Since October 2022 Softline has been operating under the brand name Noventiq.

What are the things you enjoy the most in your work?

I have always been curious about technology. In my childhood it wasn’t always easy to get your hands on the latest products and developments. However, I followed this interest which basically led me to this career path.  When Softline expanded its Google business in Romania, and contacted me with the opportunity to join the team, I instantly felt excited about it. This job satisfies two defining qualities of mine. First, my curiosity regarding new technology; second, it also provides hands-on experience when meeting clients, which gives me an opportunity to represent the outgoing part of my personality. I enjoy talking to people and being able to understand their needs in their own words.

What do companies think about cloud services in general?

The level of interest and acceptance is definitely increasing towards cloud services. Naturally, the boom in remote working also strengthened their acceptance.  Many companies already have experience of using the cloud. However, when they need to solve a particular challenge, the selection and evaluation of different cloud services can be overwhelming. When they reach this point, they need an advisor who understands their circumstances and needs, and also has a deep knowledge of cloud services.

Exactly how can an advisor help in adopting cloud solutions?

One of the biggest advantages of having a professional consultant, besides their expertise, is having someone to get in touch with when something arises. As multi-vendor solutions become more popular, companies can better use their resources by having one person as their point of contact. Besides, businesses are changing constantly, and so do their challenges and their needs. A consultant knows the company well enough to recommend the best solutions, but also has an outsider’s point of view, to get an overview of and improve processes. But there’s more. We, as IT professionals, don't just help them pick a product. We implement them and offer post-sales support for easy understanding. That’s why, I believe, Softline’s power lies in a tailor-made adoption process and effective support through every step of the journey.

How would you describe Google’s cloud solutions?

Google services are easy to use, interconnected and it feels natural to use them as an extension of ourselves in digital interactions. Similarly, Google Cloud solutions are intuitive and enable us to innovate, both on a personal and professional level. In my experience, no matter what the challenge is, Google Cloud has a solution for it. We are talking about a huge product portfolio, which represents massive potential for users. The services are so intuitive that whenever I have to find or check something within a service that I was not familiar with before, I ask myself where I would put this if I was a developer. Usually it’s right there.

Security is always an important aspect of cloud services. In your opinion, how will cloud security evolve?

I am passionate about artificial intelligence and I see great potential to further strengthen AI in security. We are once again on the verge of changing the world to something we have never seen. Just as with the expansion of the internet, we can expect to see wonderful things using advanced technologies, such as 5G and blockchain. AI is definitely a part of these changes. In security, when a company faces potential malicious attacks, artificial intelligence is already being used by hackers. In order to lower the risks and create more effective security measurement, companies need to fight back with AI. I believe that expanding artificial intelligence in security measurements could be the next big step in cloud security.

What do you think will define cloud services in the future?

Multi-cloud environments are becoming more common, which could ultimately mean unified solutions and even better services. This could result an open ecosystem. Also, with better understanding of technologies such as 5G, life as we know it could change rapidly, both on a personal and a business level. Edge computing is also defining key aspects of life. Cloud companies can prioritise to have your resources as close to your location as possible. So, we can imagine that 5G, which has one millisecond latency, plus the closeness of your data could together catalyse a lot of processes. With this being said, we have to deal with the question of talent shortages. I think, companies will be investing constantly in teaching and developing talents in the long term, bringing talent grooming into the focus of their activities.

How do you see the future of the cloud from Google’s point of view?

I see big potential in tools using data analytics. Right now, we have certain form of data analytics that is displayed on your cloud console. I believe, with more sophisticated data discovery, companies could receive future projections, together with suggestions that will help them in achieving those goals, all this based on their existing data assets.

Your daily job is focused on modern technologies; however your, personal interest is towards Vedic philosophy and Sanskrit. Can you make a connection between them?

At first they seem to be polar opposites. Vedic philosophy promotes simple living and high thinking, and also practicing non-attachment. But as I see it, Vedic literature teaches us that everything can become divine if you have the right intentions. In my opinion, modern technologies, including cloud solutions, can be used for good and can unveil so much potential everywhere. The important thing is to learn how to use them consciously and properly.