Interview With Marcello Brescia From Hong Kong S.A.R China

I am the Head of OTT & Edge Ecosystem based at our global HQ in Hong Kong and working closely with the 30 other offices that HGC has in the world.

HGC is a telco and network edge integrator with a global presence spanning from North America, EMEA and Asia. HGC’s meshed network can offer a full-suite of connectivity and colocation services aiming to reach as many eyeballs as possible in a cost-effective way and through tailored solutions for our customers especially across APAC and emerging markets.

HGC is also the commercial arm of the AMS-IX in several locations such as US, Hong Kong, Singapore and the newly launched Bangkok.

HGC is specialized in optimizing the customers network expansions through services in those markets where it is not so easy to operate or there are market barriers such as high-cost or In-Country policies and regulations.

Asia represents the biggest opportunity for technology and gaming companies to monetize their applications, however the internet landscape is fragmented if compared to North America or Europe. That’s where HGC can tap in through its own network, local partners and local staff that share expertise and know-how in each market or region they sit in.

We are humbled and honored to win the TITAN Business Awards because it is always great to see that business decisions and team work are recognized. It also gives us the motivation to do more and even better for the upcoming years.

It helps give confidence to customers and partners to work closely with us and at the same time it helps our colleagues to feel proud to work for HGC.

For this answer please allow me to quote Vince Lombardi: “Winning isn't everything--but wanting to win is.” This is written on the wall of a meeting room here at HGC HQ. I am experiencing it at HGC because I had the great opportunity to visit most of the HGC offices around the world and I can see that the teams are moving towards common goals.

Somehow customers can feel that and even when there are headwinds and challenges the team is focusing on overcoming those to focus on customers success. At the same time from this quote we understand that winning once is not the right spirit, we want always to do more and feel the pressure to consistently deliver.

Hong Kong is an international hub for businesses and being headquartered here it helps to have a global view. Hong Kong is also both the gateway to China for overseas companies as well as gateway to the world for Chinese enterprise looking to expand globally. At the same time HGC has local offices across 5 continents and this helps immensely because local cultures and languages facilitate the operations and smooth the customer journey.

In our industry it is important to keep close contact with customers and the ecosystem globally and of course, our colleagues. During the pandemic, the most challenging factor was to keep clear communication with both customers and employees. When Covid-19 starts to spread out, HGC experienced the same in 2003 with SARS.

We immediately upgraded all our platforms and our supply of equipment – that was six months of supplies – so we were not affected. HGC also decentralized authority to its US and European control centers.

In Hong Kong, we also established home office learning for secondary schools, using our smart solutions, to establish remote learning rooms. And we gave away free computers to students who couldn’t afford them.

Metaverse and gaming proliferation, opportunities in the emerging markets and keep up with a fast changing industry.

Attract talents and automation.

The continuing digitalization of enterprises and users will keep attracting investments in the industry. The Metaverse is the key driver delivering immersive experiences.

I believe in different stages of my life, I got inspired from different figures. When I was really young, Michael Jackson inspired me to dream and work hard to pursue my goals. Growing older I was inspired by my uncle Giuseppe that used to run a shop in my hometown in Italy, he was successful because he focused on the customer’s needs and somehow he passed me this passion.

If you ask me now then I would say our senior vice president of international business, Ravindran Mahalingam, his charisma and vision in the industry are amazing and this attitude makes me feel proud to work for HGC!

For me success it is not only measured by achievements, also from failures. If anyone in any industry has no challenges then it means that perhaps is not doing enough to grow both personally and the company working for. Mario Andretti once said, “If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough.”