Interview with Luca Tamburrino - Etiqa's new Head of Growth

In the intricate world of tech and recruitment, Etiqa has found a new guide for its growth journey - Luca Tamburrino.  His career, starting at a young age, weaves through unconventional routes and diverse global experiences. In this interview, we skip the fanfare to uncover Luca's journey, his rationale for choosing Etiqa, and his pragmatic vision for growth and innovation in HR and health tech.

This conversation unveils the challenges, decisions, and real-world dynamics shaping Etiqa's path into uncharted waters.

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Can you tell us a bit about your background and experiences?

My journey towards my dream job began at 14 when I first visited the Youth Information Center in my hometown, Matera. There, I was introduced to a myriad of opportunities – jobs, working abroad, European funds, and EU programs for young people. It was a defining moment; I understood my purpose, but the path to achieve it – the how, when, and where – was still unclear.

That moment marked a significant milestone in my life and career path. My passion for technology and the recruiting industry led me to realize that a traditional university education wasn't the right fit for me. I was more drawn to research, with a goal to connect people to opportunities, recognizing that these opportunities are not equally distributed worldwide.

I bypassed university and began my career journey in the recruiting industry in Lithuania and Poland, first as a Sourcer and then as a Recruiter. My path then took me through two start-ups in the E-Learning and HR sectors across Italy and Asia before moving to Ireland to work with two major tech companies.

In my latest role, I was responsible for overseeing the launch of new products in specific markets.

This journey has enriched me with diverse perspectives, frameworks, tech skills, and mindsets in Growth Sales, Sales Strategy, Marketing, and Partnerships, particularly in the HR & Recruiting sector, working with various SaaS, E-commerce, and software companies.

Currently, I am 12 years into a career that traces back to that pivotal meeting at 14. 

I have been building, creating, and crafting new projects and products for people seeking new opportunities.

At Etiqa, one of my initial tasks, and a personal aspiration, is to develop new products in the Human Resources industry. Around the World. To improve how companies can find the right person, and how people can find the right company hub for their work-life balance. 

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What attracted you to join Etiqa, and what excites you the most about your role as Head of Growth?

Everything has always started from an encounter, because in my opinion, opportunities arise from events. Events that pave the way for new paths. I met the CEO of Etiqa - Fabio Pulvirenti - some time ago, and there has always been a wonderful relationship between us. He shared an energy I hadn't felt in a long time. In the end, I believe the best choice in work is when you have the freedom to choose. To choose between a job, a person, and a team that creates positive vibrations within you. And when you can imagine a perspective, feel it, and see it, then you know you can follow your instinct.

This is my story about why I chose Etiqa. It is for the people, for its culture, for its goal of truly innovating every day, thanks to technology. Trying to improve the quality of life for many people around the world. Not just through the technological development of new software in the Health Tech sector, but also in Recruiting. 

Therefore, I hope, in my own small way, to contribute to the growth and development of Etiqa through the development of new projects and entry into new markets beyond the American one that has characterized Etiqa's history over these years.

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What specific responsibilities and challenges do you anticipate in this role?

There are many departments (Sales, Strategy, Marketing, Partnerships) encompassed within the Growth section, reflecting our expansion into new markets, companies, and especially new products that we will soon launch. In fact, you will see us on Product Hunt shortly with several new features.

A challenge that is also a fantastic opportunity is the ability to increase the talent pool residing (from anywhere in the world and remotely) in these departments of Etiqa. 

There is no better feeling in work than being able to create new job opportunities for others. 

Etiqa has always been a Software Farm for many American companies and startups. The opportunity to expand our partnerships in the USA and with another reference market in EMEA in 2024 will allow us to experience new life stories of Etiqa's next future, which will be truly exciting.

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How do you plan to drive innovation within Etiqa, especially in the field of Recruiting?

Etiqa has been indirectly involved in Recruiting, even for third parties. It has created significant value that is not just linked to the usual action of Referral.

Internally, therefore, we are creating a partnership service among various corporate entities, always connected by the possibility of conducting more distributed and organized Recruiting. 

We aim to help more companies hire the best developers with the most suitable tech stack skills in the shortest time possible according to their needs, without having to publish thousands of job offers. This is made possible by our knowledge of the various profiles that are increasingly connecting to our Etiqa community.

Externally, as I said before, we will soon launch new products that you will soon know more about.

Moreover, we will continue to offer a unique opportunity for companies to develop bespoke software solutions with us. From advanced ATS systems to specialized Inbound & Outbound Recruiting processes, our services will always be custom-crafted to fit your specific needs, mirroring the meticulous care and personalization of a master tailor.

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What areas or markets do you plan to focus on to stimulate growth?

‍Growth is a term frequently used in the tech sector because, naturally, everyone aims to expand. However, in my opinion, frequently discussing a concept can lead to a loss of its true meaning – the essence of our actions, our aspirations, and our social missions and dreams.

At Etiqa, growth is deeply connected to our culture, evolution, and people.

By 2024, we aim to develop three new pillars of strategic growth:

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• People: Starting with organic growth within our various departments, we will begin with the Sales department.

• Markets: In the Health Tech sector, there's a significant surge in scale-ups and startups, particularly in Switzerland and Ireland. Etiqa has previously formed several partnerships for the development of healthcare web/apps. Now, we plan to expand our operations, especially in Switzerland, to support more scale-ups and startups. With a team of over 40 engineers working asynchronously and remotely, we're dedicated to helping them achieve their growth objectives.

• Products: A Software development partner company typically creates products for others. From 2024, Etiqa plans to expand its product portfolio in the health tech and recruiting sectors. In this case, markets and products will evolve asynchronously. Companies focused solely on product creation face geographical limitations in scaling at the outset. However, there are scenarios – like Etiqa – where it's feasible to implement A/B testing strategies between services and products, catering to different customer segments, client companies, and markets.

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To conclude, what are your short-term and long-term goals for Etiqa's growth under your leadership?

Achieving these last three points, as previously mentioned, will be my greatest challenge in 2024. Increasing our resources by searching for and hiring talents who we believe would thrive at Etiqa, as well as enhancing Etiqa's growth penetration and value in new markets and through the development of new products, will be key.

It will be quite challenging at the beginning, as is the case for any entity (small, medium, or large) that desires to continually progress and not remain static or wait.

I love technology because when you strive to create bridges of connection and opportunities, you generate new social value in the world.

This is what I aim to carry with me every day and share with our team, partners, and stakeholders.