SALESmanago, founded in Kraków in 2012, has long been a gem on the European martech scene. Backed by prominent investors Perwyn and SilverTree, the company has built a powerful customer engagement platform that now drives over 158 billion customer transactions per month.We had the chance to speak with the company's recently appointed CEO, Brian Plackis-Cheng, who has more than 20 years of experience and is now leading an ambitious expansion strategy. He told us about the acquisition of the Finnish company Leadoo.
Congratulations on the purchase! What can you say about the journey that led to the acquisition, was it a lengthy process?
The journey to acquiring Leadoo was a strategic process where we evaluated numerous options. We were looking for a company that not only complements our vision, but also brings a unique set of capabilities to strengthen our Customer Engagement Platform (CEP). Leadoo’s specialization in web conversion and engagement perfectly aligns with our goals to support mid-market eCommerce brands. Leadoo follows a business strategy that supports SALESmanago’s eCommerce customer growth objective and is strong in identifying, activating, nurturing and converting website visitors to become buyers and personalising existing customer engagement. The partnership will leverage existing synergies to build an unparalleled customer engagement platform offer in the industry, helping customer acquisition and growth for our combined portfolio of 3,000 clients. This acquisition accelerates our mission to provide a comprehensive, yet simple, mid-market CEP, and is a significant step on our journey to becoming Europe’s number one CEP platform.
Did you learn much about Finnish business culture during the way?
Finnish business culture is known for its directness, clarity, and focus on efficiency, which made our collaboration with Leadoo very smooth. The team’s approach to building strong, personal relationships with clients and maintaining a high level of service really resonated with our own values. We also appreciated the Finnish emphasis on quality and long-term sustainability, which aligns perfectly with our mission to build a platform that delivers lasting value to customers.
How would you describe the companies and their cultures, lots of similarities and some differences?
Both SALESmanago and Leadoo share a deep commitment to customer-centricity and innovation. Like SALESmanago, Leadoo has been driven by a mission to empower businesses with better tools for growth, personalization, and customer engagement. We both believe in leveraging technology to drive real business results. However, Leadoo brings a strong focus on web conversion and engaging visitors at the top of the funnel, while SALESmanago has built expertise around personalization, retention, and omnichannel engagement. These complementary focuses allow us to create a more comprehensive offering for our customers. Culturally, there are similarities in our values of collaboration, transparency, and a forward-thinking approach, with Leadoo’s Finnish roots adding a unique efficiency and pragmatism to the mix.
Over the years, many Polish IT companies have been acquired by Finnish ones. I don't recall any other remarkable transactions this way – do you feel it might be the start of a trend, seeing that many Polish software companies are making acquisitions abroad?
It’s certainly an interesting development. Finland and Poland have shared strong economic ties, and the tech ecosystems in both countries are rapidly evolving. While we haven’t seen many Polish companies acquiring Finnish firms, we believe this acquisition could be a sign of the growing recognition of Poland as a hub for innovation and tech talent. As the market matures, I believe we will see more cross-border acquisitions and partnerships, especially in the rapidly growing martech space. It’s an exciting time, and we’re proud to be part of this shift.
As for SALESmanago, was Finland significant or a target, or a well-known market for you before?
Finland, along with the Nordics in general, has always been an important region for SALESmanago, but this acquisition significantly accelerates our presence there. While we had been gradually expanding in the region, the acquisition of Leadoo gives us a much stronger foothold in Finland and neighboring countries. In addition, there is a UK presence to strengthen our position.
What do you expect from the first kick-off party with the Leadoo teams? Or did you already have a traditional Finnish "pikkujoulu" (Little Christmas company party) with them?
We’re thrilled to have Kraków hosting this year’s first joint Christmas party, so it’s going to be all about Polish traditions and food. But don’t worry, we’re just as excited to dive into Finnish celebrations in the future. There’s a lot to look forward to as we combine the best of both cultures, and we can’t wait to learn from Leadoo’s team and create lasting memories together.
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