Exclusive Interview: Namik Hrle, Director of IBM's Development Lab in Germany Joins us on FLS
Over 20 global leaders in science, originally from Bosnia and Herzegovina, will attend the 4th edition of the Futures Leaders Summit (FLS), organized by the BH Futures Foundation in Sarajevo this December.
At the opening ceremony of FLS, Namik Hrle will be among the speakers. IBM is a pioneering American company in computing and information technologies. Founded in 1888, it became a corporation in 1911.
In an interview, Namik Hrle shared his early beginnings, where he studied, the jobs he undertook, and the destinations he worked at before culminating his career as the director in one of the world’s largest tech companies.
You were born in Banjaluka. When and why did you decide to leave your hometown, and what was your first address in the world? Where did you study, enhance your knowledge, and what jobs did you do and where?
Yes, I was born in Banjaluka, in an area called Mala Čaršija, at Mejdani. I attended the "Kasim Hadžić" elementary school and Banjaluka Grammar School, mathematics department. Since I wanted to study mathematics, I had no choice but to leave my hometown, or rather, leave my parents, brother, and many dear relatives and friends. I went to Zagreb, where I graduated from the Faculty of Science and Mathematics and obtained a Master's degree at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering. I worked in several Zagreb companies, in computing centers, as a programmer, systems engineer, and designer. In the late '80s, I moved with my wife and daughter to Sydney, Australia, where I developed system software for IBM’s mainframe computers, specifically, a performance monitor for IBM’s Db2 database.
I started as a programmer but quickly became the lead architect for this product. After 6-7 years in Australia, during which I frequently visited the U.S. and Germany, we moved to Germany because I was offered to work on a team developing IBM’s platform to support SAP business applications (SAP is a large German software company). I have been living and working in Germany ever since, and in the meantime, I have worked on several IBM development projects that I initiated, mostly as the lead architect and project leader.
It’s clear that your business successes led you to positions at IBM, but what does a typical workday look like for you as Vice President of Development in the Software Department?
I’ve always worked on developing software for large business systems, such as organizations like banks, insurance companies, retail chains, and large industrial corporations—typical IBM clients. This is important to note because these clients have very high standards for both the quality and innovation of the products I’m responsible for developing. Their software is a crucial source of competitiveness in the market, so there is no room for compromise. I am expected to identify business opportunities for improvement and transform these opportunities into specific IT solutions.
Thus, from identifying business processes that can be optimized or redefined with the help of IT, designing and architecting new IT products, to supervising and consulting development teams who bring these new products to market. My responsibilities also include assembling development teams, identifying and mentoring young talents, and creating conditions and support for their careers.
You hold 77 patents. Can you name a few and provide a brief explanation? What have you designed, and what is still in the development process?
It has been a pleasure for me to work on each of the new innovative solutions, regardless of whether they were granted patent rights. Of course, if any solutions are recognized as worthy of patenting, it’s a confirmation of originality, and that sense of authorship adds to the satisfaction in the innovation process.
I assume that many who work in creative fields, regardless of their domain, feel this way. If I had to highlight some patents, they would be those that resulted in significant business and financial success for IBM, such as: industrial-scale hybrid transactional/analytics processing, serverless consistent backup, and adaptive query optimization. I fear it would take a lot of time and written text to present all these patents, but if anyone is interested, they can look them up in any available patent registers.
Currently, I am working on the processes of implementing artificial intelligence in large business systems, which is a very fertile area for innovation and, therefore, patents.
What will be your focus at FLS, and what message would you like to send to students, colleagues, and Bosnians and Herzegovinians hoping for a better future?
At FLS, I will share my thoughts on the directions in which information technology is developing, which should be interesting for those planning to build careers in IT, in terms of which knowledge and experiences to invest in more, and which less. As you know, IT is an extremely dynamic field, and knowledge has a relatively short “half-life” in terms of relevance.
Therefore, it is important not to stay too long in the comfort zone, to carefully follow the development of information technologies, and to quickly "reposition." A similar approach applies to other scientific and business fields. To my fellow Bosnians and Herzegovinians, I say that we must give learning and knowledge the highest priority, that we should be known for our expertise, work ethic, and professional integrity, regardless of what we do. We can do this, and I hope that everyone who can contribute to this demanding and long-term goal will do so.
What was your recipe for success? Is persistence important, or is it true that "fortune favors the brave" in the process?
My recipe for success sounds like a cliché, but I don’t know any other way and cannot offer anything more attractive: continuous learning, healthy ambition to achieve realistic goals, a willingness to embrace change, especially when it involves stepping out of the comfort zone, helping others, tolerance, respect, and support for differences (in all aspects). And, of course, a certain dose of luck.
Join us at the Futures Leaders Summit 2024 and seize the opportunity to learn from remarkable professionals like Namik Hrle. Secure your ticket today and get inspired by the experiences and insights of leaders who are shaping the future in research, technology, and entrepreneurship. Don’t miss out on this incredible chance to connect with like-minded individuals and accelerate your career! See you in Sarajevo!