Dani shares his colorful journey of over 20 years with Adnovum: how he went from pure techie to an international ambassador and entrepreneur supporting the setup of Adnovum's international locations, what successful project collaboration is all about, and about the fun of taking on new challenges.
Please describe your development journey.
I am a software engineer, but my biggest highlights came from my work abroad setting up new nearshoring locations for Adnovum: Hungary in 2007, Vietnam in 2016, and Portugal in 2017. At every location, we started off with a small team doing everything, i.e., establishing the legal entity, looking for office space, recruiting employees, forming project teams, etc. It was so exciting to contribute to growing our business in this particular way.
What was your biggest challenge?
To understand the culture of another country and to recruit the right people – those who have the skills we need and also personally fit in with Adnovum. I learned a lot about recruiting and how to make a connection between the new people and the existing ones in Switzerland.
What does career mean to you?
Job titles don't really matter to me. What is important is to develop further by gaining experience and taking on more responsibility in a project. Regardless of whether you are a junior, professional, or otherwise, you should know your strengths, use them, and continuously develop them.
What do you like about your work?
The challenge of something new. I know it's there when I feel a low level of healthy stress. I have found that challenge again and again with Adnovum – that’s why I’m still here after more than 20 years. I enjoy new projects and working with colleagues from other countries. Thanks to my experience at the locations abroad, I have become much more cosmopolitan and adaptable to people from various cultures.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Be open! Look for the challenge in everything, even if a project doesn’t seem interesting at first sight. Look "beyond your own backyard”, show what you can do, take over responsibility, and don’t wait for others to put it on you. It is also important to be in touch with project managers and staffers so that they know you and can consider you for new projects.
