As Cresta continues to expand globally, we’re thrilled to welcome Mark Meghezzi as our new Head of EMEA. With a passion for building high-performing teams, a hands-on leadership style, and deep experience in both enterprise and AI-driven contact center innovation, Mark is poised to lead Cresta’s growth in the region.
We sat down with Mark to learn more about his background, what excites him about the opportunity at Cresta, and how he sees AI transforming customer experience across EMEA.
Tell us a bit about your professional journey. What brought you to customer experience and AI?
Like any good career story, mine includes a few happy accidents and a bit of luck. I started out in a large telco, and I loved the experience, but I eventually realized that I wanted to work somewhere faster-paced and higher-impact.
About six years ago, I stepped off the corporate ladder and into high-growth environments. That shift was transformative. It gave me the opportunity to make a bigger difference, more quickly.
That said, my connection to customer experience started even earlier. One of my first jobs after university was working in a contact center, trying to retain customers who wanted to leave. At the time, it felt relentless, but it taught me so much. I’m a people person at heart, and that job showed me how much of a difference a great conversation can make. Since then, I’ve spent a lot of time in and around contact centers—first on the enterprise side, and more recently, selling AI-based contact center technology at Afiniti.
What excites you most about joining Cresta?
Cresta is one of those names that kept coming up in industry conversations, despite not yet having an EMEA presence. I was once in a strategy session with a customer, talking about the future of customer contact. Cresta wasn’t on the vendor list, but people in the room were still talking about how impressed they were by Cresta’s technology. That made an impression.
The more I learned, the more I understood why. Customers are trying to future-proof their contact centers, and they’re looking for best-in-breed products. It quickly became clear to me that Cresta is building something truly special. There’s real momentum behind this company, and I knew I had to be part of it.
What does your role entail, and what do you imagine a typical day will look like?
There’s a huge amount of opportunity in EMEA, and that’s what really excites me. My first priority is listening: talking to companies across the region to understand where they are in their transformation journey.
Some are just starting to move away from legacy systems, while others are already deploying AI at scale. I want to understand where they’re at on the transformation spectrum, what challenges they’re facing, and where Cresta can come in to add value.
I’ll also be doing quite a bit of recruiting. We’ll start in the UK and London, but the potential across Europe is enormous. Building a world-class team on the ground is essential to our success here.
What stood out to you about Cresta’s culture and technology?
The first thing that struck me was the quality of the people. I didn’t quite know what to expect when I started meeting the team, but I came away energized. There’s a real sense of camaraderie and a “no egos” policy that runs all the way up to Ping. I get a lot of energy from other people, and it was clear that this was a small, motivated team solving big problems together.
On the product side, I’d already heard great things from customers and seen what independent analysts like Forrester were saying. That kind of validation speaks volumes. But ultimately, it was the people and the culture that sealed it for me.
What do you think makes someone a great Crestan?
Leave your ego at the door. That’s non-negotiable.
Everyone I’ve met here is incredibly bright, but more importantly, they’re collaborative and hard-working. This is a place where people roll up their sleeves, support one another, and solve problems together. That’s exactly the kind of environment I want to help build in EMEA.
What does success look like for you in the first 12–18 months?
First and foremost: build an outstanding team. Companies come and go, but what sets the winners apart is the people they have on the ground. That’s the foundation.
Once we’ve got the right team in place, it’s about engaging with customers, understanding where they are, and starting to win meaningful deals. And not just winning, but keeping those customers for the long haul. This isn’t a one-and-done game. We’re looking to build long-term partnerships as we shape the future of customer experience together.
How do you see Cresta’s solutions transforming customer experience in EMEA?
We’re already seeing organizations make strategic decisions about the role AI will play in their contact centers. That’s happening now, not two years from now. If we want to be part of those conversations, we need to be in-market, showing how Cresta can help.
The vision is clear: a future where humans and AI work hand-in-hand through intelligent orchestration. Cresta is uniquely positioned to help companies get there–not by replacing humans, but by augmenting them and enabling smarter, more effective conversations.
What are some of the challenges and opportunities unique to EMEA?
EMEA is incredibly diverse. There are real differences in things like data privacy and regulation compared to the US or APAC, but the desire to innovate with AI is just as strong.
One area I see a lot of opportunity is with companies that have American ownership or US-based leadership. There’s a more Americanized way of thinking about CX that’s starting to take root here.
That said, the pace of change will differ by market. Success in EMEA means understanding those nuances and being thoughtful about how we support each customer’s journey.
How do you approach leadership? Any guiding philosophies?
I’ve always been someone who’s at their best when they’re in the action. That’s part of why I didn’t stick with the corporate ladder, it gets to a point where it can feel more like you are overseeing and delegating, not doing. I’m a sleeves-up, hands-on kind of leader. I’m very outcome-focused.
I also believe strongly in meeting people where they are. Everyone comes to work with different strengths, circumstances, and working styles. The best leaders I’ve worked for were the ones who took the time to understand that, and I try to do the same.
What’s one customer experience of your own that really stood out to you?
My wife and I were on holiday in Spain and decided to fly home a day early. We were booked on British Airways using miles, and I figured it would be a nightmare to change the tickets.
But… it wasn’t. I made a call, and within two minutes, the tickets were changed. It cost £50 and we were set. That’s great CX. It wasn’t about gifts or surprise-and-delight moments. It was about solving the problem quickly and simply. Whether it’s a human, AI, or a mix of both, low-effort experiences are what customers really want.
What trends are you keeping an eye on in the next year?
There’s a lot of hype around AI right now, but I think we’re going to see that hype start to turn into measurable outcomes. Organizations have been testing and learning. Over the next 6–12 months, I think we’ll see real traction, especially with AI Agents becoming more reliable and consistent.
I expect broader adoption and expansion, and I think customers will come to expect seamless, AI-driven interactions. That’s going to be a big shift, and I’m excited for Cresta to be part of leading it.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I’ve got a two-year-old daughter, two dogs, and we live on the edge of the countryside, so our life outside of work is pretty active! My wife and I love walking, running, and cycling. We take regular trips up to Scotland to see our family.
And when I can steal a spare minute at home, it’s usually spent watching football (preferably Celtic, but I will take whatever I can get!) or playing tennis. I’m a big admirer of Andy Murray.
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Welcome to the team, Mark—we’re lucky to have you leading the charge in EMEA.
