Day 5/100 as Head of Data & Cloud

The first week went by quickly, and it was a great feeling to wrap it up with positive feedback from one of my team members and the trust from my division manager.

This week I focused mainly on bringing structure and routine to improve communication and teamwork. Around 70–80% of my week was filled with meetings—which might sound heavy, but I was actually satisfied, as many of the discussions and decisions gave projects and the team clearer direction and concrete next steps.

🔑 Key moments this week:

Short and frequent daily check-ins ensure the team members are on the same page
Hosting our first tech & code session as a team
Led adoption of Jira for project management
Supporting team members in prioritizing and decision-making
Preparation for stakeholder talks

Even though leadership takes most of my time, I want to commit to staying 20–30% hands-on. This week, I was able to sketch an AWS architecture for new AWS project and have discussions around Redshift cost optimization with our AWS specialists and dear colleagues from other teams, a refreshing mix that kept the week exciting.

On the side, I also kicked off our second AWS certification sprint, conducted the AG Data Science session, and started preparing for my own AWS Security Specialist certification.

💡 My learnings this week:

Clear communication helps avoid misunderstandings
Asking for help and sponsorship is a strength, not a weakness
Listen first, understand needs, then offer support

Happy weekend! 🎉 💜

This is part of my "100 Days as Head of Data and Cloud" series. Follow along as I share insights, challenges, and learnings from this new leadership role.