Flame Forward
Flame Forward
BlogMentoringAbout me
Oscar Torres
Oscar Torres

Oscar Torres

oscar@flameforward.com
oscar@flameforward.com
| LinkedIn | +34 611 645 356
| LinkedIn | +34 611 645 356
 
Hey hey đź‘‹
My name is Oscar Torres.
I'm an engineering leader, mentor, strategy & innovation advisor... Wait, that’s bullshit, that’s not who I am, that’s just some stuff I get paid for.
So let me reintroduce myself: I'm someone who truly believes that values like kindness, empathy, and social justice can make a real difference. Maybe not for the entire world, but isn't changing just one person's world enough?

My Passion

I absolutely love to talk.
For years, I joked about it, but now I see it’s kind of true. I thrive in teamwork and supporting others' growth, and talking plays a big part in that. But what do I love talking about? Well, despite more than 20 years in tech, leadership, strategy, and innovation are where my real passion lies. That's where I’ve been able to make the biggest impact, thanks to my generalist profile.
👉
I specialize in generalizing.
What? Isn't that a bit contradictory?
Actually, it sums me up pretty well. I enjoy contributing value at every level—from the highest business strategy down to the nitty-gritty of implementation.
At the heart of it all, though, my core focus is people—whether in leadership or mentoring. It’s not that I’m particularly skilled at it; I just genuinely care. And for some reason, that seems to work really well.
 
 

Areas of expertise

♦ Innovation Management ♦ Strategic Planning & Execution ♦ Leadership ♦ Change Management ♦ Talent Development ♦ Digital Transformation
♦ Product engineering ♦ Sustainable grow ♦ Risk Assessment & Mitigation ♦ CSR / Diversity, Equity & Inclusion / ESG ♦ Nurture High-Performing Teams ♦ Operational Optimisation
 

References

✨ “Oscar has been instrumental to the success of our company, and specifically to my team. Since day 1 he has supported me on setting up a motivated team. His leadership has been fundamental, not only on the technical side but also on the business side, critically thinking about the problem areas we are facing.
Excellente change management .”
 
✨ “I think you are an empathetic and caring team member, from day one you made me feel I could count on you and that you were there to give me support along the way, I think you have very good consulting skills, I've seen you interact with the client many times and know how to balance requests and compromises. Overall I see you as a leader not only because of you tech capabilities but for how much you care about everyone to have the proper support and to feel good about the work that they are doing. You had big impact in the client and build some good trusting relationship with them.”
✨ “Oscar has been the key to the transformation of the relationship to the place where Thoughtworks is seen as a real technical partner and involved in important decisions … as the future structure of the entire engineering department. He has gained the trust and respect of VP level stakeholders in a way that we often struggles at and is able to interact with the client in a manner that meets or surpasses any of the other senior leaders that I have worked with. In parallel with that he has a strong ability to connect with engineers at all levels and is a natural coach and mentor, helping several of them through difficult situations”
✨ “I think you are a very strong motivator. I have seen multiple occasion in which you helped Twrs in their career and/or daily life (including myself) and you have a really smart and effective way of encouraging people and giving constructive feedback, while listening and really trying to understand. You are a natural in gathering rust for the client, and a very patient, methodic but effective way of influencing. I also very appreciate your transparency and continuous communication when active as a in-between point between us and client.”
 
✨ “Inspiration to others, excellence in support, outstanding leadership. He has been incredibly supportive during tough times, helping me and our time to overcome most of problems with ease, cold mind and always keeping a close look to our team health and personal situation.
He has also been a great source of inspiration, growing (specially for myself) with serious commitment and real interest for people.
I would say Oscar is a great lead that manages to get that none of the more than 20+ people never felt "left behind" and that they always had a leader that they can count on and it's not afraid to get hands dirty or help even in tasks that teams might be struggling”
 
✨ “Beyond his work at the cluster level, he has been very involved in some key decisions we have made at the VP level with regards security and Data. Has always been proactive in finding solution on our most pressing issues. I like his style of handling issues and how he gathers feedback to get project completed. Easy to work with. Very positive feedback.”

