Originally from Portugal, I studied industrial engineering and Management, which led to an integration test role in a Sky eq company. There I found my passion for QA in a software environment, and my strengths in organising and coordinating work with all teams involved. That led to a team lead role, then as a Test manager, and eventually to Release and Delivery.
After 8 years in London in other industries, I wanted to come back to payments, which is a vibrant industry where technology and people bring new products all the time. This is when an opportunity arose to join Dojo and I jumped at the chance. I have spent the last 3 years coordinating the test and release for our Acquiring solutions with a third party, and helping the business to deliver complex projects like migration and repricing.
WHAT FIRST SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN WORKING IN THE TECH/PAYMENTS INDUSTRY?
As an engineer, I was always curious about how things work. The IT sector offers a fantastic insight into the everyday items on which we are relying more and more, and more intriguingly, it demonstrates how ideas are developed into the great products we all use.
The same applies to payments. It is something that all of us as consumers are exposed to, and most of us have had bank cards since we are young. I was curious about how the system works because we typically use machines to purchase our books, clothes, and travel arrangements.
I had the good fortune of being involved in the implementation of contactless from the beginning, and that allowed me to see all the complexity that is involved in a payment, from the production of the card to receiving the money and everything in between. Furthermore, I was also surprised by the minds that created these complex systems, and the team effort involved in delivering these solutions to the world.
Since then, I have been a keen advocate of the industry and am lucky to be able to contribute to its growth.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU WISH SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU WHEN FIRST STARTING OUT?
Don’t be afraid to try things. If they don’t work, make sure you understand why, so you can make improvements. This applies to projects we are involved in, and new products we can think of, but also to our own personal development. It’s important to question why we do the things we do – when it works, and we feel good about it, and when it does not, and we feel like we failed.
All of that is precious information regarding our decision-making processes, where we are comfortable and at our happiest. Use these experiences to grow.
WHY DO YOU THINK IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO CREATE AND LIVE BY A SET OF COMPANY VALUES?
As with everything in life, defining who we are is critical to give us a sense of purpose, and tools that allow us to fight adversity and thrive. A company is no different. The values of the company act as that compass, that idea of what we are and stand for. It unites us.
When things are good, we celebrate our successes and when things are hard, we understand what we are trying to achieve and how we should get there
those are important guidelines that help us to be better and achieve what we set out to do with confidence and a sense of purpose.
FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE, HOW DOES DOJO WORK TO FOSTER AN INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT?
To start with, I think it is crucial to listen, to what people feel is missing, and how they think they can be supported. We do that with surveys, diversity groups, Slack channels where people have a safe place to talk, mentorship programs, and partnerships with third parties that promote diversity and inclusion.
By continuing to do all these things, we can ensure we are always open to change, and willing to do more.
