In our latest interview, we sat down with Lusine Avanesyan, Engineering Manager at Pure Storage, who shared an insightful look into her impressive career journey—starting from her childhood passion for mathematics in Armenia, guided by her father's encouragement, to her leadership role in Prague today. Lusine discusses the challenges of adapting to new cultures, balancing motherhood and career, and emphasizes the power of allyship and inclusion in the tech industry. Her thoughtful reflections highlight the value of soft skills, continuous learning, and the profound satisfaction that comes from empowering her team members to grow and succeed.
Everything started in my childhood, when I developed a deep love for Maths. My father, a Physics and Mathematics teacher, played a significant role in inspiring me to pursue a career in software development. During difficult times in Armenia (1998), he recognized that, as a girl, I had the opportunity to build my own career, and he encouraged me to seize that chance.
I graduated with degrees in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science—two master's degrees. My career in software development began with an invitation, as I was a top student at the American University. I started as a junior developer in Java, then transitioned to C#, where I fell in love with the language C#. Thanks to my natural organizational skills, I gradually moved up from an individual contributor to team lead, to scrum master, then into project management. Eventually, I transitioned into engineering management, which combines the skills from my previous roles along with people management.
Pure Storage found me on LinkedIn, and although I passed the interviews, I never imagined that I would end up here. It's been an incredible journey and a valuable experience for me.
The most rewarding part of my career is seeing people grow. It's truly amazing. One of my proudest moments was when I helped one of my senior developers transition into an engineering manager, and it was a huge success. It always makes me happy to see my team members grow, and knowing that I've had a positive impact on that journey is incredibly fulfilling.
In Armenia, with my 18+ years of experience in IT, it was always about 40% of the team being women, so I never really noticed the gender balance. But when I came to the Czech Republic, it was a real culture shock for me.. Over time, I started getting used to it.
When I look back, the biggest challenge has always been balancing motherhood with a full-time job. I’ve managed it with the support of many people around me. For example, when my kids were younger, my mother-in-law was a huge help, giving me the opportunity to truly switch off from home life and focus on work. There’s no perfect formula, though. I’m still constantly trying to find better ways to balance everything—spending more quality time with my children. Now that they’re teenagers, I’ve started a fun tradition where we schedule regular meetings on specific days of the week. We’ll go for a walk or grab a coffee and just talk.
Before joining Pure Storage and coming to Prague, I worked in international companies in Armenia. However, those companies were mostly local, with about 90% Armenians, so it didn’t feel as truly international. When I came here, it was a whole different experience. While we do have many Czech colleagues, at Pure Storage, we have over 50 nationalities among our employees, which is really wonderful.
On a personal level, it's a wonderful opportunity for my family, especially for my children, to receive a European education and experience life here.
From a leadership perspective, this move has taught me to be more humble, to listen more than speak, and to learn even more from my colleagues.
I believe allyship is really important because, as women, there are times when we need encouragement, and that's where allyship comes in. From my personal experience, there have been moments when I didn’t feel as confident, and there were my colleagues, or mentors who motivated and encouraged me to keep going. Their support helped me become more confident and continue doing great work.
It’s all about respecting people for both their skills and as individuals. It doesn’t matter what background, religion, or diversity someone comes from—what matters is that when we work together, we respect each other. We need to create an environment where everyone can freely express their opinions, engage in open discussions, and feel a sense of equality. This is the kind of atmosphere we have at Pure Storage, and I’m really happy to be part of it.
Technology is always changing, and staying curious and adaptable is key to being an effective leader. It’s also incredibly rewarding to help others grow, and being up-to-date with the latest trends allows me to mentor my team better. I believe growth is a two-way street, and I’m motivated by the opportunity to both contribute to and learn from the people I work with. Ultimately, the challenge of staying relevant and leading with empathy keeps me motivated to continue learning and growing.
I believe communication and negotiation skills are the most important soft skills. You can be the smartest technical person, doing excellent system design and architecture, but if you're unable to clearly communicate key points, negotiate details, or reach agreements with your peers, the value you bring is limited.
“The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari” by Robin Sharma and “Radical Candor” by Kim Scott.
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