Interview with our colleagues: Luisella Piras

Hello Luisella, tell us about your career.

In the last 12 years my path in Overace started as a Senior PM, following a company in the automotive sector on a historical project. During the years in this company, I then started a new path with a new client (COMAU), where I worked as a PM managing the Power BI and Project Online part and also as a Service Manager. At the same time, I have always held management positions at Overace, as head of various business units, until a year ago, when I was given the position of General Manager, where I was responsible for the entire management and structuring of the consulting area. Before my 12 years at Overace, I was born with a background that had nothing to do with the world of IT: I am a “failed restorer”, I have an artistic education, but the same qualities that I cultivated in my art studies I also brought to the IT field where I have been working for 36 years. I started my career as a programmer and worked my way up through the ranks, especially in the world of Oracle, with languages that are no longer even used today, such as Cobol, which has unfortunately been completely abandoned and is only used by some credit institutions and little studied by the new generations. During my years of training, I have constantly studied to develop my knowledge and experience, trying to build up my professional training bit by bit.

What are the most satisfying aspects of your job?

First and foremost, certainly the good fortune of being able to learn a lot. You have the opportunity to come into contact with a wide variety of professionals whose cultural and professional backgrounds are also very different from our own. This can be a great source of professional and personal enrichment if you are open to it, and it also gives you the opportunity to teach your colleagues. I have worked with teams whose working methods were very different from ours, such as those in Eastern Europe or with Indians; I have enjoyed working with Spanish and American colleagues.

Imagine a young man who wants to follow your career path. What advice would you give him?

If I look at my studies, which were completely different from what I am doing today, I actually find that creativity is a constant both in the artistic world and in the IT world: the human mind is creative and the same flair that can be put into painting can also be put into writing programming code. You also have to be very open-minded, always have the desire to know and learn, and never put obstacles in the way of your studies or training. In life, you never stop learning and you must never stop being curious.

The world of work has changed a lot in recent years. Have you experienced these changes?

Certainly the changes brought about by the widespread adoption of smart working have brought benefits, but as with all things, new issues have arisen that need to be addressed. For me, there has certainly been a different way of managing my time and working life, still doing 100% of my work but in a more comfortable environment and being able to manage my working hours more autonomously in a greater comfort zone. However, there are also some negative aspects to be considered: one has lost contact with reality, and especially the more introverted people are not helped by this mode, since the profession of a consultant is by its very nature made up of a good 50% of interpersonal relationships with colleagues and clients, which are difficult to establish behind a monitor.

Is there someone who has inspired you in your work and in your life?

Personally, I have been very inspired by the strength that my mother had in both her personal and professional life. In my professional life, however, I have grown not because of one person, but because of the many teams I have worked with throughout my career. Working with four hands on a piece of code has enriched each other’s knowledge and greatly reduced the number of mistakes.

What do you do in your free time?

I am a lover of all art, from the oldest to the most modern. I am a cinephile and an animal lover, especially cats. I am also very fond of the theatre.

What is the last film you saw?

I saw “Ithaca: The Return” last Sunday, very good, although a bit heavy, and the cast was top. I also really like Italian comedy, as well as committed arthouse or science fiction films.

What is your favourite film?

Breakfast at Tiffany’s, because my Hollywood myth has always been Audrey Hepburn.

If you had to choose an animal to describe yourself, what would it be?

Without a doubt the cat, both for its temperament and its independence.

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Always be hungry for knowledge, never stop learning!