Staff Spotlight – Javier Bauset

Welcome to our Q&A series, where we shine a spotlight on the incredible individuals driving Sparta’s excellence. Join us as we delve into the essence of each team member, uncovering their motivations, stories, and perhaps some unexpected surprises!

Today, we are thrilled to introduce you to Javier, our Backend Engineer. Javier is the driving force behind designing and developing innovative features on our platform. Once those ideas become reality, he ensures everything runs smoothly by monitoring performance.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH THE COMPANY?

I’ve been in Sparta since January 2021, almost 3 years now.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN YOUR ROLE

As a Backend Engineer, I’m responsible for designing and developing all the new ideas and features that have been improved on the platform. Once all the new development updates are in production, I also monitor the performance and ensure that everything is working as expected.

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY?/CAN YOU GIVE ME A RUNDOWN OF YOUR CAREER PATH UP UNTIL THIS POINT?

I didn’t have previous experience in the commodities industry. My career began in Java development at a small consultancy, where I was involved in different banking projects. Later, I transitioned to a company that both had a product and customized it to meet various clients’ needs, primarily in the banking sector. I was heavily involved in customizing the product for clients due to their specific requirements.

After a brief period working for another consultancy, I made the exciting decision to join Sparta. My motivation behind this move was to be a part of a product-centric company.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF WORKING AT OUR COMPANY?

There are many aspects to consider, but what I appreciate most is our collaborative culture. From the beginning, we have felt entirely comfortable working together. When we began working on the product as professional developers, we encountered challenges in the commodity sector, and everything was quite new to us. However, from the outset, we felt empowered to take ownership of our work and focus on delivering results as a team.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN YOUR CAREER SO FAR?

I take immense pride in my journey at Sparta, reflecting on the significant learning experiences and remarkable accomplishments we’ve achieved within a remarkably short span of time.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE OUR COMPANY CULTURE?

Our company culture is very customer-centric. We prioritise the user’s perspective in every aspect, from customer sales to wisdom and success. This integral focus aims to enhance the user experience, not only for our customers but also for our growth and development teams. It ties back to what I mentioned earlier about empowering people; we strive to take ownership of our work.

WHAT’S THE MOST INTERESTING PROJECT YOU HAVE WORKED ON HERE?

The most interesting project I’ve work here, probably is Diesel, it wasn’t our first vertical , which was Gasoline, but was something like the first stone in a new way of building verticals, we reused much about what we learned with Gasoline, and also we made more learnings along the way. It also was a project in which we join teams to work together and was something great.

WHAT’S ONE THING PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU THAT THEY WOULD BE SURPRISED TO FIND OUT?

Outside of work, I have a passion for programming and reading. I also enjoy exploring various hobbies without a specific focus. For example, I recently started a hobby working with wood, chip carving, crafting patterns, and making wooden objects during the summer.

WHAT ARE YOU GOALS FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS/YEARS?

That’s something I usually don’t think very much about, but I’m always eager to continue growing here and to be able to contribute to the new challenges we’re going to face, because everything that’s coming is really exciting.

WHAT PIECE OF ADVICE TO YOUR YOUNGER SELF?

As a young professional, I’ve learned that trying new things and not being afraid to seek new experiences is quite essential. I’ve noticed that sometimes people are hesitant to embrace change or take risks. However, it’s important to remember that often, the biggest risks yield the biggest rewards. Taking chances can lead to significant opportunities.

WHAT IS ONE THING YOU WISH PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT YOUR JOB?

It can be challenging, despite not being in direct contact with our users, we make every effort to ensure a positive experience for them. This includes maintaining a fast platform and striving to be consistently responsive.

IF YOU HAD THREE WISHES, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?

Perhaps what I truly desire, in addition to good health, is the freedom to break free from financial worries. I wish for financial independence, not for luxury, but to live without the constant concern of expenses. Lastly to be able to travel time, so I can experience life and exploring the past, like the Roman Empire or the Viking era, which is not possible through books or movies alone. Though, I admit, the thought of going back to the Viking times might be a bit intimidating for me.

WHAT’S THE LAST SONG YOU LISTENED TO?

I typically don’t listen to specific artists. Instead, I often listen to daily or instrumental music while working, or I choose my music based on the moment and my mood.

WHAT, IF ANYTHING, ARE YOU CURRENTLY BINGE-WATCHING OR READING?

I’m currently watching ‘Invasion’ on TV. Additionally, I’ve been engrossed in a Spanish novel about the tumultuous era of the first Hispanic emperor during the Roman Empire, and it’s grabbed my interest, even though I’m still in the early episodes.

WHAT’S ONE THING ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?

One of the things I want to do in the next few years is travel to Japan, I think I feel attracted by the Japanese culture since my childhood.

Javier is our Backend Engineer here at Sparta and can be contacted at javier@spartacommodities.com

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Sparta is a live, market intelligence and forecasting platform that enables oil traders, refiners, banks, hedge funds and wholesalers to have access to real-time and global actionable insights to capture market opportunities before others.

To find out how Sparta can allow you to make smarter trading decisions, faster, contact us for a demonstration at sales@spartacommodites.com