Meet Hovik, our Lead iOS Engineer

What do you do for Cuvva?

My official role is Lead iOS Engineer, which means that I am responsible for the iPhone app. However, I have now taken over the Android app too, because it was lagging behind iOS. Sometimes when asked, I say my title should be Lead iOS & Whatnot Engineer.

How did you get into this?

I moved from Dublin to London to re-start my career. I received a phone call from Freddy, came into meet with James, and decided that Cuvva was where I wanted to work. It all happened really quickly, but I knew that the challenge an insurance app posed was something I was interested in. 👍

What are you working on this week?

This week I am balancing my time between the two apps. Given that we have just finished the full roll out of the new product on iOS, I am spending this week working on any fixes that may arise.

Who do you work with most?

I would say I work with almost everyone, which is normal for a start-up environment. The app is the front facing product, so this means that I interact with customer support a lot, who feedback issues from users. I am constantly exchanging ideas with everyone else, from marketing and sales, through to the design and product team.

What are you excited about working on in the next few months?

Given the dynamic environment, my projects change each day, so the next few months will be spent responding to the improvements which need to be made. Obviously there are definite projects I am working on, such as the development of subscription on Android. Overall, I feel like my work operates like jazz music, because there is some improvisation in constructing an end piece. 🎼

What have you learned during your time at Cuvva?

I have learnt how productive and efficient a small team can be, in comparison to those I have seen in my past work environments. I feel that Cuvva is at its peak productivity, and that we will maintain this pace for the foreseeable future. I have also learnt lessons in leadership, and how the decision making process is what makes the productivity possible.

What do you do for fun?

For fun I make electronic music, because I have always loved analogue synthesizers. I'm interested in the way in which everyone can make their own music: house, techno and ambient. However my tastes aren't limited to just electronic music, throughout the day I can listen to classical, jazz and modern electronic; Mozart in the morning and underground techno whilst working. 💭

Tell us something unexpected about you.

My full name, Hovhannes, originates from the Armenian translation of the biblical name John.