Congratulations on two years at Singular, Robert: how do you reflect on your time with the company?
When I joined May 2019, I had no idea what a tremendous two years would lay ahead. As I set out the plan for what I wanted to achieve, the shredder was already churning away. I believe that this was probably the most fun I’ve had since I’ve joined the industry. The Singular team is proven to be one of the most dynamic and resilient teams, open to vibrant and courageous ideas, which create added value for us and our partners. During the pandemic year of 2020, this approach has helped us overcome the challenges that affected so many in the industry. I am particularly proud of the Malta expansion that has resulted in Singular opening its second office in the Tagliaferro Business Center. The team has experienced an accelerated growth that has almost reached the full capacity of the current office space. The expansion of Singular both locally and internationally further reinforced our strategy for catering towards Tier-1 operators. We can proudly say that over the past two years, we have tripled our client portfolio.
In another two years’ time, where do you hope the company will be?
Looking back at the past two years gives me confidence in two main areas. From one side, it is safe to say that we will continue catering to our clients’ expansion in new jurisdictions that they deem profitable towards their operations. Ideally, we expect to sustain the current growth curve. On the other side, as new regulations come into effect, we feel the work will be more intensified and might slow down the growth slightly. We pride ourselves in catering to a fewer number of clients but delivering tailored solutions for their business needs. In essence, I expect us to continue providing high-end software compliant with unique requirements for new emerging markets.
How important has the Malta office been for Singular’s operations?
Malta has been central to the iGaming industry since it became the first jurisdiction to regulate online gaming globally back in 2002. With this history, one finds a lot of resources that might not be available throughout the globe. This experience and the knowledge base have helped Singular recruit a dynamic management team in Malta that has helped sustain and reinforce our relationships with our enterprise clients.
What has working in Malta been like during the pandemic?
Malta’s experience during the pandemic was slightly different from a lot of European countries. Malta blessed us with lovely weather that allowed us to enjoy the open spaces in rural areas. Of course, this was not possible during the total lockdown. But we had a very strict lockdown only in the initial phase in April, May, and June. However, the majority of companies, Singular included, started working from home as a safety measure.
Many of which remain WFH to today, and that has changed the gaming ecosystem in Malta forever. A big part of Malta’s uniqueness was the fact you could rub shoulders with industry veterans without the need for travel. That, of course, is now changing. We will have to see if the networking and business community will keep flourishing as it used to on this amazing island.