»I do best when dropped in the deep end«
Whether under the hood of vintage cars or in front of a desk, Nitin Farmah, Manager at Netcompany UK, radiates positivity. His guiding philosophy? All problems are soluble. Yet, like people, they need periods of rest to blossom.
A dream come true
At the time, Nitin was an aerospace engineer harboring ambitions for a tech career. A few years later, his dream materialised. Impressed by the culture on display when Netcompany consulted at his firm, he was inspired to apply for a job with Netcompany itself. What Nitin didn’t know was that Netcompany was about to open a new office precisely at the location where he had expressed his wish to work a few years earlier. In October 2022, he was hired.
»It was one of those situations where I felt I almost dreamt it into reality«, Nitin says with a smile.
Once an undeveloped cityscape, King’s Cross in London has become a bustling tech hub for companies like DeepMind, Google, and Facebook, and a magnet for young tech and science enthusiasts alike.
On the left, a view from the top of the Netcompany building. On the right, the construction of the area's new Google building.
A place with no ceiling
Nitin quickly earned trust at Netcompany. Shortly after joining, he was instrumental in opening a new Birmingham office to serve the Midlands. Through analysing employee locations, he identified optimal relocation opportunities and helped transform the office into a crucial hub for both employees and partner companies.
»I immediately felt there was no ceiling in terms of ambition and growth. If I wanted to try something, the answer was always ‘go ahead and try it. I was trusted from day one«, Nitin says.
Less than a year after joining, Nitin was made workstream lead on the Defra (Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs) project. Today, he carries the torch of trust forward.
»I try to give others the opportunity to solve a problem whenever possible, even if it might be much quicker to do it myself«.
Nitin conjures up an image to explain his philosophy of trust.
»It’s like teaching someone to swim in the ocean. You push them but always ready with a life ring to pull them back«, Nitin says.
Nitin at the King's Cross St. Pancras tube station.
Nitin thrives when challenged, embodying the ethos of diving headfirst into the deep end. Yet, he acknowledges that effective problem-solving requires a delicate balance. Not every issue demands a perfect solution, nor does spending excessive hours always lead to breakthroughs.
»Striving for a personal best every run isn’t realistic«, he observes.
This philosophy extends to his work; sometimes, stepping away from a problem is what leads to its solution. For Nitin, whose passion lies in unravelling complex challenges, finding this balance between persistence and pause can be as intricate as the problems themselves.
»There are moments when I’m fixated on code that just won’t cooperate. It’s usually when I’m about to call it a day that the solution clicks«, he shares. This cycle of engagement and detachment is not just a technique but a testament to the idea that sometimes, the path to resolution is found in the space between efforts.
Nitin’s philosophy and zest for problem-solving extend beyond the digital realm and into the tangible world of vintage cars.
His 1972 Beetle and 1984 Mercedes G Wagon have both been completely apart. When Nitin acquired the Mercedes, it hadn’t been serviced in over a decade.
»When someone tells me ‘‘That’s not a DIY job, you should take it to the garage’, I tend to see it as a challenge«, Nitin explains.
Whether in the world of vintage cars or IT systems, Nitin holds fast to the idea that problems are soluble. And he believes that planting a seed of positivity early in the day can help it grow.
»A simple ‘good morning’ can set the stage for success. Carry that positivity forward through your day, and you can’t go far wrong«, Nitin ends.
Nitin Farmah
Manager
