In this series, we’ll put the spotlight on Devoteam G Cloud experts who are always at the forefront of progress in the exciting and ever-changing world of Google Cloud. In this article, you’ll meet David Pinto, a senior Google Cloud Consultant at Devoteam G Cloud Spain. With nearly two decades of experience in the company, David shares with us his background, challenges and achievements.
Could you briefly introduce yourself and your role as Google Cloud Consultant at Devoteam G Cloud?
Hi! I’m David Pinto, I’m 43 years old and I’ve been working at Devoteam for almost 19 years. For the last year and a half, I’ve been part of the Google Cloud team. I collaborate mainly in the pre-sales area of Infrastructure, operations, project management and Apigee.
My job is a controlled anarchy, but I love being able to interact with all teams and profiles. Outside the professional field, my passion is my family, especially since four years ago my little earthquake arrived and my life revolves around them.
How did you get to this position?
It was a coincidence of life. After 17 years in the company performing tasks from development to project management in SAP environments, one day my work life changed when I crossed paths with Manuel Galayo, Country Director of Devoteam G Cloud Spain. He proposed me a super exciting challenge, and here I am, integrated into a great team, with unparalleled dynamism and strength. This opportunity allowed me to explore new technologies and challenges, which has been very rewarding.
What is a typical day like at Devoteam G Cloud?
I wake up early, as much as possible, and try to organize myself. My day starts with preparing proposals for the sales team, where I analyze customer needs and how we can offer them effective solutions. We meet with customers to present the proposals, and we also spend time preparing demos of Apigee and other Google Cloud tools – I don’t have time to get bored! It’s a dynamic job that keeps me always on the move and constantly learning.
Could you share some examples of real projects you have worked on?
Sure, in the operations area, I was involved in the deployment and configuration of servers, on GCP, for an SAP implementation in an electrical material distribution company. This project involved ensuring that the servers were optimized to support the load and the specific needs of the client. In addition, we configured the connections to their on-premise data centers, adjusted the Firewall rules, implemented snapshot and backup policies on Google Cloud Storage.
In Pre-Sales, I have worked on many proposals, for example for a food and pharmaceutical distributor, where we designed solutions that improve their operational efficiency. Collaborating with the Data team, we are going to modernize the way our client operates by automating their processes of receiving and uploading information to SAP from Google OCR.
With Apigee, I have collaborated with my Infrastructure partner, Alex Sanchez in projects for various clients, where we integrate and manage their APIs to improve connectivity and security of their systems. Each of these projects has been an enriching experience and a unique challenge, where I have learned a lot about different industries and their technological needs. We recently carried out an Apigee implementation from 0. Where we deployed a first environment in a pay per use and started to implement the api proxies with the necessary policies, as the number of Apis has grown and the complexity of the environment and the number of calls we have migrated to a subscription, expanding the number of environments.
How do you collaborate with other teams or departments within Devoteam G Cloud?
Having a fractional assignment, I work on a day-to-day basis with all teams: commercial, operations, the PMOs and even with colleagues from other units. This cross-departmental collaboration is critical to ensure that we are aligned and that we can deliver end-to-end solutions to our customers. For example, with the commercial team, we identify business opportunities and develop strategies to present our solutions. With the operations team, we work on the implementation and maintenance of the proposed solutions. I also work closely with our PMOs to ensure that projects are delivered on time and within budget, and with other units to integrate multidisciplinary solutions.
“I would tell him/her to be prepared for an exciting, dynamic and above all intense environment. More than advice, I would recommend an attitude of willingness to eat the world. It’s crucial to be willing to constantly learn and adapt. Technology changes rapidly and it is vital to keep up to date with the latest trends and tools. Also, it’s important to develop communication and teamwork skills, as collaborating with different departments and understanding the client’s needs are key aspects of the job.”
What is the best thing about your job?
