Interview with our colleagues: Roberto Leone

Hi Roberto, introduce yourself briefly to our readers and tell us something about your working life.

Hi, I am Roberto, I live in the province of Turin in Caselle and I grew up around aeroplanes (Caselle is where Turin airport is located). I joined Overace in September 2022 after a series of experiences in other consulting companies. I graduated in Computer Science, specialising in “Networks and Systems”, but my university career was a bit strange: I started studying Management Engineering and then decided to transfer to the Department of Computer Science to follow what has always been my great passion. After some consulting experience as an IT auditor for some big players worldwide, I later started an experience as a network engineer and finally came to Overace, following my colleague and friend Valerio.

What about your personal life?

In my private life, I am passionate about outdoor sports, and I love free camping in the woods of our mountains, where I get lost with my friends and where we face the hardships of a life deprived of common comforts, as a challenge to escape from too much daily connection. I also like to travel by motorbike, taking my provisions with me and travelling to other countries. I have also played a lot of sports, especially water polo and rugby, which I still follow when I can. I have also been a volunteer rescuer for the Croce Verde of Turin for over 12 years, where I am the coordinator of my night team.

What do you do in your job?

I work as a Feature Architect for a large international automotive company in the Backoffice & Interface Management team. I deal with systems integration to design the information flows needed to properly register vehicles in connectivity platforms, i.e. the transport of information needed to connect vehicles.

Why did you choose to specialise in this area?

I chose this profession because I have a deep passion for technology, and in this case I have always been fascinated by man’s ability to create an infrastructure, such as modern networks, which can rival that of electricity distribution, and which we use every day for all sorts of purposes, allowing people living in different parts of the world to be brought closer together. I myself, for example, work in a team spread over several countries!

In terms of your experience, how much did your university studies correspond to what you are doing now, and how much did they actually help you?

I believe that learning in the strict sense does not necessarily require teachers at all levels – you can learn something without necessarily having a teacher. What makes the difference between studying at university and self-study is the overview, the ability to make connections and the experience of more experienced people; plus the university gives you tools that no online course can give you. For example, someone who knows how to write programming code does not necessarily have the skills to use it in the most efficient way: it is the latter skills that only a university education can provide. However, in my opinion, there are generally different levels of study, divided between theory and practice, it is not enough to have the former, you also need the latter and vice versa. To learn how to use a computer tool well, it is essential to know the theoretical basics well. Obviously, university does not teach you the subsequent challenges that the world of work presents (time, resources, priorities, pressure, teamwork…) and which must be honed during your work experience.

In your opinion, what are the most important aspects for a person who wants to approach your field of work?

As I said, if you have a good foundation, the technical parts can be learned. Unfortunately, there is a tendency to focus too much on technical skills and not enough on people and interpersonal skills. Those who are able to be reliable in the workplace definitely have professional skills that go beyond the technical ones. It is important to focus on both the technical component and the ability to solve problems and be proactive. However, a person who has a passion for technology in general should choose this path because, on a professional level, it offers many opportunities, both in terms of growth and employment, but above all it is extremely challenging because it is a world that moves at a different speed to others.

Do you think remote working has changed the world of work in recent years?

So, certainly remote working has brought about a profound change in the working paradigm that people were used to. However, those working in IT were already used to this dimension of having to interface with remote colleagues and teams. In addition, smartworking requires people to be able to build working relationships remotely, which is much more difficult, and it still requires more punctuality and accuracy in meeting deadlines.

What do you expect for the future, business and otherwise?

When I started studying management engineering, I didn’t think I’d end up studying computer science: things change because when you’re faced with it, you realise that there are certain things you might not want to do.

At work, I would like to develop my technical background in certain aspects and in the future, I would like to have the opportunity to prove myself by managing a team of people.

On a personal level, I am quite happy with my life: I want to continue to have my own space and time to cultivate my passions, riding motorcycles and volunteering. I am very jealous of my free time: in fact, I believe that in order to do my job to the best of my ability, I also need my own space to devote to my personal life. I would definitely like to take advantage of working remotely to be close to my family in Trent.

So, we understand that you make a distinction between a digitalised life and a life in contact with nature. If you had to choose, which would it be?

It is a difficult choice: you need one to do the other. I honestly wouldn’t say I prefer one or the other, I’d say I’m happy to continue to manage these two extremes as I do now. If I answered you with my gut, I would say that I would prefer to be in the forest for a week, but if I answered you with my head, I would say that in order to be in the forest for a week, I would have to work.

Who has inspired you the most in your life?

I think it is my father: he is a person who has had professional experience that I admire. When I saw his retirement party, I realised that his colleagues appreciated him both professionally and as a person. Moreover, in a world full of opportunities, he was able to focus on the important things in life, devoting himself to his family and his children. He taught me the importance of taking charge of one’s life and managing it on one’s own, appreciating the value of sacrifice.

If you had to choose an animal, which would it be?

It would be too easy to answer the lion! I would say I would like to be a bear, because it stays in the mountains and sleeps a lot in the winter ahah.

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

To have more time to do things, whatever they may be. I would like to be able to extend the time of my days: to do and finish what we want and to be close to the people we love.

Thank you very much for this interview, Roberto. How do you feel about greeting our readers?

I would tell them to keep reading these interviews and articles in spaceO. I am very lucky to work in a company that invests time in people, and that is not a given. Finally, I would urge them in general to devote more time to reading, which can help create internal processes that can help us see the world with a different perspective.