This month, meet Frédéric Vadon, one of Nuxeo’s Pre-Sales Engineers. I interviewed Fred on the terrace of the Parisian office in the 18th arrondissement looking onto the city. While we enjoyed the beautiful fall weather, I drank my espresso as Fred, with his friendly disposition, enthusiastically explained his role at Nuxeo.
What are your main responsibilities as a Nuxeo Pre-Sales Engineer?
I really see it as being the interface between the sales people and technical guys, and being able to help the sales people when they are with the client. Whenever they don’t know the answer to a client’s technical question, I’m supposed to know it or at least understand it and find the solution later. That is probably my main responsibility: helping sales regarding everything that is more technical in the sales process from specific questions to requirement estimations.
What are your favorite aspects of your position?
What I like the most is that I get to discover many jobs. I get to work with many different clients because of what we do here. When working with Enterprise Content Management system like we do, the range of the different kinds of industries you work with is really huge. I really like speaking with them and discovering what they do, then helping them find the best solution for what they need to do and showing them how to do it.
How did you begin working at Nuxeo?
I started working at Nuxeo because I know Alain, who is my boss now. Alain is the brother of a very good friend of mine. I got to speak with him at a party and this is how I discovered Nuxeo. I found his job really interesting, ended up doing interviews and finally working here!
How long have you been with the company?
About a year and a half. I started in June of last year.
Did you always know this was the industry you wanted to work in?
No. I didn’t really know. Before this, I had a really different job. I worked in the auto industry; I was working on the software for the engines so it was really a different job. I also did other things before that, such as working in the pharmaceutical industry.
What is your favorite memory you have while you’ve been working at Nuxeo?
Probably last year at Nuxeo World. As we are preparing for this one, I remember last year’s sprint. It was two days of coding just before Nuxeo World. It was crazy; everyone was preparing for their conferences. The atmosphere was really nice. Last year I was with the team looking at what they were doing; we were working on the i-OS app, connecting Nuxeo to your iPhone. That is how the application started but it was more about the atmosphere all together, with everyone working on different things around the office.
If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
That would be crepes. I used to eat them a lot because I am from Brittany in France, but they have to be with some salted butter, not normal butter. That’s very important to me.
You said you’re from Brittany?
I am from Nantes, it’s one of the largest cities in the western France.
How did you end up in Paris?
For work, mainly. I couldn’t find anything interesting in Nantes in the beginning of my search so I moved to Paris. I found it cool; there many interesting people and things to do.
What’s your favorite aspect of living in Paris?
There is always something to do and you’re never bored. There’s always something new you can discover. I also like the fact that it’s central in France, so you can go almost everywhere very quickly. Wherever you have friends in Europe, it’s very easy to see them.