+++
author = "LuisGC"
title = "About the author"
date = "2003-10-07"
type = "page"
categories = ["page"]
status = "published"
+++

I am a **Computer Engineering** graduate, with strong experience guiding and coordinating high performance teams in strategic projects. My skills (emphasizing leadership, mentoring, organization and analysis) have led me to perform all kinds of tasks in addition to the purely technical. 

{{< image classes="image lateral" src="/img/main/avatar.jpg" title="Luis a.k.a. Luiyo, the author" >}}

I first learned how to code in the 90s (developing simple games in _BASIC_) but it was about 15 years ago when I started living on it first as a software engineer but very soon also as technical leader, team manager or software architect (usually with more than one role at the same time). **ING Bank** crossed my path in 2010 and since then I have been involved in different critical projects being the main one _Model Bank_ (later called _Maggie_). Since the very beginning of this international project in 2016 until its closure in 2021, I performed key roles in the Architecture department as **Enterprise Architect** and **Information Architecture Expert Lead**. Nowadays, I am **CIO MT Member** and **IT Lead (Technology Director)** for the entire COO Domain including areas such as Data Management, KYC, Operations, Treasury and Wholesale Banking.

Having a strong interest and experience with Open Source, I am an active participant in several worldwide associations and communities. I still love to learn and also love to teach, so I not only attend but also give as many talks and trainings as I can to contribute back to the community.

I'm an active fellow of several national and international associations: [**ARP-SAPC**](https://www.escepticos.es/) (promoting critical thinking); [**STE**](http://sociedadtolkien.org/) (about Literature and arts); and [**AECC**](https://www.aecomunicacioncientifica.org/) (about scientific communication and outreach).

I'm also Member of [**Free Software Foundation Europe**](https://fsfe.org/), [**OpenStreetMap Foundation**](https://osmfoundation.org/), [**Spanish Red Cross**](https://www.cruzroja.es/), [**Doctors Without Borders**](https://www.msf.es/), [**Amnesty International**](https://www.amnesty.org/es/) and [**UNHCR**](http://www.acnur.org/).

I love hiking, cycling (cycle tourism specially) and traditional archery to the point that I'm federated in [**FMM** (Federación Madrileña de Montañismo)](https://www.fmm.es/), [**RFETA** (Spanish Federation of Archery)](https://www.federarco.es/) and [**AAL-IFAA** (International Field Archery Association)](https://ifaa-spain.es/) and I've co-founded with other friends our own traditional archery club: [the **Archers of Ithilien**](http://ithilien.es/).