The Person
Hello, I am Miguel Fopiani.
I was born in 1971 in Cádiz, the oldest city in Western Europe. It is city with a long history of dedication to the sea and commerce. Currently, the city is dedicated to marine and offshore industry, fishing, commerce and tourism.
Since an early age I was interested in technical matters, sea, photography and gardening.
When I was 18, I decided to pursue Naval Architecture degree and initiate my professional career in engineering. I was involved in several offshore conversion projects and the environment in projects and project management has great appeal to me, more than being just an engineer. I like the feeling of dealing with people, resolving issues and being challenged.
In early 90´s, I was offered a golden opportunity to become the project manager representative in Brazil for a major offshore conversion project. Obviously, I said yes without even thinking about it. In this adventure, this youngster was exposed to a new and different reality. I arrived with my truth on how to do things, well learned from the company, and I discovered that there was not only one truth, but multiple, and all were equally valid and successful. This dismantled my house of cards, opening my eyes and pushing me to widen my knowledge on how projects and companies are managed and find different principles and best practices in project management.
I would like to draw the attention of the reader that previous narrated event happened around three years before the first edition of the PMBOK would be published by PMI.
My work in Brazil not only promoted my knowledge on technical or managerial matters, but also promoted the understanding of different cultures, diversity acceptance and people integration. It also submerged me into how to motivate people and team creation, make people participative and make them feel part of the work; while understanding their common ground and differences.
After Brazil, other international assignments have come until today. I am currently settled in Guadalajara (Spain), land of cereal and honey. Married and father of two adorable kids.
When I look back, I find I left good feelings behind. I keep in touch with a lot of people from former works and projects; they always receive me with a smile and a sincere feeling they like to be and chat with me.
I analysed why this happened, and I believe it is related to the education given by my parents; based on being humble, honesty, integrity, sincerity, respect, resilience, and passion on what you do.
I believe, I am and I will be the referent for my kids and I can´t enforce principles on them if I don´t follow myself. I believe I am successful in it as all illustrations in this website are made by them.
Well, this is Miguel, people can like or dislike me. But it is me.