- Blog
- 10.26.2022
Matillion Opens Madrid Engineering Hub: Q&A with Senior Software Engineer, Francisco Fernández Alcoba
Matillion recently opened an office in Madrid - its first office in Spain. Why Madrid? Naggi Asmar, Chief Engineering Officer at Matillion, summed up the thinking: “Madrid is a hub for enterprise technology companies and engineering talent, which is the right environment for us to find great team members looking to work for a high-growth company. At Matillion, we value different perspectives and we are excited to strengthen our team with brilliant engineers in a new city.”
Francisco Fernández Alcoba is one of them. A senior software engineer, Francisco joined #TeamGreen two months ago and is currently working on Matillion Data Loader Custom Connectors. The Matillion Community spotlights Francisco. Get to know him more!
(Pictured: Francisco helps out at his family's bakery during a beer festival)
(Pictured: Francisco with his nephew in Sevilla)
(Pictured: Francisco (right) with Ramon Padilla, Director of Engineering, ETL in the Madrid office)
How do you like to start your workday?
Usually I take some time to check over my email, Slack messages, and catch up with the current status of my work. Once I have done that, I take advantage of the time zone differences and being an early bird to have some time for deep work before everyone else starts their day.
(Pictured: Francisco helps out at his family's bakery during a beer festival)
What is your favorite part of your job?
Solving hard problems. When I face a challenging piece of code to deliver a story I really enjoy — even when I’m struggling — and every time that happens I end up with a better understanding about software development.What motivates you at work?
My main motivation comes from solving challenges that create value to Matillion customers.What is your go-to productivity trick?
Black coffee, music, and off notifications are the way to go when I need to have some focused time.What is the one thing that surprised you about working at Matillion?
How the Engineering department is at the core of the company. Coming from consultancy and non-IT companies, that was refreshing.
(Pictured: Francisco with his nephew in Sevilla)
Who has inspired your career path most in your life?
Probably my parents. They signed me up for a training course on computers in the early nineties when I was just a child. After the second class, I arrived home and told them that I would work with computers; I have followed that path until today. There are a couple of people who have greatly inspired me. My first manager Raul Gomez showed me what a good manager looks like. He was not only happy for me, but also encouraged me to leave when I told him I was leaving the company and moving to Ireland, even when he had just proposed me for a promotion. Another one would be Barry Evans, a senior colleague who ended up being my line manager. [Evans] was technically brilliant and I learned a lot from him and he also pushed me to keep growing to an extent that I had never experienced before. Without them I wouldn’t be the professional I’m today.How have you and can we at Matillion continue to raise awareness of Hispanic Heritage?
I try to share as much as I can about my background and Spanish culture when prompted. I think that events like the Spanish-themed lunch when the Madrid office opened are great ways to raise awareness about the Hispanic Heritage and culture.
(Pictured: Francisco (right) with Ramon Padilla, Director of Engineering, ETL in the Madrid office)
Andreu Pintado
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