I'm Miguel. I make things happen.
11+ years leading IT operations, building teams from scratch, and turning broken or directionless environments into something that actually works. Across retail, telecoms, energy, automotive, and PE-backed software.
I don't parachute in with a framework and hand over a report. I embed into your team, understand what's actually going on, and drive it forward myself. That's the difference.
Most companies don't have a technology problem. They have a clarity problem.
Get clear on where you're going and the technology side gets a whole lot simpler. That's what I help you figure out.
Direct. Flexible. No committees.
I read the situation and do what it needs, whether that's sitting at the leadership table or getting into the weeds with the team.
I don't poll five people before making a call. That's not how progress happens. If you need someone to circulate a deck for three rounds of approval, I'm not your person. If you need someone to move, I am.
I adapt to what the situation actually needs.
I don't drop a plan on your desk and disappear.
Honest assessments, even when it's uncomfortable.
As involved as you need. No more, no less.
The situations that tested me are exactly why you can trust me.
Building a global team from zero.
First leadership role. No domain expertise in middleware. Tasked with building a global team while managing the handover of a client that had been with the same vendor for 30 years. No playbook. No safety net. I figured it out.
Operating in the grey zone.
Led the transition from a managed services model to in-house while simultaneously playing service provider and client. Had to protect my company's position, extend the contract, and manage egos on both sides without losing either. Nobody teaches you that.
Structure where there was none.
Took over a team with no leader, no docs, and no process. Built an operating model from scratch, cut daily standups in favor of bi-weekly 1-1s, and gave the team full visibility without anyone breathing down their necks.
I go deep. In travel. In work. In everything.
I travel as much as I can, and not the resort kind. I find locals, eat where they eat, and try to understand a place from the inside rather than through a curated itinerary.
That same instinct carries into how I work. I don't walk in with a framework and force it on everyone. I read the room, understand the culture, and figure out what's actually going on before I start making calls.
It's why I've been able to lead remote teams across EMEA, LATAM, and APAC without defaulting to a one-size-fits-all approach. People aren't resources. They're shaped by where they come from. That matters.
Who this is not for
If you need five sign-offs before anything moves, we won't work well together. I work with people who are ready to go and trust the person they brought in to help them get there.
Why this works
Every company has different problems, constraints, and culture. I've worked across all of them. That variety is what keeps my approach sharp - I don't bring a template, I bring experience.
Based in Portugal. Working globally.
Remote-first by design. I've led teams across time zones and cultures for years. Location is not a constraint.
Ready to work with someone who actually moves?
30 minutes. No pitch. Just an honest conversation about where you are and what needs to happen.