Pedro Gomes Santos, who heads Inetum Portugal, shares his career story, from tough times to running a major IT firm. He believes in Ikigai, a Japanese idea about finding your purpose, and for him, it's all about people, not gadgets or status.
Early on, Pedro spent more than ten years working in other countries, like Latin America and Germany. He learned that tech is less important than what people know, which is what really makes IT work.
He remembers getting fired during the 2009 financial crisis as a key turning point. More than just job worries, he felt bad: I was embarrassed to go home and admit I'd been fired. But it taught him to bounce back and take responsibility. Later, he got to run things in Latin America, which led to 12 awesome years where he became an entrepreneur and shaped how he leads.
Pedro thinks trust is everything in leadership: always keep your promises. Now leading over 2,200 people, he says it's important to have a great team, be there for them, and talk straight. He's not a fan of everyone working from home all the time because he thinks it hurts the human part of leadership.
Even though he's back in Portugal, Pedro sees some problems, like people complaining but not doing anything. Still, he's impressed by how good Portuguese workers are, saying they're among the best. Right now, his biggest problem is finding and training people quickly enough to keep up with tech advancements, which means making clear, brave decisions.
When he's not working, Pedro paints, plays sports, and plans for a beach hotel where he can keep meeting new people. That's his other Ikigai.
Pedro's story shows how important it is to be tough, lead with people in mind, and have a purpose that drives your career and life.
(Podcast available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts via ECO, supported by Nissan and Vinhos de Setúbal.)
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