Bernardo de Simas Gaspar Rodrigues is a lead solutions consultant at Immersive Labs based in the United Arab Emirates. Prior to joining the company, he spent most of his career in cybersecurity working on technology consulting and advisory projects.
When he learned about an opportunity at Immersive Labs, a company driven by a people-centric mission, he was excited to have the chance to channel his skill set to help organizations build and prove cyber capabilities. Moreover, Bernardo was eager to support his region. “Organizations throughout the Middle East have expressed a desire to level-up their cybersecurity capabilities. Immersive Labs is in a unique position to help their workforces prepare for, and respond to, cyber threats.”
Bernardo’s role at Immersive Labs
Bernardo’s role as lead solutions consultant includes supporting Account Managers so that they can better help Immersive Labs customers achieve their cybersecurity business goals. This work ensures that customers understand and experience the full value of the Immersive Labs platform, enabling them to make more informed decisions. His pre-sales engineering function is an essential part of a customer’s initial interaction with the platform.
Finding flexibility and channelling ambition
When asked what he enjoys most about Immersive Labs, two words come to Bernardo’s mind: flexibility and ambition. He said he has been “empowered in fulfilling my job as part of the wider Middle East team.” With support from other Immersers, Bernardo feels he has been set up to reach his full potential in his role.
“Due to its startup-minded culture, Immersive Labs has a unique mix of exciting challenges and opportunities that make it the perfect environment for someone who wants to take ownership of their work and how they execute it,” he said. As an ambitious professional, Bernardo joined the company almost three years ago seeking the opportunity to grow with a company and he’s pleased to say he found what he was looking for – and then some.
Bernardo’s achievements at Immersive Labs
Bernardo has accomplished some incredible feats throughout his tenure at Immersive Labs. One of his proudest moments has been earning the opportunity to run the company’s first National Cyber Drill, one of the largest cyber drilling events in the world to date. His team worked with a national regulatory body in a country within the Middle East and oversaw the platform utilization across 160+ organizations, which involved more than 1,600 people using the product simultaneously over the course of eight days.
Another of Bernardo’s remarkable achievements has been overachieving his annual quota last year, earning him a spot at last year’s President’s Club. Last spring, Bernardo and fellow top-performing sales team members were invited to Portugal to celebrate the incredible work they’ve done over the last year to surpass their goals.
Bernardo has also had the chance to work on rewarding projects. Recently, he had the opportunity to work on a Proof of Value engagement with a leading regulator in the digital space in the UAE. After an initial discussion, Bernardo and the company decided to go the extra mile and use interviews along with other mechanisms of engagement to develop a strong relationship with the regulator. “The approach was very successful,” Bernardo explains, “and we are now discussing the option to run a sectorial cyber drill.”
Benefits beyond the business
What impresses Bernardo the most about Immersersive Labs is the level of opportunity and flexibility available to employees that you would normally only expect at a larger organization. Immersive Labs is able to provide employees day-to-day flexibility on top of future opportunities for high performing employees. Bernardo elaborates: “This means everyone is very responsive and supportive.”
Outside of work, Bernardo is a family man, spending his off time enjoying leisurely activities with his two children. “I have a one-year-old and two-month-old at home that keep me busy most of the time when I’m not working,” Bernardo explains. “Over the weekends, we go out so they can get a breath of fresh air and do some activities.” He’s also an avid foodie, a passion he’s fortunately able to regularly indulge in around Dubai.
Advice for those considering applying to Immersive Labs
Throughout his three-year tenure at Immersive Labs, Bernardo has witnessed fellow employees tap into a wealth of opportunities at this growing business. He’s seen them work hard, succeed, and be rewarded for their success. Bernardo assures prospective applicants that their hard work will pay off at Immersive Labs. “If you do well, you will have a lot to look forward to.”
To explore career opportunities at Immersive Labs, visit our website today.