Pomerol Global Employee Exchange Program Testimony: João Barbacena

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João Barbacena

As a consultant, I have worked remotely for some years, collaborating with teams and clients from all over the world. However, nothing compares to the experience of meeting the people you work with face-to-face.

I am thrilled to share my testimonial about my recent trip to Chicago with Pomerol’s Global Exchange program to meet all the US office in the Q2 Chicago Team meeting 2023. As a consultant, I have worked remotely for some years, collaborating with teams and clients from all over the world. However, nothing compares to the experience of meeting the people you work with face-to-face.

 

First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude to my company for organizing this opportunity. The chance to connect with my US colleagues in person was truly an enriching experience for me. Professionally, I was able to have meaningful conversations with my colleagues, exchange ideas, and share our expertise on various projects.

Beyond that, it was a rich cultural experience to be able to wander around the streets of Chicago, listening to a live performance of Chicago Blues, going to the Wrigley Field, exploring the Museum of Science and Industry, eating a Chicago Hot dog… the list goes on and on. But the most intriguing experience was the team activity. As a sports aficionado, I was not aware we could play lacrosse, basketball, and American football at the same time all while inside bumper cars – we can, it’s fun, it’s called Whirlyball and unfortunately, I’m terrible at it.

The trip to Chicago was a testament to the company’s commitment to fostering a culture of collaboration and personal growth. By investing in opportunities like these Exchange Programs, they have created an environment where employees can thrive both professionally and personally.

P.S: I’ll have some shoes to fill when it comes to host the next consultants coming to Portugal.

 

Some photos from my trip:

 

Umar Ali

João Barbacena is a Business Intelligence Consultant at Pomerol Partners, based out of Lisbon, Portugal.  He has been on the Pomerol Partners team for almost two years, specializing in the Microsoft stack.