It's always refreshing to sit down with our colleagues and take a moment to talk about other things than bits and bytes. We feed on each others energy and motivate ourselves with these interactions. This time I decided to take some notes and put together this post so that you can also meet Helder Pinhal, Head of Mobile at Notificare.
Personally, I've known Helder for more than 5 years, since his first time at Notificare as a Mobile Developer, and already then, it was clear that we would meet again. In the last 2 years, he has been at the core of our mobile development team, leading our efforts to build the best possible mobile SDKs, arguably one of the most important pieces of our platform.
He is a reliable source of inspiration for our developers. And his strong technical knowledge and deep focus on extremely complex tasks, doesn't cease to amaze me. He's also an easy person to talk with so I would like to share with you the contents of our last talk and how he sees the industry we are in.
When did your interest in the mobile marketing industry begin?
This interest was seeded during my first time at Notificare. Having worked on several apps, for various industries, one thing was always clear. Most of them lacked passive interaction with users, and mechanisms to keep them engaged. I believe this should be a cornerstone in any application.
Where do you see mobile headed in the next 5 years?
Although much has changed over the years, the smartphone remains the centre of our digital interaction. Wearables and ambient devices will become increasingly more popular, shifting our main interaction from physical to voice controls. Furthermore, the physical and digital worlds will become more intertwined, having real-world experiences enhanced by our digital companions.
Favourite part about working at Notificare?
The people. Everyone is extremely dedicated and well versed in their areas of expertise, pushing the boundaries of what can be done, which is something that seems to be in short supply nowadays. The technical bits aside, we have a great work-personal environment across the whole team, making everyone more than just colleagues.
What are you most proud of in your career thus far?
This opportunity, working at Notificare (again). When I first joined Notificare back in 2015, I was taking my first steps in the mobile world. Fast forward a few years, and much has changed. Being entrusted to drive the innovation of our SDKs, providing the best developer experience possible, is a great personal accomplishment.
When not working, where can we find you?
Software development is more than a profession for me. I'm a curious person so I like to dig into new technologies, programming languages, and pretty much anything. Otherwise, I love building Legos with my girlfriend, playing with our two dogs (a Husky and a Beagle) and going out with friends.
How has your career been shaped by working remotely?
We moved to the Netherlands during the pandemic, and while that wasn't our brightest idea, it was enough for us to decide to set roots back in Portugal. Being able to work from anywhere in the world gives us tremendous flexibility in our personal lives. On the plus side, we get to enjoy the nice sunny shores of Portugal while working.
You can get to know more about Helder by checking his Linkedin page here.