Welsh Enterprise Awards 2025/ 20 Digital Transformation Experts of the Year 2025 For businesses across the country, digital transformation is no longer a buzzword but an essential element for survival in a rapidly evolving landscape, with the demand for solutions that automate manual processes, boost operational efficiency, and demonstrate clear value growing at a rapid rate. As the only UK SME to simultaneously leverage Oracle Cloud and ServiceNow technologies, de Novo Solutions is a South Walian company leading the charge in revolutionising digital transformation across critical functions, including finance, procurement, HR, and payroll. Mark Sweeny, Founder and Group Chief Executive at de Novo Solutions, told us more below. Headquartered in Langstone, Newport, de Novo Solutions has grown at a pace that few could have anticipated. What began with just ten people in 2020 has evolved into a global operation of 115 staff across Wales, England, and India, generating £10 million in revenue. The company now holds 8th place on The Sunday Times 100 Fastest Growing UK Businesses—the highest-ranked Welsh company on the list—and was recognised in the Deloitte UK Technology Fast 50 as the fastest-growing tech firm in Wales and the South West, boasting an extraordinary 2,284% growth rate. Underpinning this meteoric rise is the deep, 20-year partnership between Founder & Group Chief Executive Mark Sweeny and members of his senior leadership team whose client relationships date back to 2004. Mark previously founded and sold Certus Solutions, the UK’s first dedicated Oracle Cloud implementation partner, to Accenture. With de Novo, he set out to build something even more pioneering—an organisation that doesn’t just implement technology, but continually proves its value. At the core of de Novo’s innovation is its dual-platform expertise in Oracle Cloud and ServiceNow. This rare capability has positioned the company as the partner of choice for some of the UK’s most complex and high-profile organisations, including the Office for National Statistics, HM Treasury, Ministry of Justice, Kent County Council, Swansea Council and multinationals such as DHL and Production Resource Group, the global technical services provider behind Beyoncé’s world tours. Many of these relationships have followed Mark and his leadership team through multiple ventures. As Mark notes, “When clients follow you from one company to the next, that tells you everything about trust and delivery.” Odyssea™ – Transforming Industry Clouds A standout example of de Novo’s relentless innovation is Odyssea, its Oracle-powered industry cloud solution. Odyssea bridges the gap between generic software and sector-specific needs by delivering 80% of requirements through a templated blueprint, leaving 20% for tailored configuration. Deployments that once took years can now be completed in months, enabling organisations—from central government to local authorities to multi-academy trusts—to realise ROI far more quickly. Value as a Service™ – A New Standard in Managed Cloud Support Beyond implementation, de Novo has redefined managed services with Value as a Service™ (VaaS™). Unlike traditional providers that simply “keep the lights on,” VaaS measures value across four critical dimensions: innovation, adoption, optimisation, and efficiency. Clients benefit from continuous enhancements, transparent reporting, and the reassurance of seeing precisely how their investment is performing. With more than 60% of leads generated from customer advocacy and 25% of revenue from repeat clients, the model is clearly working. Investing in the Next Generation of Tech Talent de Novo isn’t simply shaping the industry—it’s shaping the future workforce behind it. Through its partnerships with the Welsh Government and University of South Wales, the company has launched an Apprentice and Graduate Programme that has already produced its first graduate. Meanwhile, its “50 in 5” initiative will create 50 new jobs— including 15 apprenticeships—within the next five years. But de Novo’s approach goes far beyond conventional skills development. Its pioneering New Gen Programme includes: • Presentation skills training from Royal Shakespeare Company actors • Leadership development from ex-military professionals in the Brecon Beacons • A culture that encourages autonomy, curiosity, problem-solving, and innovation It is this environment—combined with purposeful investment in people—that has resulted in an extraordinary 96% staff retention rate, one of the strongest in the UK technology sector. A Company Driven by Values and Purpose de Novo’s success is built on four core values: innovation, delivery excellence, community engagement, and responsible growth. Whether supporting local sports teams, backing rising motorsport star Daniella Sutton, or contributing to strategic conversations through FinTech Wales and Technology Connected, the company remains deeply rooted in its Welsh identity. This commitment to Wales has become a competitive advantage, thanks to the country’s strong digital ecosystem, government support for tech, and growing talent pipeline. Looking Forward – AI, BPO, and Global Expansion The next stage of de Novo’s journey is already underway. AI integration is reshaping cloud capabilities at unprecedented speed, and de Novo is leveraging these advancements as it prepares to launch a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) operation in 2025–26. This new venture will deliver AI-powered digital shared services for HR and payroll in the education sector. Meanwhile, the company’s Chennai development centre strengthens its international delivery model and supports plans for strategic growth across the UK. With a current valuation of £23 million and a target of £50 million by 2027, the company shows no sign of slowing down. “Digital transformation isn’t a destination; it’s a continuous commitment to delivering value. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved so far, but the most exciting part is knowing that the real innovation is still ahead of us..” Contact Details Contact: Mark Sweeny Company: de Novo Solutions Web Address: www.de-novo-solutions.com
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