Do you find working with computers or people more fascinating? 

People, without a shred of doubt. I only use computers to support people nowadays. Meaning that I create more transparency by developing apps that display the metrics teams genuinely value. Making a positive difference in people's professional lives is my intrinsic motivator. It’s why I come to work, why I love what I do. 

What's your all-time favorite Retro Recipe?  

My go-to retro recipe is “Lean Coffee”, which should come as no surprise since I frequently organize Lean Coffees in my spare time. While there might be retro recipes that are more enjoyable, more serious, or more effective, the key lies in applying them correctly to the right team.

The Lean Coffee recipe, however, strikes the perfect balance between casual and professional, making it suitable for most teams. It allows the team to set the agenda and it focuses on topics that engage everyone. I’ve lost count as to how many times I’ve facilitated this retrospective, yet I still want to do more as I have seen real magic happen when a group of individuals turned into a team.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?  

To require only a second of sleep and be fully rested and refreshed. With two young daughters, a fulfilling yet demanding job, and hobbies, an extra 8 hours per day without suffering any side effects from sleep deprivation would be a real superpower. Especially since my body really requires 8 hours of sleep. If I skip too many hours, then I’m guaranteed to get a cold sooner or later.

What's your ultimate guilty pleasure food? 

I love éclairs! (Éclairs are a typical Belgian pastry filled with cream and topped with chocolate.) Since I started working at Skyline, my éclair consumption has skyrocketed. This pastry has turned into a tradition. It initially started as a way to put an end to endless discussions by saying, “Wanna bet for an éclair?” However, being part of a team that loves to discuss, this resulted in a substantial number of éclairs.

Now it has become the default treat whenever the team has something to celebrate, like the release of a particular feature or a colleague’s major life events like becoming a parent or buying their first home.

What's the most memorable travel destination you've ever been to, and why? 

Our family loves traveling, and we have several memorable destinations to pick from. The one that immediately comes to mind is the one where we experienced our biggest culture shock. It took our bus a whopping 8 hours to cover a measly 150 kilometers, yet we were thrilled to arrive, considering the bus could have easily tumbled 50 meters down a ravine into a raging river on several occasions.

All of this could easily be overlooked thanks to the country’s breathtaking beauty, its (mostly) warm people, majestic mountains, pristine nature, wildlife, and delicious food. I’m talking about our trip to Nepal and our 7-day hike in the Himalayas from Pokhara to Annapurna Base Camp (ABC), followed by an on-foot safari in the jungle in the southern part of Nepal. There, we kayaked alongside crocodiles, strolled past a fresh mound of rhino dung, and witnessed a beautiful display of a buck splashing in a shallow lake, trying to impress the females.