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The story of 46-year-old José Lopez reads almost like the proverbial tale of rags to riches. His fascination with the world of IT dates back to his childhood, and he started programming at just 12 years of age. “I was a real nerd,” he says of himself. While he would have liked to study IT, his parents, who had immigrated to Switzerland from Spain and Italy, respectively, were unable to fund his studies. Lopez resolved to pursue his dream anyway. And he didn’t waste any time in doing so: in 1996, at the tender age of 18, he set up his own company, JMC Software, a provider of digital platform solutions and managed IT services. The company’s first headquarters were located in a small craft room that didn't enjoy any natural daylight. Up until 2002, he worked in parallel as a developer at a company before handing in his notice and becoming completely self-employed. “At that time, the IT industry was experiencing a real boom, so I took my chance,” Lopez recalls.

In 2020, the company had 50 employees. “I have many longstanding employees. The success of the company can largely be attributed to this outstanding team,” says José Lopez. However, the company reaching this size also represented a turning point, which Lopez describes as follows: “Once you get above 40 or 50 employees, you pass the threshold beneath which you are able to manage everything on your own,” he says. During this phase, a company is often faced with the decision of whether it should expand further, which requires both additional resources and capital. Lopez, who had never imagined parting with his life’s work prematurely, suddenly found himself confronted with the need to think about succession planning. He contacted his client advisor at �۶���Ƶ. “I had already worked together with �۶���Ƶ when purchasing my own home, and this process had created a trust-based relationship,” he says. His client advisor presented him with three options for his succession arrangements: continue on the current growth path by drawing on borrowed capital, set up a family office or integrate the business into a group of companies. After weighing up the pros and cons of each option, it was clear that a sale represented the best choice. �۶���Ƶ then initiated the process of looking for suitable interested parties.

José Lopez had clear conditions of sale and requirements for the respective buyer: in addition to his wish for the company’s executive board and board of directors to remain in Switzerland, he also wanted to ensure he had a say on the firm’s Swiss activities, while the arrangement should guarantee his family’s financial security. Following a selection process lasting several months, it became clear that JMC would become part of Convotis, a global IT service provider. Why Convotis? José Lopez explains: “Convotis was like the big brother figure with very similar services and entrepreneurial mindsets. It was just bigger and at a more advanced stage than we were back then.”

With the integration, JMC became the core of Convotis Switzerland, which was formed from the former JMC team. José Lopez remained CEO of Convotis Switzerland and also assumed the role of Group Chief Digital Officer. “Everything I was promised was delivered on,” he says. As one of his first official acts in his new setting, José Lopez helped to set up a new Convotis branch in Spain. Lopez views the biggest change associated with the sale primarily as a gain: “For almost 30 years, I made every decision myself. Suddenly I had to coordinate with others and seek dialogue. It was a readjustment,” he says. “In return, I have the opportunity to share ideas and reflect on important decisions. And I find this very enriching.”

Cross your heart – would the father of two not have liked to have seen one of his children take on the company one day? “It would, of course, have been a nice option,” says Lopez honestly. All the more so because his family plays a very big part in his life and has always supported his professional plans. “I am extremely grateful to my wife for spending so much time looking after the family when I was so busy with work,” says José Lopez. However, his children were still too young at the point in time at which the decision was taken to seek a succession solution and the next steps took shape. Today, his daughter is 19 and studying business administration and law, while his son is following in the footsteps of his father and plans to study computer science. “I am still a shareholder and member of the board of directors, and my children can join at any time. If my son could gather some experience at Convotis, I would be delighted.” And he adds: “And if he chooses to take another path, I think that’s good too. I trust that they will both make the right decision for themselves.”

After 30 years of work, a point in time when many entrepreneurs are looking forward to taking a well-earned retirement, José Lopez remains in the thick of the action. “I was always the youngest throughout my professional career – in my first job and also as a self-employed entrepreneur,” he says. “This is due to the fact that I got started with my entrepreneurial activities at such an early stage.” Can he imagine ever calling it a day? “Over the coming years, I will continue to support Convotis’ growth strategy with the aim of establishing the group as Europe’s leading full-service IT provider,” he says. “But yes, I will have to stop at some point. Perhaps I will then be able to support my children with tips should they ever want to set up their own company.” A lot can still happen between now and then, and José Lopez has proved on more than one occasion that he is willing to seize opportunities that present themselves. What is certain is that standing still is not an option for him. Real entrepreneurs never really stop – they just keep reinventing themselves.