On the lighter side of things, we ask Jefferson Rodríguez Fonseca, CTO, Crediflores, what makes him tick.
What would you describe as your most memorable achievement?
My most memorable achievement was facing the challenges of Digital Transformation. In the case of Crediflores, it was about getting together with the new emerging technologies. It made us make decisions regarding adaptability and applicability according to the needs of the company and its associates.
What first made you think of a career in technology?
Since childhood, understanding the evolution of technology and its disruptive impact on society got my attention. For this reason, I decided to choose as a life plan to be part of this technological revolution, focusing on systems engineering, and thus from my knowledge, contribute to the continuous improvement of technologies on behalf of society and quality of life.
What style of management philosophy do you employ in your current position?
As Chief Technology Officer, management focuses on strengthening collaborative work, starting with the role of leader, eliminating organizational hierarchy, and establishing a horizontal organization where all roles in technology management exercise critical and equal importance in decision-making.
What do you think is the current hot technology conversation topic?
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the immediacy of information in a decentralized form played an important role in society. Some interconnectivity solutions were considered then, but many organizations neglected the risks that compromise the information their employees can access.
We must keep in mind that information, from a technological point of view, is our most important asset. Organizations should seek strategies to raise awareness among our employees about the correct and responsible use of this information so that it is not compromised.
How do you deal with stress and relax outside of the office?
Society is changing, and this has had a direct impact on our emotional health. That is why I look for quiet spaces to strengthen my physical and emotional health. I play sports, share quality time with my family, listen to contemporary music and enjoy reading good scientific or technological articles that allow me to design my strategy.
If you could go back and change one career decision, what would it be?
I would not change anything. Thanks to my decisions, I was allowed to have the necessary experience to decide about many things.
I believe that a good leader must be consistent with his decisions, whether they are right or wrong. It generates experience and allows us to develop a criterion when a situation arises in which decision-making is crucial.
What do you currently identify as the top investment areas in your industry?
There are great opportunities for improvement or investment, but I think the most important is SIAR-focused integrations through ETL or APIs. It allows the integration of different database sources.
In addition, there are also some topics such as the recruitment process using sophisticated CRM tools using segmentation technology through Big Data, integrable solutions with companies with digital wallets using Blockchain, use of platforms or Web applications for the purchase of services, and the use of data analysis for decision-making.
What are the specific challenges of the region when implementing new technologies in Latin America?
The biggest challenge facing Latin America in technology is the strengthening of infrastructure in cutting-edge connectivity channels, the expansion of technology services in the cloud and the construction of data centers in the region, which allow innovation using advanced development.
We need agile deployments without the need to go to distant data centers and without having to evaluate regulatory standards according to the local territory.
It decreases the latency of deployed services and ultimately establishes a regulatory framework across the region.
What changes have you seen in your job role in the last year, and how do you think they will develop in the next 12 months?
Integrating collaboration tools with agile expansions in the development of our organization has allowed Digital Transformation to become a reality, but it is not an easy task or sudden implementation.
It requires a strategy that ranges from human resources to the technological infrastructure for process automation without neglecting the risks involved due to the importance of information security.
Finally, in regulatory terms, information security will be part of every process of the entity.
What advice would you give someone aspiring to a C-level position in your industry?
I would give four important tips for a C-level position:
- Recognize the skills of the workgroup or collaborators in charge, strengthening through solutions or strategies that support knowledge management using collaborative tools.
- Keep up-to-date with the latest technologies in the market through forums, professional groups, articles and technology providers to seek innovation strategies and apply them in your sector.
- Be aware of the regulatory or legal norms of the control or governmental organisms that directly or indirectly affect the entity from the direction of technology.
- Have information as your most important asset. Always think about your security and being as transparent as possible for the end-user.
