Let’s start from the beginning… Tell us about your first contact with technology. Was it love at first sight or a twist of fate?
I studied in a special science-focused high school created by the Cuban government to train the country’s future scientists. We studied by specialties. Mathematics ran through my veins. One of the subjects we took was “computing.” I fell in love with the NEC PC 9801, one of the first personal computers made in Japan. It came with a dot matrix printer – we used it to create a version of the Mona Lisa that I still keep – and a device called a Lightpen to draw giant pixels on a color screen. That PC had me hooked, and I’ve never left computing since. Even when I arrived in the former USSR to study “Cybernetics” and encountered paleolithic mainframes with parallel compilation and monochrome iron monitors, the love remained strong.
What was your first job in the IT sector, and what did you learn from that experience?
My first job in IT is also my passion, and I’ll end up where I started: teaching at the university. I specialized in 3D graphics when “Toy Story 1” hadn’t even been released yet – a film that changed everything. My final thesis, my master’s in applied computer science, and my unfinished PhD were all focused on facial reconstruction from skulls for forensic and archaeological purposes. Some of my papers are still being referenced. One day, I was sent to a business school at McMaster University in Toronto. I didn’t see the value in learning about ERPs. But life taught me that knowledge never weighs you down – it lights the way to understanding the future. I’ve spent a large part of my professional career working with ERPs.
If you could go back, what advice would you give your younger self at the start of your career?
José Luis, finish your PhD. Do what you must to support your family financially, but don’t give it up. Never leave things unfinished – complete everything you start and learn all you can.
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as CIO, and how did you overcome it?
Two years ago, Portugal’s main bank informed us they would end the contract within 8–10 months. Our company had hundreds of thousands of employees using our benefit cards. The entire market had to be migrated in that time. The bigger problem was that there was no development team, and we needed tight scope control to focus only on what was strictly necessary to “save” the business. I had to hire developers, learn Portuguese to improve communication, manage scope, tensions, and crises with other areas. In just 7 months, we revamped all digital assets, including the consumer app, implemented a new payment ecosystem, transferred balances, and issued and delivered new cards to all consumers. The company kept operating, all cards were migrated, and more importantly – beyond my Portuguese skills – we now have a strong, capable, and committed IT team.
Can you tell us about a mistake you made that turned into a great lesson?
Yes, definitely! When I started at the company – where I’m now CIO – I was a Delphi developer. I had to develop the first coordinate card for childcare payments. It was a big challenge because I knew nothing about the business, the systems, or the 15+ years of accumulated code. I was ready to run a query in the database using real beneficiary data… and I accidentally deleted the WHERE clause from the delete query (a small but critical detail). Without the WHERE, the delete runs on the whole table… and I wiped the entire production database. With the help of my colleagues, we recovered it – but it was a moment of sheer panic. I was 42, coding again… and I messed up. But all’s well that ends well, and here I am.
Was there a defining moment when you felt you were in the right place and role?
Yes. I’m responsible not just for IT but also for the payment ecosystem, which is key to our business. Launching a new card product made me feel that all my years of work, my knowledge of payment systems, and understanding of our digital environment really mattered. I truly felt my experience was making a difference to the company.
What technology do you think is most transforming your industry today?
Definitely artificial intelligence. Today everyone talks about generative AI, but companies need more than just that. At our company, we took a major step forward in customer service by implementing a voicebot using DialogFlow. With natural language processing, it can handle real operational queries – not just FAQs – like card activation, checking PINs, balance, etc., all with the highest cybersecurity standards.
What are the main pain points for a CIO today?
The speed of change in tech – especially AI – creates two major issues. First, faster tech obsolescence shortens solution stability periods and requires near-constant change. Second, there’s a continuous need for reskilling and upskilling development teams to keep pace.
Also, talent retention is critical. At Pluxee, we address this with benefit packages tailored to generational and personal needs, including training, helping tackle the first issue.
The third pain point is maintaining the highest cybersecurity standards. As AI evolves, attacks are becoming more complex and harder to detect. CIOs and CISOs are in a constant battle to prevent, detect, mitigate, and resolve vulnerabilities linked to AI.
What skills are essential to face future IT challenges?
A CIO can’t know everything. You must surround yourself with people who know more and are better than you – without fear. Experience, intuition, prioritization, calm leadership, and delegation are essential. Disruptive thinking, adaptability, and agility are key traits for today’s IT teams. Don’t fear the day someone on your team takes your seat. Maybe it’s time for you to return to teaching – I think I’ve mentioned that already?
If you had to describe the future of technology in one word, what would it be?
Exciting – without a doubt.
Do you have any habits or routines that help keep you productive and motivated?
Slow dopamine: reading and writing. Digital disconnection.
What inspires you most about your job?
Challenges – and watching teams grow.
What are the most important values a technology leader must have?
Honesty, humility, and trustworthiness.
If you could give just one piece of advice to future CIOs, what would it be?
Surround yourself with a team better than you. Let them make mistakes and grow.
Complete the sentence: “The role of a CIO today is…”
To be a business partner and a coach to their team.
If you could interview someone from the tech world you admire, who would it be and why?
I’d love to interview Alan Turing, the British mathematician and computing pioneer who laid the theoretical foundation for modern computing with the “Turing Machine.” He’s also considered one of the fathers of AI, thanks to the “Turing Test.” I’d ask him what he thinks of today’s AI developments – which he helped make possible – and about 2025 Nobel Prize winner Geoffrey Hinton’s comment: “If there’s a way to control AI, we must find it before it’s too late… this is no longer science fiction.”
