Early years and where you came from?
I was born in Lisbon in the late eighties. I was always curious about the world surrounding me, and learning new things is still one of my favorite things.
How were you introduced to the world of the Portuguese tech industry?
Technology has always been present in my life, as I have always been very curious about how it could influence life. Professionally I’ve been working in technology-driven companies for half of my career, and loving the journey so far!
Walk me through your work and what you are doing now in the tech industry.
I’m currently leading Dashlane Portuguese office and, in parallel, working as people director. This means that my life is about serving people who are shaping the future of the internet, and my goal is to ensure they have the structure, processes and work environment that they need to help all of us have a better life online.
What part of what you do, you love the most?
Not having two days that are exactly the same. I always have different challenges, new things to learn and problems to solve. And, obviously, the people I get to work with :)
How do you think that your background and knowledge impact the way you approach your work in the Portuguese tech industry?
I think my background in different industries, diverse companies that are in different life stages allows me to make better questions that enable people around me to get to smarter solutions.
What advice do you have for young women that want to get into tech and don’t know where to start?
Forget about all the reasons why you can’t do it, and simply believe you can offer something unique (because you can). Trust your judgment and ability to solve problems and innovate. Then counterbalance that confidence with (a lot) of willingness to learn new things and have reasonable doubt about everything.
In more practical terms, I’s recommend you find your passion, experiment and study hard to master the area as much as you can.
Walk me through a day in your life as a Portuguese women in tech.
My days are always really different. I’d say that on a “normal” day I attend several different meetings were I’m exposed to a wide range of different topics. It’s important to always find the time to learn something new and be with people.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
“Trust in yourself as much as I trust in you”
What apps/software/tools can’t you live without?
Dashlane obviously! I’m also addicted to iTunes.
👉Find Mafalda on LinkedIn
