Q: Bruno, can you tell us a bit about Winning and its background?
Bruno de Sousa: Winning was founded in 2012 by a group of university professors specialising in transformation. That remains one of our strongest capabilities, but we’ve expanded significantly since then. Today, our core services include process optimisation and AI, strategy, transformation and training. We combine traditional strategy consulting with next-generation operations like process mining, robotic process automation, and agentic AI. We also focus on service design, loyalty programs, and sustainability. We’re part of the Alan Allman Associates group, with nine offices worldwide, including our new Sydney office.
Q: What makes Winning’s approach different?
Bruno de Sousa: Our motto is “inspire action through science”. We don’t just rely on gut feel – we apply an evidence-based approach integrating academic research as well as the typical consulting toolkit to design the best possible solutions. Clients appreciate this science-based approach that focuses on outcomes and does away with assumptions or buzzwords.
Q: Where do you see the biggest challenges for Australian organisations right now?
Bruno de Sousa: Mid-sized companies here are under a lot of pressure. Rising costs and economic uncertainty mean they need to do more with less. You cannot focus just on growth or just on cost; you need to deliver on both. Many of these companies – those with revenues between $100 million and a few billion – are underserved by traditional consulting or hungry for more than the cookie-cutter approach they have seen; they are seeking a true partner able to bring new practices and ready to tailor innovative approaches to their challenges.
Q: How does the new partnership with PhoenixDX fit into this picture?
Bruno de Sousa: Clients don’t want just “digital” or just “strategy.” They want business outcomes. That’s where the partnership is so powerful. Winning can support in defining the right strategic direction, while PhoenixDX builds the future with digital transformation and legacy modernisation. Once that is in place, you need a partner like Winning to navigate the change process to reach its full potential. Together, we cover the whole journey – strategy, build, and adoption – with a single point of accountability. It’s the bridge between business and IT that so many companies are missing.
Q: What opportunities do you see in AI and digital transformation?
Bruno de Sousa: Three areas stand out. First, secure internal AI assistants to retrieve data and insights from client systems and perform actions (e.g. create invoices). Second, process improvement powered by automation and agentic AI, which is already showing real productivity gains. And third, much faster application prototyping and development, even if your starting point feels like an intractable or inflexible legacy system.
Q: Can you provide some examples of Winning’s success stories?
Bruno de Sousa: Sure. Looking only at recent case studies and starting with process optimisation, we redesigned a credit recovery process for a large bank, resulting in millions in annual savings. We optimised P2P & AP processes, also generating over $1 million in annual savings. With respect to strategy, we delivered a 10-year strategic plan for a leading European railway operator. And, in terms of service design, we improved patient engagement and satisfaction for a healthcare client by mapping patient journeys and developing initiatives.
Q: What’s your core message for PhoenixDX customers and partners?
Bruno de Sousa: Winning and PhoenixDX together offer something unique in the APAC marketplace: end-to-end transformation. We can support you in defining the strategy, building the solution, and then ensuring adoption. This means your large projects do not need to be either IT or business-led; we are the partner to bring both to achieve your transformation goals.
