Yes, indeed. Today, I live in Berlin, writing articles and a book. But, my professional journey started as a mechanic, and later, I pursued my interest in history at Tulane. My experiences include working as a volunteer in Benin, West Africa with the UN and USAID, and travelling by motorcycle across the Sahara Desert. These experiences have shaped the way I see things and approach decision-making even in tech. For example, I’ve learned never to assume I’m the smartest person in the room and always strive to keep learning. Exploring paths less travelled fuels my curiosity. I was a teacher for almost three years at the high school and university level. That was exciting and humbling at the same time.
From the technical side, I am an autodidact. I used computers as far back as 1985 but only in the early 1990s did I start actually learning how they worked – hardware and software. I have never stopped learning. I took every job as a new challenge. At Oracle, I learned everything I could about RDBMSs and data storage, for example. I have worked in hosting, for a cloud provider, in software development, and in supply chain management. I started at the bottom in IT and worked my way up to CTO. In each new effort, I worked hard to understand not only the tech stacks but the business.
Collectively, my experiences have taught me to question my decisions and consider whether I’m taking the best possible approach. I’ve also come to understand the importance of challenging assumptions and staying curious. I never want to stop learning and often venture down unconventional paths to acquire new knowledge. Sometimes down rabbit holes.
I connected with System Verification through Adam Tornhill from CodeScene, an ecosystem company to System Verification. Adam and I share a passion for reading and writing, especially on obscure technical topics. One of the books Adam recommended to me is the Apollo Guidance Computer book by Frank O’Brian, detailing the computer that guided astronauts to the moon. And back. Adam and I also, of course, share an interest in technology in general, which gives us a lot to talk about.
Adam facilitated an introduction between Peter and Hamdija Jusufagic, the chairman of the board and the founder of System Verifications, in light of Peter’s keen interest in companies such as System Verification. Peter was drawn to the company’s culture and its innovative approach, which is disrupting the QA industry. For System Verification, forging connections with external professionals and embracing new working methods are pivotal for staying at the forefront of the industry. Since the outset of 2024, Peter has been an integral member of the board of directors at System Verification.
After years of accumulating experience and insights throughout my career, I believe I have something valuable to share to a wider audience. Initially, the COVID-19 pandemic made me reconsider my path. Previously, I spoke at conferences to share my knowledge, but recently, I made a decision to channel a lot of my thoughts into a book. While the book might not initially attract younger people, I hope it provides a foundation to create various content pieces—articles, blog posts—allowing me to reach a broader audience and make a positive impact. And which even Gen Z’ers might read.
Absolutely. I find great satisfaction in teaching and mentoring young engineer. My primary interest revolves around the topic of technical leadership, a theme I delve into in my upcoming book. New CTO and VP Engineering leaders are eager to learn, and when I can help them, I jump at the opportunity, especially because mentoring returns to me as much as I give.
While many people label companies as tech companies nowadays, I argue that, in most cases, true tech companies are those like Google, Open AI, or some SaaS providers. They create the digital technology and their USP is a digital product.