Q: You joined Cellusys as an intern. What do you remember most about that time?
Honestly, how quickly it stopped feeling like an internship. I was given things to work on that actually mattered, fairly early on. There wasn't much sense of "this is just a learning exercise". It was more like, this needs doing, see how you get on. That sticks with you.
Q: Did that feel supportive, or a bit daunting?
Both. It was definitely daunting at times. You're very aware you could get something wrong. But it was also motivating, because the work wasn't abstract. If you fixed something, it fixed something for real. If you didn't, someone felt it.
Q: Was there a moment when you realised your role had changed?
Not a clear one. It was gradual. You just notice people checking less, or not hovering. Decisions start to sit with you. And nobody announces that, you realise afterwards that trust has already been given.
Q: What kind of working environment does that create?
One where you have to be upfront. If you're unsure, you say it. If something looks off, you flag it early. There isn't much tolerance for pretending you know things you don't, because the systems are too unforgiving for that.
Q: Telecoms signalling is complex by nature. How did you get to grips with it?
By doing, mainly. Things break, figure out why. You can read a lot, but until you've seen what actually happens in a live environment, it doesn't really land. Over time you start recognising patterns, and you trust your instincts a bit more.
Q: How did responsibility change as you progressed?
The blast radius got bigger. Early on you're worried about whether your bit works. Later you're thinking about what happens under load, or when something upstream behaves badly, or when nobody is awake. Eventually it's not just technical responsibility, it's knowing other people are relying on what you've decided.
Q: What was different about stepping into a leadership role?
You spend more time making sure other people have clarity. Not just on what to do, but why. If the reasoning is clear, people make better decisions on their own. That matters more than trying to control everything centrally.
Q: Cellusys is known for long-term customers and trust. How does that show up day to day?
It means you don't optimise for cleverness. You optimise for things working in the real world. Networks change, partners change, assumptions break. You build with that in mind, and you try not to surprise customers in bad ways.
Q: What would you say to someone joining Cellusys as an intern now?
Take the work seriously, and ask questions early. People notice effort and honesty very quickly. You don't need to impress anyone by pretending, you get further by being solid and reliable.
Q: Looking back, what's stayed the same from intern to CTO?
The approach, really. You still start with the problem in front of you and work it through. The scope is bigger now, but the thinking isn't fundamentally different.
