Career growth at Agoda is not a singular journey. Each individual’s path is unique. During Agoda Dev Day 2024, our internal Tech event held across three countries, we had the privilege of hearing from some of our accomplished leaders—Paolo Bruzzo (Director of Engineering), Benjawan (Koi) Wongwarn (Associate Director of Engineering), and Shaun Sit (Director of Engineering)—who shared their individual journeys, challenges, and valuable career advice.
Read on to discover the key takeaways from their discussion.
The Journey to Leadership
Paolo: I joined Agoda in January 2017 as a Senior Engineer, focusing on pricing and search features. After some time, I transitioned to a platform-oriented role, similar to Site Reliability Engineering (SRE), within the same domain. Over the years, I moved into leadership roles, from Lead Engineer to Development Manager. In 2021, I transitioned to the Booking Funnel team, where I managed both platform and product teams. I grew into the SEM and Director roles, and I’m still in this position today. It’s been seven years, and it’s been a fantastic journey of growth and learning.
Koi: I’ve been with Agoda for ten years. I initially started as a Front-End QA Manager, then grew within the same domain to a Senior QA Manager. Over the years, I switched to different areas and products. A few years ago, I took on a role managing the System Intelligence team and was promoted to Associate Director earlier this year.
Shaun: I’ve been with Agoda for nine years, starting 2015 as a Data Engineer, working on the Whitefalcon and Hadoop teams. I soon identified the need for a dedicated Messaging Team to streamline data delivery and simplify processes. I led that team and introduced key components like the messaging client, forwarder, and schema registry. In 2020, I helped shape the vision and strategy for Agoda’s Data Platform teams and began managing the entire Data Platform. In 2023, I co-led Agoda’s first GenAI hackathon, helping define the company’s GenAI strategy. I then took on the GPT tools team, developing solutions like gpt.agodadev.io and GPT integrations in Slack/Teams.
The Question of Staying Long-Term
You’ve all been at Agoda for a long time. Do you ever feel that you’ve stayed too long, or that it could negatively impact your career or resume?
Shaun: I’ll admit, I do wonder about this from time to time. For me, it’s less about how long I’ve been at the company and more about whether I’m still growing as an individual. I make sure to ask myself, “Am I too comfortable?” Ultimately, the important thing is to keep growing, and Agoda has provided plenty of opportunities for that.
Koi: I’ve never questioned my decision to stay here for ten years, but my friends and job candidates will often ask me about it. My answer is simple: I never feel like I’ve reached the ceiling of my growth at Agoda. There’s something new to learn every single day, and that’s what keeps me excited about my work.
Managers vs Individual Contributors
Do you think you need to be a manager to grow your career?
Shaun: It used to be the case early on at Agoda, about seven to nine years ago, when the hierarchy was very flat. But today, Agoda has evolved, and I don’t think you need to become a manager to grow your career. There are many other paths to success. In fact, I would argue that Principal Engineers can have a greater impact on the roadmap than directors in many cases. We have only a handful of Principal Engineers but over 40 Engineering Directors, which shows how much value the company places on technical leadership. So, career growth doesn’t have to follow the management track.
Paolo: I agree, I believe there’s no single path that suits everyone. It’s about discovering what you’re truly good at and excelling in that area. At Agoda, you have the freedom to shape your role around your unique skills, rather than forcing your abilities to fit a predefined position. When you pursue what you genuinely connect with, you’re more likely to thrive in your work. Don’t feel pressured to follow someone else’s trajectory.
The Role of Managers in Career Growth at Agoda
How much of your career growth do you attribute to your own efforts versus the guidance and support of your manager?
Koi: Much of my career growth at Agoda was driven by my managers. I’m not someone who’s highly motivated by career progression—I just want to enjoy my day-to-day work. In that way, my managers have been key to my growth, as they push me to try new things. I still remember the time Royee Goldberg (VP of Engineering) asked me to work on a feature of a scrum tool. I was surprised, but I took on the challenge and ended up learning a lot. It was a huge achievement for me to see my name as a contributor to the scrum tool. That experience really showed me the value of manager-driven growth.
Adapting to Role Changes
Have you ever been in a role that you weren’t ready for or didn’t initially want?
Shaun: I think it’s natural to feel imposter syndrome when stepping into a new role. It’s something we all experience, but I believe that if you’re not ready for a role, your manager won’t put you in that position. And if things aren’t going well, there will be conversations about it. If I ever feel truly unprepared, I’m comfortable stepping aside and finding something I’m better suited for. It’s okay not to be ready for everything.
Paolo, you’ve had several role changes at Agoda. How did you adapt, and what strategies did you use to overcome challenges?
Paolo: Throughout my seven years at Agoda, I’ve had five role changes and nine different managers. So even within the same roles, there were different expectations. Whenever I make a big transition, the first thing I do is ask my manager what’s top of mind for them. Effective communication is really important. Being able to clearly deliver messages will take you very far, and it’s one of the easiest ways to increase your value at a company.
It’s easy for engineers to focus on getting better at technical skills, because it’s what we love to do. It’s more fun to follow a ten-hour crash course on distributed systems than on communications. But less fun doesn’t equal less importance. To improve my communication, I often try to teach myself concepts as if I were explaining them to someone else. It helps me identify knowledge gaps and improve my ability to explain complex ideas.
Final Advice: Words of Wisdom
If you could go back to the start of your career, what advice would you give your younger self?
Shaun: Early in my career, I was quite inward-focused, convincing myself that staying in my lane and not overstepping was the right approach. Over time, I realized this mindset was limiting. When you see something that doesn’t seem right, it’s important to respectfully ask questions and seek to understand. You never know where that curiosity might lead. At the very least, you’ll learn something new; at best, you’ll help make something better.
Koi: Allow yourself to take risks. At some point, you need to get out of your comfort zone, push through your fears, and embrace change.
Paolo: Don’t overthink the future too much. It’s good to plan ahead, but not too frequently. Focus on the present, do your best, and trust that things will fall into place. Patience pays off!
The Bigger Picture of Career Growth at Agoda
The journeys of Paolo, Koi, and Shaun are proof that growth at Agoda is driven by a combination of self-motivation, manager support, and a willingness to embrace new challenges. Whether you’re looking to climb the management ladder or excel as a technical leader, Agoda offers the flexibility and opportunities to build a fulfilling and impactful career.
