Endava’s Senior Account Group Unit Manager, Adrian Bugaian, recently returned home for a quick visit to see his family and friends here and fill his suitcase with Meteorit candy, his favourite home comfort.
He stopped by our Chisinau offices to say hello and talk about what it’s like to work our Moldovan magic into a multinational IT company with locations in over 50 cities worldwide.
Adrian has grown into his career at Endava, which has taken him and his wife and kids all over the world for the past 15 years.
They recently relocated to Singapore in 2021, where he is responsible for expanding and delivering Endava’s services to clients across Southeast Asia. It’s been quite a cultural shift.
“Honestly, we’re still acclimatizing to life in Singapore” he admits, “I read a lot about the place and spoke with my friends to understand as much as I could before we went out there, but there are so many subtle things you only learn when you’re truly embedded and living in another culture that books can’t teach you. Singapore and Southeast Asia are so diverse and vibrant – the food and people are just incredible and it’s been a lot of fun learning Singlish too.”
So how did Adrian’s hard work and skills get him to Singapore? His career all started with a natural interest in IT from a young age.
“While my friends had video game consoles, my father bought me a Sintez (a Soviet clone of the ZX Spectrum), with which I started learning basic programming and wrote my first programs at the age of 10.” He explained.
“It was my passion, but I did not think I would end up in IT as I originally saw myself as more of a Financial Banking sector kind of guy. But I decided to go into IT after I finished high school and got into the Faculty of Informatics at Moldova State University.”
“There were no Endava internship programmes back when I joined in 2007, and students were not hired, so I was working for a banking company when one of my university professors suggested I apply full-time, and here I am still.”
Endava encourages its employees to grow within the company and develop their skills through its virtual Learning & Development centre, courses, and mentoring sessions. Adrian took full advantage from the moment he got here and was promoted to Project Manager in 2008.
“It’s important not only to have a portfolio of technical projects and new business areas but also to have a long-term development plan.” He explained.
“It was a good time to introduce Agile project principles, which is what I wanted to do. For a year, between 2010-2011, I was part of the local leadership team, which allowed me to learn and understand certain decisions and internal and operational leadership mechanisms.
“In 2013, I moved to London as a Delivery Partner, where we set up and grew some of Endava’s largest current accounts with our regional teams.”
What got Adrian through the more challenging parts of his career? What principles drive him?
“The first thing you have to do is understand your priorities – they naturally change.” He said.
“Second, respect the people who have been in the industry for a while, as you can learn something from everyone: either how to do something better or how not to do it.
“Finally, I feel that continuous learning in every industry is key. IT is constantly evolving, so to be competitive, we have to improve our skills and knowledge along with it.”
So, what made Adrian want to stay with Endava all this time?
“Honestly, it’s because we place people at the centre of our success here, and it creates this phenomenalculture that I haven’t seen in other companies. The company’s ability to see potential in people and to help them grow through the opportunities in Endava is impressive. We work for our clients and each other, so everyone wants to share in our successes through their direct involvement or association.” He said.
“Most regional IT companies focus on a particular product, industry, or service too. But at Endava, we get to provide technologies for 12 industries, meaning employees aren’t stuck on the same product or technology forever and can therefore accumulate extensive technical and business experience in multiple sectors. With this growth, people can progress in Endava and migrate to other positions or disciplines if they want to.”
“Another reason I want to stay here is that Endava is constantly growing – the reward for a job well-done is usually even more work, so there’s always something going on.”
IT, family, travel and good Moldovan candy aren’t Adrian’s only passions. He still gets to go out on his bike and wants to take a boat out again for some sailing sometime soon.
“I enjoy cycling – it’s a pleasant feeling when the effort brings a directly palpable and visible result, especially since you can see many things quickly,” he says. “I used to sail, and I liked it, but with the pandemic and relocation, it was impossible, but I will start again soon.“
About Endava
Endava is a publicly traded IT services company with a 20-year legacy, employing around 12,065 people. It was listed on the New York Stock Exchange, under DAVA, in July 2018.
