Gio Benitez Torres is a quality advisory engineer for the customer quality engineering group at Lenovo, where he serves as the key liaison between the engineering team and internal external stakeholders. His role ensures that all necessary issues are addressed to resolve their biggest customers’ problems—making them “computer detectives, solving cases across the world.”
What is your greatest career accomplishment to date?
Throughout my academic years, I often reflected on where I could best apply my growing knowledge and skills. I chose the consumer electronics industry because I believed it would allow me to positively impact people through technology. Fulfilling this dream and living it on a daily basis while sharing my passion for technology with millions around the world is my greatest career accomplishment.
What is your greatest personal accomplishment to date?
Coming from a developing country with its own unique challenges and limitations, winning scholarships, and moving thousands of miles away from the land where I was born and raised was not easy. However, establishing a life in the US where I can contribute to making the world a little better through technology is a personal achievement I am very proud of.
What do you do today to impact your community?
I am part of the HOLA (Hispanics of Lenovo Association) ERG, where I serve as the professional development chair. In this role, I plan and advocate for activities that benefit employees and the community while infusing them with a Latino flavor. I also lead and coordinate Lenovo’s IPC (Industry Partnership Council) representation at the SHPE Convention, an event I first attended as a student eight years ago, and now I’ve come full circle by being on the other side. This involvement allows me to stay connected to my roots and share my passions with others. I believe that by sharing a bit of who we are, we can better understand the world, one step at a time.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
It’s hard to say for sure. I do have goals and ambitions, but I try not to be confined by specific milestones that could limit me from exploring unconsidered viable options. Nonetheless, I hope that my work will have a greater impact not just within the company but with tangible solutions on a global scale. Perhaps I’ll be leading a team focused on AI or introducing a new product on a big stage.
What is the biggest issue that you want to help solve, and why?
I would want to help make cutting-edge technologies accessible to a vast number of people while also being mindful of e-waste and supporting sustainable initiatives. This is a dilemma that, as time goes on, will require careful navigation within the industry. Hopefully, I can help come up with new creative ways to approach these challenges with the use of new technologies and techniques.
What is a moment when you realized the impact of your work?
My family and friends started sharing pictures every time they came across a Lenovo device in their daily lives. It was fun at first, but it quickly got out of hand! This made me realize the significant impact Lenovo computers have on society’s daily functions around the world. In many cases, I play a direct role in solving the issues these systems face. I came to understand that the work my team and I do to overcome technical challenges significantly affects the functionality and operations of countless people on a global scale.
Who inspires your leadership?
On one hand, the great Lenovo leaders I have the privilege of interacting with serve as a reminder that there is a path ahead. On the other hand, I draw inspiration from those who came before us, appreciating how thought processes have evolved over time. Philosophers like Aurelius and Bruno demonstrate that the impact of one’s actions can be felt across generations.
What is a surprising hobby or interest that helps you stay creative and energized?
Music, in all its forms. Whether discovering a new song or rediscovering an old one, attending a concert with a chanting crowd, or playing instruments to bring a melody to life—each experience is a liberating form of expression that can be shared with others or enjoyed in solitude.
What is your Latino background?
I was born and raised in Panama, where my family and many friends still reside. Additionally, Colombia has become a second home to me thanks to my wife.
What song do you listen to that motivates you?
When I need to get things done, I listen to “Rumble” by Skrillex or “Light It Up (Remix)” by Major Lazer. For background music, “Hedron” by BADBADNOTGOOD or “Lo Que Hay” by Señor Loop. When I’m in need of inspiration, I turn to “Chlorine” by Twenty One Pilots or “Sky Is the Limit” by Rebelution.
