‘I’m a big believer in hiring for attitude and training for skills’ ⁠– Simon Camilleri, Arringo CEO

Since its launch in 2018, Arringo has been charting an impressive success story from its Malta headquarters. Set up on the island on the back of Malta’s FinTech-ready and business-friendly ecosystem, the company has grown into an outsourcing powerhouse, offering a broad spectrum of services ranging from software development and customer operations to marketing, branding and business development.

While rapid expansion is every tech founder’s dream, it doesn’t come without its challenges. For Arringo founder and entrepreneur Adrian Kreter, there steadily came the realisation that his company needed a constant, experienced hand to guide it into its next chapter and ensure a more stable growth trajectory. Enter Simon Camilleri, a seasoned leader headhunted from the credit-checking industry, who stepped into the role of CEO three years ago. Simon has been instrumental in consolidating the business and introducing a more cohesive operational structure and company culture.

Simon’s credentials were an ideal match for what Arringo needed. With a track record of setting up a string of successful businesses in Ireland, France, Serbia, and Morocco, he brought not only the vision required for global growth but also the hands-on expertise to make it happen. Perhaps even more importantly, he brought a people-first leadership style and an ability to mentor and motivate teams to excel.

“I sometimes joke that I’m the Chief Entertainment Officer,” Simon shares with a chuckle. “One of my main responsibilities as CEO is to inspire our people to come to work and enjoy themselves. In all the businesses I’ve run, I’ve always taken pride in mentoring staff and seeing them grow into senior roles. I get a buzz out of people who work for me succeeding.”

Since joining Arringo, one of Simon’s top priorities has been strengthening its teams and investing in its people. No small feat, considering the business employs over 30 nationalities, with roughly half of its workforce in Malta and the rest spread internationally, and which tends to lean towards younger talent.

“Initially, my approach was to tighten processes and clear up the clutter of ad hoc roles,” Simon explains. “We have also focused a lot on developing our young staff, which helped us get the right people in the right seats. I’m happy to say we’ve promoted quite a few individuals over the past few years.”

This approach to nurturing talent has also shaped the company’s recruitment strategy. “I’m a big believer in hiring for attitude and training for skills,” he continues. “If you find candidates with the right attitude and the drive to succeed, you can achieve anything. That way, it’s easier to share your vision and ambition knowing that candidates will be willing to contribute and bring their ideas to the table. After all, we’re not looking for automatons. We want our people to share their ideas and help us deliver a better service for our clients.”

To ensure employees feel part of the Arringo culture, Simon and his leadership team have introduced various weekly initiatives designed to boost morale and keep people engaged. This extends to offering days off for self-improvement or charitable work, encouraging staff to give back to the community, whether by volunteering at a care home or cleaning up beaches. To keep employees informed and aligned, Simon hosts quarterly town hall meetings, where he shares updates, answers questions and speaks directly with staff at all levels. “We’re not hierarchical here. I make a point of speaking to everyone – from agents to senior leaders – in the same way,” he says.

This holistic approach to fostering an inclusive and welcoming company culture has proven instrumental in attracting and retaining talent in Malta’s ultra-competitive tech landscape. “The tech boom here has thrown salary expectations way off, which can be a challenge,” Simon explains. “But what we’re showing is that stability, training, mentorship, and genuine career development also hold significant value. I believe more and more candidates now recognise the benefits of growing with us for the long term. This has also resulted in more referrals, with our staff recommending their friends to join our team.”

While all these people-focused efforts have been hard-won successes in their own right, they ultimately serve a higher goal: delivering exceptional standards for Arringo’s international network of clients. Under Simon’s leadership, the company is working towards ISO 9001 certification – a globally recognised benchmark for quality management. This forms part of Arringo’s mission to foster even greater trust among its clients, many of whom operate in heavily regulated industries like banking, cryptocurrency, iGaming, and Forex trading.

“Ensuring that our IT and software systems are robust and meet these industries’ stringent operational demands is a top priority for us. In recent years, we’ve seen formidable operators fall victim to cyberattacks. If they’re vulnerable, anyone can be,” Simon explains. “That’s why we’ve made a focused effort to strengthen our security measures, investing in IT infrastructure and hiring top experts to ensure our systems are as resilient as possible.”

With clients spanning the globe, Arringo’s tech and quality assurance teams must also navigate diverse languages and regulatory frameworks. This adaptability has become a cornerstone of the company’s service approach. “Our clients need to know that no matter where they’re based, we understand their specific challenges and can deliver solutions tailored to their needs,” he adds.

To further enhance its offerings, Arringo acquired QGen two years ago, which has strengthened its position as a leader in Know Your Customer (KYC) and Know Your Business (KYB) services. This acquisition has enabled the company to tap into some of the world’s largest banks for data-driven solutions. With stricter regulations like GDPR placing greater compliance pressures on businesses, this acquisition has allowed Arringo to meet regulatory obligations while providing cost-effective and efficient in-house checks.

“Acquiring these proprietary systems was a game-changer for us,” Simon explains. “Now we have custom-built platforms that give us full control over specialist processes, meaning we no longer need to rely on third-party suppliers.”

While Arringo’s client base is increasingly international, Simon promises that the company remains firmly rooted in Malta. In fact, it is doubling down on its commitment to the island with a significant milestone: the move to its highly anticipated Arringo Tower in Floriana. Overlooking Argotti Gardens, this state-of-the-art headquarters represents a major multi-million investment and marks a significant new chapter for the company.

Set to open its doors this year, the building features an open atrium space that welcomes in plenty of natural light. Employees will benefit from a mezzanine canteen for casual breaks and Google-style pods for private calls or focused work sessions. At the heart of the design is a striking living tree that rises through the building, bringing a sense of calm and greenery to the modern aesthetic.

“I’m especially excited about Arringo Tower because it will bring our core teams together under one roof for the first time,” Simon shares. “While hybrid working is here to stay, I still believe that nothing can replace human contact. This new office will provide an incredible opportunity to foster greater synergies, build stronger connections among colleagues and lay the foundation for our ambitious growth plans over the next five years.”   

This article is part of the serialisation of 50 interviews featured in Malta CEOs 2025 – the sister brand to MaltaCEOs.mt and an annual high-end publication bringing together some of the country’s most influential business leaders