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From the inside

Barcelona Magic

Posted by Nicolas Mourad |

Based in Paris, Nicolas Mourad may seem an unlikely guide to Criteo’s Barcelona office. But, as the manager of the software engineering hub recently established there, he knows his way around the office, and what drives the site’s energy, both inside and outside its walls.

So, remind us again, why are we talking to a Parisian about Barcelona? 

Ha, good question! And, neither my Spanish nor my Catalan are all that great. But, as Engineering Manager for the company’s Global Automation group, I am responsible for a growing team based in Barcelona and Paris. So I would go back and forth between the sites. Post-covid, of course.

Why the Barcelona location?

It’s a very dynamic, innovative city where plenty of Criteo businesses -- our internal customers -- are based. Being co-located helps us better serve them, and therefore Criteo’s external clients. It also helps to be in the same time zone with our Paris-based R&D team, with whom we work closely.

You mentioned a “growing” team. What are some characteristics of the people you’re recruiting there?

Software engineers are a special breed. They can be techno-geeks like me who like to spend their spare time creating weird coding, who like being on the cutting edge, are impact-driven, and are always seeking to go faster, higher, and farther. But, we’re also looking for curious people, who want to understand what the user needs and how our solutions help the business. And, in such a multi-national city with its rich mix of cultures and languages, openness to others is an important quality.

What kind of experience should a newcomer expect?

In addition to the city’s energy and dynamism, there’s Criteo’s own strong culture of inclusivity, direct feedback and a focus on investing in employees. It’s a chance to be part of a company that is riding a wave of transformation occurring right now in our industry, a truly exciting time to be helping to create the future.

And, what about your own management style?

I believe we’re at our best when we feel comfortable bringing our whole selves to our work, learning how to express and receive honest feedback, and being ready to try and fail and learn and grow. I’ve got a coaching style, I enjoy seeing team members developing their soft and hard skills and supporting their growth in those areas that interest them.

And, as for living in Barcelona…

The city’s so vibrant, so full of young, creative people, so much fun…I can’t wait until it reopens. Our team works hard but we also play hard. As we prepare to reopen, we’ll be moving into new office space so one of the first orders of business will be to find a new hangout bar!

Check out the Criteo Barcelona video!

Nicolas Mourad

Staff SRE Lead

The Future is Yours.

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