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Faces Behind Spitch

The People Behind the Future of Collaborative Agentic AI

Introducing the team driving AI innovation for contact centers at Spitch.

Dr. Alexey Popov

CEO

Dr. Alexey Popov

Dr. Alexey Popov is the Founder and CEO of Spitch. He holds a PhD in Physics and Mathematics and is a serial entrepreneur and venture investor, specializing in fintech, strategic innovation, and artificial intelligence. At Spitch, Dr. Popov is dedicated to advancing the future of contact centers and customer experience, with a strong focus on agentic AI applications that enhance human potential and improve business performance.


Interview

How would you describe your role as a CEO today – beyond title and function? What are you truly responsible for?

I’m running a company, and I’m responsible for three things that determine whether we win or fail: setting the right strategy so the organization knows where we’re going and why; building and empowering the right people so I never have to be in every room; and ensuring the funds exist to fuel both. My job is to remove obstacles, make decisions quickly, and make sure the whole machine moves in one direction.

What truly drives you as a leader? What is your “Why,” and what do you want to stand for as a person?

First, I never stop learning. Every deal, every crisis, every conversation teaches me something. Second, I embrace risk. Not reckless risk, but calculated bets. Achievement doesn’t come from always playing it safe. Third, I believe in balance. A leader who burns out leads no one. I protect my energy because the company depends on my clarity.

What beliefs do you hold about leadership, success, and entrepreneurship that others might not share?

Most people think a CEO needs to control everything. I believe the opposite. The best thing I ever did was learn to delegate – truly delegate, with accountability but without micromanagement. If you hire well and trust your people, you get better results than if you hover over every decision. The leader’s job is to set direction and get out of the way.

What do you consciously stand against? What do you find outdated or wrong in your industry?

A mindset that is too attached to legacy solutions and hesitant to embrace change. I have little patience for resistance to progress, especially when organizations keep doing things the same way for years and miss the opportunity to evolve. Contact centers have been stuck in the “cost center” mindset for too long. I’m here to challenge that. The market is moving. AI is here. Companies that fail to learn and adapt aren’t just falling behind – they risk becoming irrelevant. And I always make sure that is well understood.

What specific problem does your company solve – and what is your unique solution?

Contact centers are still regarded as a major source of overhead in most organizations. We change that by turning every customer interaction into a source of intelligence, value, and business impact. Contact centers must contribute to revenue.

What do you do when you're not leading a company?

I focus on something just as important: managing my own energy – not randomly, but deliberately.

Karate plays a key role in that. On the tatami, there is no noise, no hierarchy, no titles. Only focus, discipline, and feeling. You learn to follow. You learn timing. You learn resilience. You learn how to stay calm when it matters most. And that mindset shows up in every decision you make.

My family is my anchor. It is where everything becomes simple again – where I step out of the CEO role and reconnect with what truly matters.

And sometimes, performance is not about pushing harder. It is about slowing down: a good glass of wine, a quiet moment, space to think.

Because in the end, leadership is not just about how you perform. It is about how you sustain that performance over time. The best version of me is not accidental. It is intentional – built, trained, and maintained every single day.

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