by Bronagh McStravick

Meet Damien Fialho, Cirdan’s Technical Team Lead, based in Portugal.

Damien’s journey with Cirdan began back in 2020, with Cirdan’s acquisition of Digital and Computational Pathology business, PathXL. On a daily basis, he balances many different projects and responsibilities, acting as a lead for Software Developers working closely with Cirdan’s Digital Pathology and AI solutions. In doing so, he forms an integral part of our expert team.

We caught up with Damien to get a deeper insight into the daily life of Technical Team Lead, and how Cirdan forms an integral part of his busy life.

What activities does your job involve on a daily basis?

I’m currently in the process of shifting into my Team Lead routine, after a recent promotion from my previous Software Developer role. The main difference so far is that I am more closely involved with keeping my team on track, aligned and harmonious. I plan quarterly releases, decide what the next priorities are, and I help and support my team to grow within their roles to achieve their best.

What is your favourite thing about your job?

I love solving puzzles, and breaking down complex workflows into features or solutions. Understanding how different pieces work and how they link together is challenging, but very rewarding! I like teaching, pushing and supporting my colleagues as part of my new role, too. The little wins definitely keep me motivated!

How do you spend your time outside of work?

My favourite thing to do is play with my son, who’s 2. When it comes to sports, I’m a climber at heart and I currently enjoy long-ish open water swims or participating in open water races. I love doing handyman work and gardening around the house. I also enjoy PC gaming, I have more hours logged playing World of Warcraft or Counter Strike than I’m proud of!

What are you most passionate about?

In my personal life, I have been called megalomaniac many times by my family and friends as I jump from one project to another constantly! I feel lucky to have achieved many of my early goals with hard work, and now I can enjoy keeping the people around me happy. Work-wise, my end goal has always been to make a difference in the healthcare world and make our customers’ lives easier by bringing technology innovation where it is needed most – this keeps me motivated to do and be the best I can.