It may sound cliché, but without a doubt “my colleagues”. The atmosphere generated is incredible, everyone has their hands out and it’s a bit like in the army, here no one is left behind. Working in an environment where everyone is willing to help and share knowledge creates a very positive and productive dynamic. In addition, the diversity of projects and the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies make every day exciting and full of new learning.
What are the most challenging aspects of your job as a Google Cloud Consultant and how do you overcome them?
For me, every day is a new challenge. We live in a time in which immediacy is a priority, everything is ephemeral, everything changes, and you have to do everything possible to keep up to date. With the colleagues I have, this is easier, as we have real encyclopedias “with legs”. Another challenge is managing client expectations, ensuring that the solutions we propose are not only innovative, but also practical and aligned with their objectives. I overcome these challenges by maintaining open and constant communication with the client and my team, and by dedicating time to continuous training and research.
What makes this role challenging? What challenges do you face?
From purely technological challenges to those of dealing with clients. Perhaps the latter is the most complex, knowing how to identify how to “attack” each person at any given moment. Technological challenges include keeping up with the latest Google Cloud tools and solutions, as well as implementing these technologies effectively. Dealing with customers requires empathy and communication skills, understanding their needs and expectations, and knowing how to manage difficult or unforeseen situations.
Your job in a sentence
To help our customers on their journey to the Google cloud.
What is your best moment as a G Clouder?
Until a week ago, it would have been complicated to choose a particular moment, but since Google Day Barcelona 2024, being able to be on stage sharing with more than 300 people what we do in the Apigee team was a total adrenaline rush and feeling of a job well done.
This event allowed me to showcase the value of our work and connect with other professionals in the industry, which was a very rewarding experience.
How would you describe your team? How do you move together?
In all the areas in which I work, I can be more than proud of the teams in which I collaborate. Super involved and dedicated people, with a huge potential, in which experience and desire are combined in an almost perfect way.
We work in a very collaborative way, sharing knowledge and supporting each other to overcome any challenge that comes our way.
What challenges arose during your recent project and how did you overcome them?
We have encountered technical difficulties, for which I have always had a helping hand from my colleagues. That’s one of the great strengths we have, the block moves as one, and everything is much simpler that way.
In a project for a distributor, we had connectivity problems between the GCP servers and those that the client had in a DPC in Germany, before reaching that DPC, we had to go through their DPC in Barcelona. The client was not able to solve the problems and having clear that the problem was not in GCP, we organized brainstorming sessions with different Devoteam experts and developed a joint action plan that allowed us to solve the problems efficiently and effectively.
Go big (GO BIG): what does it mean to you?
Thinking about the future, trying to look beyond tomorrow. We have the window open to a super attractive world and we have to think about what we are going to achieve as a team. I believe that today there is no ceiling and that we can get wherever we want to go.
Can you give an example of a time when you acted in a big way?
The change I had in my life and career a year and a half ago with the change from SAP to Google. I was in my comfort zone, leading a team at an end customer, with a recognized track record of many years, and I don’t know if it was a leap into the void or a leap into the big time, but I thought about where I could be in a while with the great team we have at Devoteam G Cloud. Making this decision was an act of faith in my abilities and in the potential of my team, and so far, it has been one of the best decisions I have made in my career.
Your work in one word is…
Passionate.
Why?
I work with super innovative technology, we have the latest in the market in our hands and we have the privilege of delivering it to our clients. The ability to solve complex problems, create effective solutions and see how these solutions positively impact our clients’ businesses is extremely rewarding.
David Pinto represents the spirit of Devoteam G Cloud: passion, innovation and teamwork. His background is a testament to how dedication and love for technology can lead to a successful and fulfilling career. If you are ready to accelerate your career in the world of cloud technology, Devoteam G Cloud is the place for you.
Are you ready to accelerate your career in the world of cloud technology? Are you ready to get Google Cloud certified?
At Devoteam G Cloud, we believe in setting the pace, moving together and going big. We are always looking for passionate technology enthusiasts to fill key positions on our team.
