Rodrigo Fernandes Garcia

As the Digital & Innovation Director at GOL Linhas Aéreas, I am responsible for leading the company's digital transformation initiatives and aligning IT strategies with objectives to drive innovation and excellence in digital.

As a Business Technology Manager, my role was to lead and develop talent, foster a culture of innovation and agility, and ensure the alignment of the team with the company's objectives. With over 20 years of experience, I specialize in leadership, project management, and business strategy. Leading the Digital Channels and GOLLOG teams, I spearheaded digital transformation and innovation initiatives aimed at providing customers with the best possible solutions and experiences. I worked with a highly qualified and committed team, dedicated to creating a flawless user journey from conception to delivery. I adopt a mindset of continuous growth, always seeking new opportunities and ways to improve our processes and outcomes.

As the head of the engineering and UX/UI team, I placed a high priority on creating a culture of autonomy and collaboration. This meant empowering team members to take ownership of their work, encouraging them to think creatively and independently, and fostering an environment where everyone's ideas and contributions were valued. To achieve this, I implemented a number of strategies that supported collaboration and autonomy. For example, I instituted regular team meetings where everyone had a chance to share updates and brainstorm new ideas. I also encouraged team members to work together on projects, providing them with the necessary tools and resources to collaborate effectively. In addition to promoting collaboration, I also emphasized the importance of autonomy. This meant giving team members the freedom to work on projects that interested them and allowing them to take ownership of their work. By doing so, I was able to create a team that was highly motivated and engaged, with everyone working towards a shared goal. Overall, my approach to managing the engineering and UX/UI team was highly effective, resulting in a culture of autonomy and collaboration that led to increased productivity, higher quality work, and a more motivated and engaged team.

As the Director of Technology and Digital Operations, I had the opportunity to create and lead the new company of the TV1 group, focused on UX/UI + Technology (XLAB Tech), with emphasis on the development project of GOL's new website. In addition, I was able to contribute to the modernization of the IT area in São Paulo, Brasília, and Belo Horizonte, including the update of infrastructure and internal systems. I also proactively worked on the management and implementation of innovative technological solutions for TV1 Group's clients, including AI, IoT, Web, Apps, among others. At the same time, I established and managed the financial and operational goals of the units, achieving success by reaching the goals for the past two consecutive years of the digital unit (TV1.Com), reporting directly to the company's CEO. I actively participated in the organizational restructuring of the group, with the goal of integrating the group's agencies and preparing the company for its transformation into a solutions design consultancy in 2020. In addition, I had the honor of working with major companies such as GOL, Cyrela, SESC SP, Ingresso Rápido, Bradesco, Bradesco Seguros, Smiles, Localiza, Bayer, Syngenta, Unilever, Novartis, Pão de Açúcar, Carrefour, GRAACC, the Brazilian Federal Government Communication Secretariat (SECOM), among others, contributing significantly to the success of these partnerships. I often say that in this journey, I have worked with all the main B2C, B2B, and third sector business sectors.

Upon returning to TV1, I was tasked with leading the technology team in a new model, with a focus on results and high-quality deliveries. We implemented new work and collaboration formats that proved effective for clients such as SECOM, Novartis, VR, and others.

Working as a consultant and advisor, I helped startups and small digital companies navigate the complex world of technology by providing expert advice, developing customized solutions, and implementing best practices to improve their IT operations and enhance their competitive edge.

As Co-founder and CTO at WooW! Brazil, a company that stood out in 2011 for applying the leading techniques for conceptualizing, developing, and launching digital products, being responsible for the launch of some successful startups. As part of this experience, I successfully implemented the concept of lean team in the form of squads, which enabled rapid and efficient execution of digital projects for our clients. Additionally, I provided consulting services for new startups, offering MVP research and development services for fast and efficient market access. Among our key clients were Teleperformance, Salem Agency, Karajose Construction, Carrefour, TV1 Group, Plano Digital Agency, Ketchum, Magic City, Laços Flores Group, Clube do Brinquedo, E-Lave, and other major companies that trusted our work and expertise to obtain innovative and effective solutions for their needs.

As a Technology Manager, I was responsible for leading a team of technology professionals, including front-end and back-end specialists, who worked on simultaneous projects in various technologies such as .NET, Java, PHP, and Plone. During this period, I was able to effectively manage the team, ensuring that projects were delivered on time and within the budget. Among the main clients I served in this role were major market players, such as Volkswagen, Assolan, Fundação Roberto Marinho, O Boticário, SPVias, Visa, Unilever, Telefônica, Microsoft Brasil, Bradesco, Grupo Friboi, A5, HP, Bosh, Blockbuster, and other companies seeking innovative and effective technology solutions.

With a focus on C# and ASP development and using SQL Server, I built low-platform internal systems that delivered optimized performance and reliability.

The Business Management Specialization is a postgraduate course offered by FDC (Dom Cabral Foundation). Its goal is to provide training in the latest business management techniques for managers and executives in the transportation and logistics industries, with the aim of developing the necessary competencies to make the sector more competitive.

The program, created in partnership with the innovation consultancy INVENTTA, prioritizes practical learning, experimentation and dialogue, using concepts and theories as support and structuring of knowledge. Thematic visits, field research and learning journeys are also part of the course.

It is a methodology implemented by the United Nations, developed exclusively in Brazil by SEBRAE, which aims to promote business competitiveness through the improvement of the individual characteristics of the entrepreneur themselves. The Empretec is a program for entrepreneurs and future entrepreneurs, already implemented with excellent results and executed in Brazil in partnership with UNDP.