Who is “Zio”?
⚙️ I’ve spent over 20 years in the engine room of software engineering, and if there’s one thing two decades of shipping code has taught me, it’s that the best architectures—and the best lives—are built on strong opinions, held loosely.
🇮🇹 -> 🇬🇧 I’m a Neapolitan that traded the Mediterranean sun 🥵 for the UK tech scene back in 2007. Since then, I’ve been tolerating British weather 💂 with the same grit I use to lead engineering teams, always aiming for that rare sweet spot ⚖️ between technical excellence and human pragmatism. Always sprinkled with plenty of 👨 dad jokes!
In my world, some things are built to be refactored, while others are set in stone. My code is flexible and my leadership style is adaptive, but my “al dente” is absolute 🍝. I have a lifetime record of zero overcooked pasta: being from Napoli, I’ve spent the last 10+ years in a relentless pursuit of the perfect Neapolitan pizza 🍕. I’ve moved past the traditional and into the “Contemporanea” style: even a classic recipe deserves a modern, airy upgrade.
💡 That same spirit of modernization defines my career. In a software world where the only constant is change, I refuse to be legacy. Whether it’s mastering a new paradigm or refactoring my own leadership approach, I have a restless desire to learn, grow, and reinvent myself. Just as the Contemporanea style honours “La Tradizione” while pushing the boundaries of what a crust can be (visual pun intended 😜), I believe in respecting the fundamentals of engineering while improving the execution and not being afraid of reinventing.
🚴 When I’m not at the keyboard or mentoring the next generation of Tech Leads, I’m likely chasing elevation. I only fell into the cycling rabbit hole three years ago. In that short window, I’ve already clocked over 40 vertical kilometers on two wheels. Life, it turns out, is simply better at a 10% gradient: nothing beats the demons 👺 of stress, like sweating profusely 😅 on a saddle.
👪 I’m an atti-dude, but I don’t get away with much! While I’m busy being the “Tech Lead” out in the world, it’s my beautiful wife 💍 who truly keeps me and my attitude in check. She’s the one who ensures my “strong opinions” don’t turn into “stubborn delusions”; and our two incredible sons provide and require the high-intensity focus that keeps my life busy and grounded.
Why “Zio Ivan”?
I’ve always liked the vibe of the “Zio” (Uncle), but it became official in 2026 when my little sister made me a Zio for the first time 🤱.
I fell in love with how the expression “Zio Ivan” sounds: the person you go to for the unfiltered truth, the mentor who has seen the fire and lived to tell the tale, and the one who always knows how to fix the dough.
I hope I will, one day, live up to this aspiration.
The Fine Print
I’m a big believer in the open exchange of ideas. Unless I’ve noted otherwise, the content here is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
© 2008–2026 Ivan De Marino