We strive to drive the evolution of HR by adapting our offer to each and every client

Mauricio Potente, EMEA Managing Director of Sopra HR Software

Although we’re coming to the end of a year marked by economic uncertainty and geopolitical turmoil, it’s been a year in which Sopra HR Software has acquired more clients in all the countries it operates in, with Spain (as well as France) accounting for most of this growth. The importance of this branch is seen in the appointment of Mauricio Potente as EMEA Managing Director, which was the next natural step in his career after joining Sopra HR Software in 2014.

You were named EMEA Managing Director in September 2023. What do you make of your latest promotion?

When I first joined Sopra HR Software it came across as a company with huge potential. What’s more, I was really impressed by its team, not to mention its extremely flexible and efficient proprietary product. For me, this opportunity is the culmination of the positive results obtained by sticking to a strategy that was first rolled out in Spain and then extended to other countries.

I’ve had a clear, firm, and long-term strategy right from the outset at Sopra HR Software. We’re currently the only player in the market capable of providing an end-to-end response to the challenges faced by HR. We have clients who’ve been placing their trust in our solutions and services for over 30 years, and we’ve strengthened our market position by taking on clients from a broader range of industries. In an ever-changing world, I’m firmly committed to each and every country and have the company’s support.

Our culture is driven by Grupo Sopra Steria’s values and the strategic management of Sopra HR Software, focusing on providing a wide array of services, innovative solutions and a global offer with an EMEA footprint. I believe this was the key to attracting more clients, thereby strengthening our position as a market leader.

Sopra HR Software keeps growing and adding to its international client base in a year marked by economic uncertainty

What are your goals for 2024?

To keep driving the evolution of HR with an offer that’s 100% adapted to each and every client and market. The key lies in following a clear strategy and making the right investments in product, strengthening decision-making at a local level. The future depends on continuous investment in technology, solutions and services that make the day-to-day lives of our clients easier. Quite a number of years ago, we rolled out an Analytics system that currently has more than 100 KPIs; we invested in collaborative portals adapted to the different types of profiles within an organisation; we automated management with the Public Administrations; we made great strides in terms of time and activity management, talent, occupational risk prevention, etc.

At a technological level we implemented BI, AI, RPA, among others. Apart from the investments we’ve made, we’ve reached the position we’re in today by working closely with our clients and thanks to the excellent work done by a team of people fully committed to the service and added value we provide to our customers. The world and technology are constantly evolving. It’s a matter of continuing to do what we’ve been doing until now; we strive to be the strategic partner and ally of HR.

What do you think the keys were to increasing your client base in what was a particularly challenging year?

I’m sure it didn’t come down to just one, but I’d highlight our ability to understand and put ourselves in the shoes of HR. To be able to help you need to actively listen and understand the problems or challenges facing HR, which differ from one company to the next, and it comes down to a myriad of factors such as industry, company culture, strategy and objectives, etc. We adapt to our clients and are in a position to come up with a unique solution that still allows them to evolve as new business challenges come their way and to choose the service model that best fits their strategy. We’re firmly committed to each and every one of our clients and are in the fortunate position of being able to invest in new developments, solutions and services. Every solution we develop is tailored to HR needs; a client’s strategy shouldn’t suffer because the accompanying software solution isn’t flexible enough.

Fortunately, I think our clients appreciate the fact that we own our solution, that we’re fully HR-centred, not to mention our proven track record in innovation and investment.

Now that you’re managing EMEA, what’s the plan for Spain?

Spain—after France—is still the second most important country for us, so Spain remains at the top of the list when it comes to development and investment. The Group is firmly committed to Spain. This can be seen in the research, development and innovation team that’s largely made up of people from the Spanish team. Spain is the driving force and benchmark at international level, not to mention being a trailblazer in the new services and solutions that are implemented around the world. Spain was the first country I managed and I’m still very much part of it, because this team is a key part of the EMEA strategy.

Sopra HR Software is an industry-leading provider of HR-centred solutions and services. It has more than 2,000 experts all over the world, more than 900 clients in more than 54 countries and manages more than 12 million employees with 1.3 million cloud-based payrolls.