From IT student to Senior Pre-Sales Engineer: meet Romain

At BSO, we rely on those at the forefront of technology.

Our pre-sales team evaluates the customers’ needs, advises them on technical solutions and implements projects which are innovative and global.

Romain Mazet, our senior pre-sales engineer, has been working with BSO’s customers since 2006, and in his 12 years with the company, he’s implemented some of the companies largest projects.

He takes us through his experience at BSO and treats us to a few anecdotes along the way.

What led you to work at BSO?

I started my studies in IUT Business Management and Administration. During my free time, I played online video games and participated in LAN parties.

Being passionate about new technologies, I then turned to IT. After IUT, I applied to EPITECH (the European Institute of Information Technology)..

What’s been your journey with BSO so far?

After my studies in 2006, I was recruited as a trainee systems engineer in the Paris region, then a few months later, I finally joined BSO in a permanent role.

In 2008, BSO expanded and opened an office in London. This gave me the opportunity to progress to Project Manager in the Service Delivery team because I wanted to move towards a more customer-facing role, halfway between the technical teams and customer relations. My first project deploying network infrastructure in record time for one of our customers was a great success.

Following my experience as Project Manager, in 2010 I took the opportunity to become a Pre-Sales Engineer because I wanted to have a more hands-on approach with our customers, and wanted the opportunity to advise them personally on the best projects for them.

What does a typical day at BSO involve for you?

Day-to-day, I’m heavily involved in consulting customers on their technical and functional specifications and work to understand their needs and their environments in order to offer them tailor-made solutions.

When the client is happy with their project design, I ensure a smooth transition to our service delivery and project management teams, a vital stage.

Finally, I keep abreast of new advances in technology, and what our competitors are doing, as our industry evolves very quickly.

What do you like about working at BSO?

Teamwork! At BSO, the pre-sales engineer is part of the sales team. BSO makes it possible to work as a true team when developing the commercial proposals.

Finally, I keep abreast of new advances in technology, and what our competitors are doing, as our industry evolves very quickly.

During my evolution in the company, I’ve had the opportunity to meet many people who have taught me a lot about new technologies. I strive to share this knowledge with new team members to enable them to develop and progress within the company.

Digital transformation is at the heart of every business strategy. New tools to support this development are made every day. It is therefore important to stay on top of all advances in technology in order to bring our expertise to our customers in their transformation process.

Which projects are you most proud of?

A few years ago, I participated in the development of a new product at BSO; our anti-DDoS solution; which protects, detects and neutralises a denial of service attack. This solution detects anomalies predictively to automatically redirect traffic in case of an attack on mitigation farms.

I researched the best technology available, no matter how new or advanced, and compared several products, the challenge was to find a powerful solution for our customers. Once the solution was chosen, with the help of our partner, we deployed this solution and trained our teams internally.

I am also proud to have participated in the PRA (Business Recovery Plan) project for our client I @ D (real estate network) and to have accompanied the ad agency Fred & Farid on with the build of their video-conferencing solution between China, Europe and the United States. The goal was to improve connectivity between China and other continents, which can be very complicated without local expertise.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I love to spend time with my family, my son, to see him grow up and pass on my knowledge to see him succeed! I love sports, tennis, kitesurfing and skiing.

What advice would you give to future pre-sales engineers?

Build a strong technical environment around you and learn about new technologies, listen to clients, appreciate cross-departmental relationships, and most importantly, welcome teamwork.

Interested in learning more about the people behind BSO?

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