focus my marketing efforts, and how to allocate my resources. I would also use my foresight to identify potential challenges and opportunities, and develop strategies to capitalize on them.
In addition, I would use my foresight to help my team and colleagues. I would share my predictions with them, and help them understand how they can use this information to make better decisions and plan for the future. By using my power of foresight, I would be able to help my business stay ahead of the curve and achieve long-term success.
Jed Morley, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Vince Padua for taking the time to do this interview and share his knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Vince Padua or his company, you can do it through his – Linkedin Page
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