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Interview
Mr.Julio C. Abad Del Aguila,CEO, The Other Company SAC, Peru with about 3 decades of experience in IT solutions speaks to us.
The Other Company SAC is the REACH Solutions Partner in Peru.
Please tell us about your early years. Where did you grow up, what are some of the early influences.
I grew up in Pucallpa. It is a small town in Peru’s Jungle in South America. It is a colorful town with many trees and wildlife wherever you see. But it is also a hardworking people with many activities near the Ucayali River and forest. My early influences were about sightseeing, visiting may wonderful places like waterfalls, streams, fishing, hunting, exploring, etc all those adventures that kids like to do. My grandmother had her house with a big yard, and a lot of fruit trees. I enjoyed a lot eating fresh fruit by climbing those trees. My GrandMa was very loving.
What did you study after your secondary school? How did this education prepare for your career? What are some of the memories of your college.
I did my secondary school in two cities Pucallpa and Lima. After primary School in Pucallpa, I started secondary school there too (here we study five years for secondary school), but finishing my third year, my parents thought that It was best for me to go to Lima (Capital city of Peru), and get a better education in preparation for my university years. I wanted to be an airplane pilot, however I was to skinny and had no weigth enough for military, and private pilot schools were not that good. So, after a brief research of the available careers, I decided to study Electronic Engineering with énfasis in digital communications. Early years in college were quite difficult. Despite my final studying years in Lima College had a superior education level. I was used to be number one in my studies, and at College I had not that same level. It took me a while, almost a semester to keep up the pace and take my studies where I liked. Also I did very good friends that I see up to these days, several of them are in other countries. ᐧ ᐧ
When did you start working in the IT sector? Why did you choose a career in the IT sector?.
Just finishing my career, I started in a small company for a very short time, because almost immediately I was hired by a large IT integrator in Lima. I worked there 9 years of my life. IT was the best option, since communications were a monopoly at that time with Telefonica of Spain. And there were very few opportunities to cover there.
You have about 3 decades of experience in the IT sector and have seen the IT industry in Latin America transform in these 3 decades. Could you please tell us a little about your personal experiences related to these changes.
Wow! There are so many changes. From the Big PC to the convertible, to the portable, to the laptop, the notebook, the palm, the Tablet, the cellular, the smartphone and its several transformations. The Internet, since its appearance to our days, where it seems impossible to live without it.Communications made this world a smaller one. Post offices were reduced to a mínimum, tlex, telegrams, faxes disappeared. Hard Disks started (since I remember) from 5 MB (yes, five megabytes) weighting almost 5 kilos, to these days with Terabytes in an SSD (Solid State Disk).Talking through internet is a normal thing these days and Digital TV is a reality now.Tele Medicine has a great advance, and Artificial Intelligence Will help humans to solve some issues that would take long time for a person.I have changed, I am capable of doing several tasks at the same time, but it is not healthy.
What are some of the toughest challenges that you have faced in your career and how did you overcome these?
I have had several challenges, my first one was to re-assembly 2000 compatible computers by my self in a warehouse in Miami in summertime 42ºC with no air conditioning. This was made in a forty five days time. I have got a recognition for that job. I was invited to Work with a wholesaler as a product manager for IT networking, selling most famous brands as Cisco, 3Com, and others, but the day I started in my new job, my new boss told me to assume the Commercial management since the previous manager had resigned. That day I started my management career until now. Our first year we had a 35% growth, and continued growing until I left the company 7 years later.
What would be your advice to young professionals joining the IT sector in Latin America now?
By the way, I am still young… 😊.Information Technology is an strategical piece of the actual Enterprise, so be prepared not only to domain hardware and software, but commercial processes, logistics, accounting, production, etc. Basically, know your enterprise so well and be aware of the objectives to have a match between these ones antn technologies that can support the mor make them more efficient in time, cost and objective oriented. Be prepared to use technology as a tool to achieve your goals.
What are some of the initiatives are you planning to promote adoption of IT in the apparel sector in Peru. Are you offering any special schemes for small and medium apparel manufacturers, institutes and students?
We have to create scenarios to make users to automate their creative processes, by showing them the convenience of having a orderly fashion library for their job. We Will show them this practicity during our visit.Also we are going to have some webinars to have them study with us the best way to have their designs best filed and shared.By keeping their patterns and design in an electronic file, they can save time in having base patterns to start new ideas. Also nowadays everything is best kept in their computers and their files can be used at any time and place. It is time to let the computer do the heavy job, while our creativity starts to grow.
What are your hobbies?
I enjoy traveling, knowing Other people, cities and custom. Sightseeing, taking pictures, trying local foods and beverages I like tasting a glass of wine I like movies, driving a car in a highway I like reading a book of strategy I like doing business a lot, I enjoy them.😊