Published content & media

Oscar Torres Fernández on LinkedIn: #spark #flamingforward
📅 It has been already 2months since my last post here and today I just wanted to share some news. - Thanks to Tetuan Valley for give me the opportunity to…
Oscar Torres Fernández on LinkedIn: #spark #flamingforward
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/oscar-torres-fernandez_spark-flamingforward-activity-7262120174483353601-AHwM?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
Oscar Torres Fernández on LinkedIn: #spark #flamingforward
Tetuan Valley on LinkedIn: #strategy #startup
Last Friday we had a breakfast, co-organized with SeedRocket🚀, about startup #strategy and how to reconfigure the roles of the founding team. The experts who…
Tetuan Valley on LinkedIn: #strategy #startup
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tetuan-valley_strategy-startup-activity-7248991550158913536-Kp8r?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
Tetuan Valley on LinkedIn: #strategy #startup
Construyendo una estrategia de datos valiosa con Data Mesh
En este webinar nuestros expertos exploran el cómo generar una estrategia de datos adecuada para ejecutar Data Mesh con éxito, además de ejemplos reales sobre casos de éxito utilizando tecnología de AWS para crear arquitecturas de datos óptimas.
Construyendo una estrategia de datos valiosa con Data Mesh
https://www.thoughtworks.com/es-es/about-us/events/webinars/construyendo-una-estrategia-de-datos-valiosa-con-data-mesh-y-aws
Construyendo una estrategia de datos valiosa con Data Mesh
Data Mesh at Glovo
Glovo partnered with Thoughtworks to develop a comprehensive data strategy which could address their data challenges. With the engagement of executives, data and software engineers and product managers, a special task force worked on analyzing the situation and making a concrete proposal to move forward. Discover more about Glovo's journey to Data Mesh here.
Data Mesh at Glovo
https://www.thoughtworks.com/insights/blog/data-engineering/data-mesh-at-glovo
Data Mesh at Glovo
Glovo Tech Talk - Data Mesh
This was the first Meetup we hosted about Data Mesh where we provided a space for interchanging knowledge, exploring the capabilities of using data mesh, and also, getting to know other experts and people in the industry.
Glovo Tech Talk - Data Mesh
https://engineering.glovoapp.com/events/data-mesh/
Glovo Tech Talk - Data Mesh
Data mesh: it’s not just about tech, it’s about ownership and communication (part 2)
By Pablo Giner , Oscar Torres Fernandez , Diana Pinto and Javier García Hernández
Data mesh: it’s not just about tech, it’s about ownership and communication (part 2)
https://medium.com/@glovo_eng/data-mesh-its-not-just-about-tech-it-s-about-ownership-and-communication-part-2-c3b62780db1b
Data mesh: it’s not just about tech, it’s about ownership and communication (part 2)
Descifrando la importancia de una estrategia de datos moderna como Data Product Manager
En este episodio, Oscar Torres Fernandez, Head of Data and AI de la oficina de España, se une a Marta Díaz, Product Manager Data Platform de Adevinta España, y
Descifrando la importancia de una estrategia de datos moderna como Data Product Manager
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/descifrando-la-importancia-de-una-estrategia-de/id1533109636?i=1000627760687
Descifrando la importancia de una estrategia de datos moderna como Data Product Manager
 
 
 
 

