Q&A: Jessica Ordovas, CEO and founder, Mediatech Solutions

Last month Spanish land-based supplier giant R.Franco took a controlling stake in online platform provider Mediatech Solutions with the view to creating a major provider of omni-channel solutions.

EGR caught up with Mediatech CEO and founder Jessica Ordovas to discuss the thinking behind the deal and whether the combination will enable R.Franco to challenge in jurisdictions outside of its core Spanish market.

eGaming Review (EGR): What were the main drivers behind the combination with R. Franco?

Jessica Ordovas (JO): The industry is currently undergoing a process of change that will fundamentally alter the way it operates. The main difference will be the use of online technology to drive land-based operations. There are clearly a lot of synergies between the channel and online and there’s no reason not to capitalise on the technological advantages emerging in today’s market.

R. Franco has 50 years of heritage in land-based supply and is well-placed to capitalise on this change, which is picking up serious momentum in Spain. Together we are stepping up to the challenge of bringing all these advantages to the operator with guaranteed speed to market and product innovation.

We see a future where land-based operators will change from managing locations to managing customers. By doing this they’ll be able to increase the offering to the players, not only with a massive increase of product available, but also in all the CRM possibilities. In Spain regulation and technology is making this future a very near-term reality.

R.Franco has recently invested heavily in its digital arm and Mediatech has been brought in to take the partnership to the next level, forming an omni-channel giant to offer the best solutions in the market.

EGR: Should we assume your focus will be on the Spanish market? Are you looking to enter other territories?

JO: The deal makes us a market leader in Spain, but we are proactively focusing on other global markets too. We’re already working in a number of different regions and know how culture and regulation make every market unique. We therefore believe in giving specific geographic regions the attention they need to deliver a truly local solution.

With R. Franco’s strong heritage in Latin America we’re focusing on countries there that are looking to regulate. Everyone is watching developments very closely, of course, but many of the bigger international suppliers don’t have our history of working in Spanish-speaking countries. This will give us an advantage.

Asia will also continue to be an area of focus. We set up an office in Kuala Lumpur two years ago, which is proving to be a fantastic move. It has already presented us with a number of opportunities, as you’d expect from such a dynamic region.

Last but not least, we are looking to expand in to other European countries. The Spanish market has always been subject to strict regulations, meaning our compliance arm has had to be very well run. We think this, as well as our ability to localise, will stand us in good stead.

EGR: How do you view the standard omni-channel products in the Spanish market?

JO: Online slots were only permitted for the first time last summer, so regulations in the Spanish market are still in their infancy. This has meant that omni-channel products have lagged behind those in more developed markets like the UK. But this is changing very quickly.

The infrastructure for omni-channel is already in place, and in 2015 online revenues in the Spanish market increased by 26%. New and innovative omni-channel products will keep those revenues growing in future. But we see huge opportunities in areas where shared wallets are permitted. Where regulation permits, we also want to take best practice in online marketing and new technology into land-based locations.

EGR: How well is Mediatech positioned to compete against the omni-channel supplier giants?

JO: Every market has its own competitive dynamics and being a leader in one country doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be successful elsewhere. In Spain prior to the R.Franco deal we were already market leaders in online platforms, with a 20% market share. As R.Franco is the leading land-based supplier in Spain, we’re now uniquely positioned to take on any omni-channel competition.

We believe our passion for delivering great service and value will allow us to be successful in other countries. Our platforms were built for the omni-channel age and aren’t saddled with legacy software. In terms of functionality and game integrations, we’re already a worthy competitor, and we can be agile and responsive to client requirements.

I used to be an operator myself and I realise size isn’t always the most important factor. Our aim is to build a suite of products and services that gives the operator control and an ability to compete. They can then offer the best gaming experience to players, who will always be the most important part of the industry.