Gilberto is originally from Portugal, near Porto, and has been living in Belgium since around 2000. After spending about 20 years in Leuven, he and his family moved to Bekkevoort, where they now enjoy a quieter life.
He brings several years of experience in network engineering. Before joining Essensium, he was responsible for the global network infrastructure at Facil, where he led major hardware replacement and documentation projects across multiple continents. Gilberto has a strong passion for building structured and reliable networks, and he enjoys working on both the strategic and hands-on sides of IT.
One thing that truly defines him is his eagerness to learn: he makes it a point to complete at least one course or certification every year.
Can you tell us a bit about your responsibilities?
At Essensium, I’m focused on maintaining and improving our network infrastructure. That includes ensuring connectivity, stability, and performance across our locations, as well as working on projects that enhance network security and documentation. I also support onboarding new hardware and troubleshooting more complex issues that impact connectivity.
What’s the best thing about your job?
I really enjoy the mix of problem-solving and structure. There’s a great sense of accomplishment in identifying and resolving issues or optimizing a network so everything runs more smoothly. I also appreciate the opportunity to work with people across departments and locations, it keeps things dynamic.
What are the biggest challenges in your work?
One of the biggest challenges is keeping up with constantly evolving technology while ensuring everything remains compatible and secure. Another key challenge is ensuring compliance with standards like ISO/IEC 27001 and GDPR – both require detailed attention and a strong understanding of policies and best practices. I’m actively studying to improve my knowledge in these areas.
Additionally, maintaining clear and up-to-date documentation across systems is time-consuming but essential for long-term efficiency and accountability.
Which things are on your bucket list – what do you absolutely want to have done?
I’ve always wanted to visit Japan, both for the culture and the technology.
Professionally, I’d like to lead a full infrastructure overhaul project from planning to deployment across multiple sites – that kind of strategic initiative is exciting to me.
What do you do in your free time?
In my free time, I enjoy playing football, diving into strategy or management games, and tinkering with my home lab setup. It’s a fun way to stay sharp, try out new technologies, and unwind after a busy day.