Paola Mortara: Visionary Leader Shaping Digital Printing's Future with Innovation & Strategy

With the evolution of the digital printing industry, this technology has established itself as a fundamental part of modern production systems. Once a niche sector characterized by experimentation and uncertainty, it has become a dynamic industry playing a key role in today’s business landscape.

Since its early development, the wide-format digital printing industry has faced numerous challenges on its path to growth.

This journey not only reflects the industry’s evolution but also highlights the rise of a respected professional—an industry leader with deep technological expertise and strong insight into people. With over 30 years of experience in the printing industry, Paola Mortara, CEO of Fenix Digital Group, is a recognized and influential figure in the field.

A graduate in foreign languages, Paola’s educational journey spans the United Kingdom, the United States, and Italy. She began her career as a sales manager, overseeing product portfolio selection and profit and loss management across various companies.

In 2009, she founded Fenix Digital Group, where she combines technological expertise with strong people skills to build a company that values high-quality relationships with custom­ers, suppliers, and stakeholders. Her business success is further supported by her strong net­working and team organization capabilities.

We present an engaging conversation with Paola, who shares insights from her career journey and the leadership values that drive her success.

Leadership is a long journey, choose and strengthen the right team to make it worthwhile

How did your early roles in the Italian printing industry shape your expertise and prepare you for leadership positions?

After starting my company in 2009, I quickly realized that sales skills and relationships alone

were not enough to build a sustainable business. With a primarily technical background in graphic arts, I decided to pursue an international MBA to strengthen my understanding of strategy, financial management, and business planning.

While running my company, I completed the MBA in three years, which helped me translate my vision into numbers and make more informed strategic decisions. I also focused on continuous self-development in areas such as leadership, communication, and business models.

This combination of technical expertise and soft skills has become my key strength, enabling me to grow as a business leader and build strong relationships with stakeholders.

What pivotal points in your business journey shaped your areas of specialization?

A major turning point in my career was the COVID-19 pandemic. Before COVID, our company had experienced rapid growth and significant investments. However, when the crisis hit, it exposed structural weaknesses and forced us to rethink our business strategy.

This challenging moment became an opportunity for transformation. I focused on strengthening leadership within the organization, innovating our business model, and building a strong team rather than relying solely on myself as the leader and my inner circle.

I created a core group of people with diverse skills and perspectives to help rebuild the compa­ny from its foundations. This experience not only helped the company recover and become more sta­ble and resilient, but also shaped me into a stronger leader.

It pushed me to focus on financial discipline, collaboration, strategic thinking, and empowering others, allowing me to later support and mentor other entrepreneurs on their journey out of the cage of operativity.

My leadership philosophy is based on the belief that where focus goes, energy flows

What inspired you to pursue entrepreneurship, and what is the core idea behind Fenix Digital Group?

I was born into an entrepreneurial family, so starting my own business was always a personal goal. In 2009, after my family company closed due to disagreements among shareholders following the 2008 economic crisis, I decided to launch my own company with a few partners.

Initially, we followed a common market ap­proach, offering a wide range of printing technol­ogies and media. However, in 2013, while studying business modeling and marketing, I realized that achieving excellence required a clear differentia­tion strategy.

In 2014, we made a strategic shift by selling our media business and focusing entirely on high-value equipment and specialized technology. This decision allowed us to position ourselves as a company recognized for technical expertise and a quality-driven approach.

Since 2009, we have partnered with the Swiss brand swissQprint, successfully de­veloping its installed base in the Italian market for over 17 years. Our strong positioning and commitment to quality led to a strategic partner­ship with swissQprint, and in 2024, we became part of an international group, further strengthening our growth and long-term market presence.

What key roles do you currently hold within Fenix Digital Group, and what are your main focus areas?

When you found a company, you ini­tially take on every role and that was my experience, from sales to finance, from technical support management to marketing.

Today, we are a well-structured organization with a management team overseeing operations, while I focus primarily on financial man­agement, strategy, and people development. Over time, I have progressively delegated most operational responsibilities.

What challenges do you encounter in your leadership role, and how do you address them?

One of the main challenges has been navigating un­certainty, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis. The priority was first to ensure the company’s survival and then position it for long-term growth despite a highly uncertain environment.

During that period, it was essential to remain confident and provide stability and reassurance to the team. Rather than staying passive, we made bold strategic decisions to adapt and transform our business model. This required resilience, clarity, and strong leadership. By staying focused on our long-term vision, we were able to overcome the crisis and strengthen our position in the Italian market.

That moment of uncertainty ultimately shaped our future.We are fully committed to a new business model—moving from offering a broad range of wide-format digital printing solutions to focusing on a single technology partner: swissQprint. This proved to be one of the most effective decisions we have made. Today, we are a key player in the Italian market, with over 170 printers installed.

Looking back, what professional milestones are you most proud of, and what is your leadership philosophy?

One of the key milestones in my career was in 2013, when we made the bold decision to pivot our business model and exit the media sales segment. Another significant achievement came in 2021, when I decided to focus entirely on one brand, despite initial resistance within the team.

This decision improved efficiency, increased profitability, and strengthened our market positioning.

My leadership philosophy is based on the belief that where focus goes, energy flows. I have always focused on numbers, people, and strategy. During challenging moments, such as the COVID crisis, my priority has been to find solutions, raising more than €2.5 million to support the company and invest in a new direction.

Today, we are a stronger and more focused organization, and I am proud of the results achieved through these strategic decisions.

Paola Mortara, CEO, Fenix Digital Group

CEO, Fenix Digital Group Paola Mortara is a visionary leader who has contributed to shaping the digital printing industry through her technological expertise and strategic partnerships, driving sustainable growth and innovation.