Riding the waves

Flash Interview with Francisco Pena Monteiro - Celfocus Contract Management Office

c- In the sports you play, what is the role of competition? How does that reality compare to your daily basis at Celfocus?

fp- Competitive sports have always been very present in my life. I started playing rugby when I was 8 years old, later went on to sailing where I participated in national and international championships. At 15, I discovered my “first big passion”, windsurf (wavesailing), where I also participated in national and international championships, and even thought of a professional career. Thankfully, my parents put a stop to this crazy idea.

At Celfocus, I have the desire to win and show great results just like I did in all the sports I played.

c- If Celfocus were a sport, what would it be? Why?

fp- Rugby. It’s a beastly sport played by gentleman…

In my opinion, we’ve been able to manage and face the adversities of our daily-basis in projects like true “gentlemen”, in a clearly collaborative spirit with our customers and stakeholders. I think this attitude has allowed Celfocus to position itself as a PARTNER rather than just another “supplier.

In another perspective, this same attitude has brought us some challenges. For example, not being able to say No to some requests. It’s definitely something we need to learn to manage in “midfield”. But I’m certain we’ll get there. Meanwhile, we will continue to score the greatest tries ever scored in our industry.

c- Second place is the worst frustration? In your opinion, how does that compare to our business?

fp- It isn’t the worst but being the first of the last is a BIG frustration.

It’s helped Celfocus reinvent itself, making us find new solutions to address our customers' challenges…

c- If you worked in a sporting activity, what would your role be?

fp- Still on rugby (perhaps because it was the first sport I played at a competitive level), I like comparing my role to the Prop (pilar) position in a rugby team. Maybe because I'm part of a team that supports the business, Business Support which is an indispensable pillar of our organization.

In Rugby, the Prop (pilar) position (typically composed by the strongest and heaviest players) supports the team get ahead on the field, they aren’t in the game to be start players but rather with the intent of helping the stars shine.

c- What sport would you never imagine playing? And what role could you never see yourself having at Celfocus? Why?

fp- Ciclying, I don’t get (obviously I respect it) how someone can like pedaling hours on end. I think it’s too monotonous, maybe because I’m addicted to sports with high adrenaline like Surf and windsurf.

Surfing and Windsurfing. You have to live it. You have to learn to work with mother nature rather than fight or muscle against it. The more you can relax into it the better you will be.

“There are no more committed people on the planet than surfers. We fall down a lot. We turn around, paddle back out, and do it over and over again. Unlike anything else in life, the stoke of surfing is so high that the failures quickly fade from memory.” -» Gary Sirota

c- Which talent do you need to constantly practice to do your job?

fp- Concentration and attention to detail, many times hidden between the lines, literally.