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Gabriel McDermott
Executive Vice President, Technology
Gabriel McDermott is the Executive Vice President of technology, responsible for VikingCloud’s global engineering group – and is based in our global headquarters in Dublin, Ireland.
With nearly three decades of software development and management experience spanning the security, medical, aerospace, and fintech industries, Gabriel has demonstrated exceptional skill in team development, leadership, and bringing innovative products from concept to delivery. His philosophy embraces hands-on involvement in product development, firmly believing that doing the work is as important as leading others through it.
A passionate innovator, Gabriel thrives in challenging environments and collaborating with boundary-pushing professionals. His expertise in machine learning and artificial intelligence has earned him publications in numerous academic journals. He is also a founding member of the Irish Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Science (AICS2024). Gabriel holds both a BS and PhD in Computer Science from University College Dublin.
Get to know Gabriel McDermott
Q: What gets you most excited/passionate about your job right now?
What truly ignites my passion is navigating the constant flow of technical challenges—there’s always something new to solve. I'm particularly energized by our collaborative environment—working alongside colleagues who push boundaries and challenge conventional thinking.
As we witness the rapid transformation of our industry, we're not just keeping pace; we're reimagining our entire approach to technology solutions by leveraging our 14-year foundation of innovation and the diverse expertise across our global team.
Q: What is the biggest challenge clients are experiencing when you first speak to them?
At the heart of most technical challenges lies a fundamental communication gap. When clients come to us, the most pervasive issue isn't technical limitations, but rather unspoken expectations and ambiguous requirements. In the engineering world, precision isn't a ‘nice to have’ —it's essential.
Even minor misalignments in understanding can cascade into significant disparities between what a client envisions and what ultimately gets deployed. My team excels at bridging this gap, translating complex technical concepts into clear, actionable insights that align with business objectives.
Q: If you could give one piece of advice to organizations, what would it be?
Invest the time upfront to crystallize your vision before a single line of code is written. The best requirements I’ve ever received came in the form of a draft user manual before development even started. The client had stepped into their customer’s shoes and described the full experience.
This level of foresight doesn't just streamline development; it fundamentally transforms the quality of the end product. It’s the gold standard for anyone designing a system.
In Closing
Gabriel is an effective leader, maintaining hands-on involvement in product delivery and driving his teammates to develop exceptional client solutions. His deep industry expertise and experience make him an invaluable asset to the VikingCloud team. We’re fortunate to have him on board.
Learn more about Gabriel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriel-m-54941a4/.
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