At Weezevent, we encourage diversity of all kinds! Background, lifestyle, ambitions… What really counts is the desire to create products that make life easier for event organisers.
In this interview, David, Chief Product Officer, talks about his career, missions, vision of the company and the flexibility it offers him.
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Summary
1. Can you tell us about your career to date?
After graduating in Computer Engineering from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), I went on to do a PhD focusing on the development of ad hoc wireless technology for mobile devices.
After three years as a university professor and co-director of a start-up in the United States, I joined PlayPass. I successively held the positions of CSM, Head of CSM and finally, Head of Operations, which enabled me to progress within the company until its merger with Weezevent in 2021. At that point, I took charge of migrating the PlayPass solutions to Weezevent.
At the end of 2021, I officially joined the Weezevent teams as Product Owner for the WeezAccess (access control) and WeezPay (cashless payment) products. A year later, I was promoted to CPO (Chief Product Officer) for the company.
2. What are your missions?
If I had to sum up my role in product management, I’d say it’s a constant quest to identify the key technologies that will ensure the success of our business throughout the year.
I’m responsible for creating a strategic roadmap that prioritises the most crucial features to be developed.
When a new feature is being developed, I manage the team of Product Owners to validate it, ensuring it is ready for the market. I make sure it perfectly meets our customers’ expectations and is technically impeccable.
This role involves in-depth strategic thinking and a solid understanding of our users’ needs to ensure our products remain relevant and competitive.
3. What’s your typical day like?
With me, no day is typical! I work entirely remotely, which allows me to live a nomadic life in my camper van.
Fluent in Spanish, Catalan and English, I recently moved to France to add French to my range of languages. I settled ‘in the mountains’, dividing my time between my motorhome and Vallorcine, a small village near Chamonix.
True to Weezevent’s culture, even as a telecommuting employee, I visit the office at least once a month to maintain the link with the teams.
4. How would you describe your experience within the Weezevent product team?
Working in product management is really dynamic and rewarding. We’re constantly at the heart of technological innovation, so it’s impossible to get bored. Every day brings something new and challenging, which is excellent if you like responsibility and a bit of pressure. We’re fully committed to development every year, and as soon as the high season ends, we’re already planning for the following year.
And then there’s the working atmosphere: we’re lucky, there’s a great team spirit. You feel good, and you’re surrounded by pleasant people, and that’s essential because a position of equal experience can be radically different if the internal atmosphere is not good. At Weezevent, the team is young, and we all work very well together, especially at critical moments when we need to be reactive.
5. What are the main challenges in your job?
When I was still a Product Owner, my job was to act as a bridge between the developers and field operations, ensuring that the developed features met real needs.
At the festival Cruïlla in Spain in 2021, which was the only major festival authorised in the country during the COVID period, we were faced with a significant challenge. We had to quickly develop new features to manage the daily access of 20,000 people, checking their results of antigen tests carried out on-site in real-time.
As Chief Product Officer, aligning the entire company’s needs, from sales to marketing, including operations, delivery, finance, the board of directors and all the countries of an international company like Weezevent, is no easy task. It is challenging to listen to all these needs, prioritise, filter, and explain them to the whole company so everyone is aligned.
6. How would you describe Weezevent to a stranger?
The three words that describe Weezevent for me are:
- Stimulating: Because this is a market where technology is constantly evolving. It’s not just a question of developing features but of continually thinking about what comes next.
- Intense: When you work on an event, you have a lot of responsibility. Many people rely on us, which can generate a lot of stress.
- Rewarding: In the vast majority of cases, everything goes smoothly! The feeling of success is immense and very satisfying.
David’s portrait has inspired you, and you’d like to join the Weezevent adventure? Send us your application!
