Despite a rich history filled with innovation and genius, it wasn’t until late 2022 that AI began to make a sensational play for the public consciousness with the debut of ChatGPT. Just a few years later, AI has become the defining trend in modern business.

Those who had been toiling at the AI coalface prior to that release have found themselves elevated in a post-ChatGPT world. AI solutions providers are helping to reshape the world of business; the more transformative the solution, the better.

Australian-based AI solutions specialist Acquire Intelligence has 20 years of experience in the field, yet refuses to retread old ground.

This innovative approach has seen CEO Scott Stavretis named Professional Services Executive of the Year at The CEO Magazine’s 2025 Executive of the Year Awards, but he says industry recognition comes second to the impact his team is making.

“Although Acquire Intelligence is now a global company, the scale of what we’re able to achieve for families and communities is what I’m most proud of,” he tells The CEO Magazine.

“I lead a team of over 9,000 people across the world; in some countries, the salaries we provide make our employees the primary earners in their households.

“It means we’re directly contributing to the wellbeing of tens of thousands of people around the world.”

Entrepreneurial mindset

This very human side of the AI-centric business is an impressive yardstick of just how far the business has come. Originally established to service a single telco, Acquire Intelligence now boasts a client base of more than 130 firms all over the world. All enjoy Acquire AI’s dynamic, end-to-end method of business scaling.

“We call it the ‘EAR’ approach: eliminate wasted processes, automate with AI and reallocate through outsourcing and offshoring,” Stavretis explains.

“This ensures we don’t just outsource or apply AI in isolation, but intelligently transform businesses by combining business process improvement, AI and outsourcing as if we were running the business ourselves.”

This empathetic quality is built into Acquire Intelligence’s culture, which Stavretis says revolves around the entrepreneurial mindset.

“One of our values is ‘entrepreneurial energy,’ which means think like an owner and solve like a founder,” he says. “We deliberately avoid a corporate, bureaucratic feel. Instead, we stay agile, pragmatic and ensure we have fun along the way.”

Outcome-based partnerships

With this mindset at its core, Acquire Intelligence is able to act with speed and accountability, no matter how large it grows. And it has grown; since 2005, the business has expanded through a carefully considered series of acquisitions and shrewd R&D investments.

In doing so, Stavretis applied the same way of thinking he employs for clients.

“We move quickly, stay focused on what matters, and get it done,” he says.

This kind of streamlined approach counts in an industry currently overflowing with ideas and possibilities. Not all will work, but that’s what comes out in the wash.

The industry is also fragmented, with very large multinationals at one end of the spectrum and smaller firms at the other. Scale (or lack of it) can often hang over decision-making like fog, according to Stavretis.

“Too often, the focus is on headcount revenue rather than solving real business problems,” he points out. “The future is outcome-based partnerships where providers help businesses genuinely scale, lower costs and transform intelligently.”

Acquire Intelligence is leading this shift with its unique blend of outsourcing and AI, which forms a complete model that helps companies grow faster and operate smarter. But as its leader, Stavretis says success is the team’s to enjoy.

“Leadership is not simply about delegation. It’s about being deeply involved in critical issues, developing and growing people, and showing the way forward through action,” he says.

Privileged to collaborate

Stavretis’ passion for the sector has also given him a deep understanding of the worst-case scenario in any situation.

“You assess the downside risk, mitigate it where possible, then weigh whether the upside justifies moving forward,” he says. “And then work your ass off to make the upside happen.”

Having attended the 2025 Executive of the Year celebrations, Stavretis says was an opportunity to indulge in what has become the best part of his job.

“When I meet CEOs, founders and entrepreneurs who lead businesses across a broad range of industries, the conversations we have are energizing, and allow me to draw on our cross-industry knowledge and my own deep technical, operational and people experience to help them address their biggest challenges,” he says.

“Having those discussions and being trusted to contribute at that level is a privilege and keeps me passionate about what we do.”