Work experience

Kaantera - Strategy and Technology advisor
Kaantera - Strategy and Technology advisor
September 2024 - Currently
Lidr - Ignite Leadership program - Mentor and Trainer
Lidr - Ignite Leadership program - Mentor and Trainer
September 2024 - Currently
Tetuan Valley - Scale-up School mentor and trainer
Tetuan Valley - Scale-up School mentor and trainer
October 2024 - Currently
Wizeline - Head of Engineering EMEA
Wizeline - Head of Engineering EMEA
July 2023 - July 2024
  1. Leadership and Team Management: Lead and manage a diverse team of over 100 engineers across multiple countries in the EMEA region. This includes hiring, training, and mentoring staff, as well as creating a cohesive team culture and environment that fosters innovation and productivity.
  1. Strategy Development and Execution: Develop and execute a regional engineering strategy that aligns with the company’s overall objectives. This involves setting clear goals and metrics, and ensuring the team is equipped to meet these targets.
  1. Client Engagement and Consultancy: Act as a senior consultant to key clients, providing expert advice and solutions in product engineering and AI. Build strong client relationships and ensure high levels of satisfaction through exceptional service delivery.
  1. Innovation and Product Development: Drive innovation in product engineering and AI within the company. Oversee the deAAvelopment of new products or enhancements to existing ones, ensuring they meet market demands and client needs.
  1. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with other departments, such as sales, marketing, and finance, to ensure engineering efforts are aligned with broader company initiatives. This includes participating in cross-departmental projects and contributing to company-wide strategy discussions.
  1. Budget and Resource Management: Manage the engineering department’s budget, ensuring resources are allocated effectively and projects are delivered within financial constraints.
  1. Technical Leadership and Guidance: Provide technical leadership in the field of product engineering and AI. Stay abreast of industry trends and advancements, and ensure your team is continually updating their skills and knowledge.
  1. Quality Assurance and Risk Management: Oversee quality assurance processes and implement risk management strategies to ensure the delivery of high-quality engineering solutions.
  1. Compliance and Best Practices: Ensure all engineering activities comply with relevant laws, regulations, and company policies. Promote and enforce best practices in engineering and project management within the team.
 
Thoughtworks - Head of Data & AI Aug 2021 - July 2023
Thoughtworks - Head of Data & AI Aug 2021 - July 2023
Leading the strategic direction, ensuring the delivery of high-quality solutions, and cultivating a team of experts to meet the evolving needs of clients in the data-driven world.
  • Strategic Vision: Executing a strategic vision for the service line that aligns with the overall business goals and market trends.Identifying growth opportunities, defining clear objectives, and positioning the service line as a leader in the data and AI consulting space.
  • Client Engagement and Relationship Management: Building and maintaining strong client relationships understanding their unique needs, and providing tailored data and AI solutions that drive value and foster long-term partnerships.
  • Data and AI Expertise: A comprehensive understanding of data analytics, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies updated with the latest trends, best practices, and advancements in data and AI to guide the team in developing innovative and impactful solutions for clients.
  • Team Leadership and Talent Management: Leading a team of data scientists, AI specialists, engineers, and consultants by inspiring and motivating the team. Providing a collaborative culture, and guidance to ensure high-quality delivery and professional development.
  • Business Development and Financial Management: Driving business growth and financial performance of the Data & AI service line identifying new business opportunities, managing budgets, allocating resources, and making strategic decisions that contribute to the service line's success.
Thoughtworks - Glovo eng. director Aug 2019- Aug 2021
Thoughtworks - Glovo eng. director Aug 2019- Aug 2021
Working together with the client CTO and CSO, I supported software delivery with several teams around the company helping them to grow from 50 to 350 engineers in 1 year and:
  • Leading 6 teams across different clusters (+50 engineers)
  • Transitioning company from quarter planning to OKRs
  • Discovery and Ideation, Product inception
  • Product and engineering teams realignment
  • Migration to microservices
  • Data strategy and Data Mesh implementation
  • Eng. career development
Appsfactory - Lead Engineer Aug 2018- Aug 2019
Appsfactory - Lead Engineer Aug 2018- Aug 2019
  • Leading 35 backend engineers across different teams and projects
  • Recruiting partners management
  • New accounts engagement
  • Creation of a mentoring and training program for junior developers Daimler AG - Identity verification system (Lead developer) Design and implement a microservice integrating Netverify as identity verification provider for the Mercedes app ecosystem.
  • Leading 12 eng team
  • Architecture, design, and implementation Technologies: Azure, AKS Kubernetes, Terraform, Jumio Netverify, Golang FAZ (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) - Text 2 speech service (Lead developer) Technologies: GCS, Azure, .net core Beurer Apps - SSO system (Lead developer) Technologies: Azure, .net core, IdentityServer4, Redis
 
Made with đź’• in Madrid, Spain
 
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