Técnico Alumni is a platform that allows former students of Instituto Superior Técnico to reconnect, relive, and reminisce their time at Técnico through access to a network of contacts with other Alumni. It is within the context of this platform’s activities that this interview with Gonçalo Caseiro, a former student of DEI (Department of Computer Science and Engineering), originally took place, and is now being republished in full.  

To learn more about Técnico Alumni and join the network, click HERE.

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Gonçalo Caseiro earned his degree in Computer Science and Engineering (pre-Bologna). He is a consultant and specialist in innovation and digital transformation, and he founded the company GConsulting, which develops projects in the area of modernization and technological transformation. Recognized by the Portugal Digital Awards as Best Digital Leader 2020, Gonçalo is also a member of the Conselho Geral of the AESE Business School.

His professional journey began at the consulting firm Accenture, where he worked for six years. However, his sense of public duty and desire to contribute to the modernization of the country led him to the Board of Directors of the Agência para a Modernização Administrativa (AMA), and later to the Board of Directors of the Entidade Serviços Partilhados da Administração Pública (ESPAP). He also served as a Senior Expert for the European Commission before taking on the role of board member at the Imprensa Nacional – Casa da Moeda, where he eventually became Chairman of the Board. He also participated in the Simplex programs, the renovation of the Lojas do Cidadão, and the implementation of cross-government eGovernment strategies for the Portuguese State.

He is often invited to comment on topics related to innovation, digitalization, and process simplification. A lover of reading, Gonçalo would like to dedicate more time to studying topics that interest him and to increasingly maintaining a better balance between his personal and professional life.

• Why Técnico?

One day, a high school teacher, realizing I had no plans or thoughts about higher education, made the effort to show me the importance of continuing my studies and deepening my knowledge. I want to publicly thank Professor Bruno Santiago Correia, who, in addition to being an excellent professional, had great affection and dedication toward his students, always managing to motivate and guide them according to their skills, talent, and creativity.

Looking back, I now understand the importance of several teachers in my life. It is one of the noblest professions, one of great responsibility, and one that contributes not only to nurturing talent in Portugal but also to each person’s personal development and to society as a whole.

My choice of Instituto Superior Técnico was due to its prestige and excellent teaching, as well as being one of the leading institutions in my field of study.

• What do you take most from your time at Técnico, in and out of class?

The lifelong friendships. At Técnico, we learn to be leaders, but above all, to care for those around us and to have a strong sense of community, which fosters a deep bond among students and, above all, great friendship. These are lessons that carry over into our professional lives.

I also highlight the high standards and rigor applied in classes, which provided me with the tools necessary to become the professional I am today and to carry out all the roles I have taken on so far.

• Did you have any inspiring figures at Técnico? Who and why?

Several inspiring figures, not only teachers but also fellow students.

As for professors, there are many references, but I would like to highlight two in particular: Professor José Tribolet and Professor José Alves Marques, both associated with Computer Science and Engineering.

• Can you tell us a bit about the beginning of your career?

My professional journey began at the consulting firm Accenture, where I spent six years participating in various projects for different companies. These experiences gave me broad knowledge in various business areas. They were years of hard work, but they equipped me with a strong foundation for the challenges that came later in my career, which always involved innovation, technology, and creativity. Accenture is one of the most renowned consulting firms in the world and plays a crucial role in modernizing the companies it works with. All this experience in digital transformation was essential for the challenges I would later face.

• How did you enter the professional field you’re in today?

After Accenture, my sense of public duty and desire to contribute to my country’s modernization led me to the Board of Directors of the AMA and later to the Board of Directors of ESPAP.

I also served as a Senior Expert for the European Commission before becoming a board member at the Imprensa Nacional – Casa da Moeda, where I eventually became Chairman of the Board, serving a four-year term until November 2021.

Currently, I’m a member of the Conselho Geral da AESE Business School and I founded a consulting firm, GConsulting, which develops projects in the area of modernization and technological transformation.

• What have been the biggest challenges in your career?

Undoubtedly, contributing, through my know-how, to streamlining processes and reducing bureaucracy in our country, with a tangible impact on citizens’ lives. This sense of public duty will stay with me throughout my entire career. I hope to continue having the ability to help Portugal or other countries on the path that still lies ahead in digital transformation and administrative simplification.

• What are your future plans?

Throughout my career, I’ve always found ways to balance my personal and professional life, but I would like to do so even more effectively by dedicating more time to studying topics that interest me. Lifelong learning is essential to staying up to date and being innovative in our professions. I’d also like to have more time to read and travel—ways to broaden horizons and recharge.

• What makes you proud to be a Técnico alumnus?

I’m very proud to have been a student at Técnico and have great admiration for the research work carried out by this prestigious university. It’s a world-class institution that contributes to the country’s competitiveness. I have the privilege of doing what I love, and that is largely thanks to the education I received.

• What advice would you give current students?

Deepen your knowledge to get into the course you want and, later, make the most of everything the university has to offer—learning that will stay with you for life. Focus on your careers, but don’t give up on our country.

• What are you most proud of in your life?

The opportunities I’ve had to influence public policies to solve problems for citizens and businesses, especially in designing and implementing interministerial strategies for administrative simplification and bureaucracy reduction. I’m proud of my involvement in the Simplex programs, in renewing the Lojas do Cidadão, and in implementing cross-government eGovernment strategies for the Portuguese State.

I’m also very proud to have contributed to the creation of the largest Portuguese innovation award in the field of engineering - the IN3+ Award.

(original image: Gonçalo Caseiro)