We recently sat down with one of our Managing Directors, Adis, to hear his perspective on Purple Matrix.

Today, we’re continuing the conversation with his business partner, Dylan Popovic, who shares his insights into the history of Purple Matrix and the journey the company has been on over the past 25 years.

You started with just two people. What was the first year like?

In short – interesting!

Having worked in larger organisations such as Bupa, EDF and Landsec, you get used to departments and defined responsibilities. If you need a new employee contract, you go to HR. If you need marketing material, you ask Marketing. If a server needs replacing, Procurement sorts it out.

When you start a company with just two people, you quickly discover that you are HR, Marketing, Procurement, Finance, the Board… and the person making the tea!

It was a steep learning curve, but it also gave us an appreciation for every part of running a business. Even today, having experienced every aspect of the company helps us make better decisions because we understand the challenges from every angle.”

What do you think is the reason clients stay with Purple Matrix long term?

“People work with people they trust.

We’ve always tried to be there when our clients need us most, and we’ve always aimed to give advice that’s in their best interests, even when that isn’t necessarily the most profitable decision for us.

Our relationships are built on honesty and delivering what we promise. When you combine that with technical expertise, it’s not unusual for clients to stay with Purple Matrix for 15 years or more.”

You’ve been through Y2K, the shift to the cloud, COVID and now AI. Which was the hardest?

“The interesting thing is that every one of those felt like a huge challenge at the time. Looking back, though, they were really just another day in IT.

Our industry is built around solving problems that didn’t exist yesterday. That’s what makes it exciting.

Y2K is a great example. At the time it genuinely felt like the world might grind to a halt because early software had stored years using just two digits. In reality, developers fixed the code, organisations prepared well, we enjoyed the fireworks on New Year’s Eve, and the next morning life carried on as normal.

COVID was, of course, a human tragedy. From a technology perspective, though, it accelerated digital transformation by years. We helped clients move to remote and hybrid working almost overnight, and many of those changes are now permanent.

AI feels similar. I don’t see it as replacing people; I see it as another major leap in productivity. We’ve gone from pen and paper to typewriters, computers, the internet, smartphones, and now AI. Each step has changed how we work, and I believe AI is simply the next chapter.”

Where do you want Purple Matrix to be in five years?

“My dream is for nothing to change.

Of course, I hope we’ll have grown the business, welcomed new clients, expanded the team and continued embracing new technologies like AI.

But what I don’t want to change is who we are.

I want Purple Matrix to remain the same company our clients know and trust today: approachable, honest, technically excellent, and genuinely interested in helping people solve problems. If we can grow without losing that, I’ll consider it a success.”