#Tink25 “It’s Tink’s attentiveness, and the many qualities of my coworkers, that have kept me here for 15 years”

To celebrate Tink’s 25th anniversary, we will be sharing a series of testimonials from employees who have grown with us—over the past 10, 15, and even 20 years—in an ever-changing industry. Today, we hear from Philippe Girard, who joined us in 2006!

I joined Tink as a web developer, and today I’m the director of consulting services, says Philippe, who will celebrate 15 years with the agency this summer. I have a bachelor’s degree in math and a master’s degree in computer science, so I have a technical background and work pretty methodically. I’ve been the director of consulting services since 2018, but if someone had told me just four or five years ago that I was going to have this opportunity, I wouldn’t have believed them.

As Tink was founded back when the digital industry was still in its infancy, Philippe was able to grow with the company. I’d acquired valuable experience working at a web development agency in Lyon, France, so I quickly became one of Tink’s first systems analysts. Philippe acted as a bridge between clients and the production and development teams, ensuring that everyone had the same understanding of a project’s needs and requirements. At the time, we needed a lot of functional specifications and descriptions before we could start developing the web pages. We used a waterfall method.

When asked what he thought was the main reason Tink has grown so much over the past 15 years, Philippe has much to say. The web industry is constantly evolving, and so are we! Tink’s clientele has always been very diverse, from insurance companies to rotisserie chicken restaurants, to take two extremes. Each type of business comes with its own specific challenges. But I’d say that when transactional websites became popular, we began to see a real change in how we work. Projects were more dynamic and certain issues became more important, like data security and client-specific legal requirements. We also had to review our internal organization. New hires and increasingly specialized teams meant a greater need for management and coordination personnel. As Tink grew, so did Philippe. For example, in response to changing technologies, we gradually transitioned to an agile methodology, which you hear so much about these days. But we adapted it to our reality. Some will say that we’re too agile; others, not agile enough. But for me, what matters is that we’ve always been able to integrate new work methods and the latest technologies while maintaining our high standards and meticulous execution, both internally and with our clients.

In the past 15 years, Philippe has witnessed huge changes in digital technology and their impact on businesses. And while every change comes with its share of challenges, constraints, and occasional frustrations, Philippe has never been disappointed by his company. We’re so lucky to have kind, approachable managers. We can talk to them about anything; no topic is taboo. It’s Tink’s attentiveness, and the many qualities of my coworkers, that have kept me here for 15 years. Philippe’s appointment as director of consulting services perfectly illustrates this.

An opportunity to change positions presented itself to Philippe organically. Following an employee’s departure, Jocelyn Couture, one of the founders of Tink, asked me how I felt about transitioning to consulting. I was beginning to reflect on the next step in my career, but I hadn’t considered this type of shift. After quite a bit of thought, I accepted the challenge. Thanks to his technical expertise and mastery of digital tools, Philippe was able to take on the role with proven strengths. I still had to work hard on certain concepts I was less familiar with: cybermetrics, the use of data as a strategic tool, the concrete application of technological innovations at the client’s premises, and the complementary relationship between marketing and the digital world.

Bolstered by the confidence of Tink’s associates, and supported by Tink’s skilled and caring teams, Philippe has never regretted his choice. When asked what he’s most proud of today, Philippe doesn’t hesitate. I’m particularly proud of the relationships I have with my clients. My goal is to take their projects and business objectives as far as possible, so it’s important that we be open and transparent with one another. That really aligns with my personal values.

You can also read our interview with André Gagnon, a seasoned digital strategist and architect who’s been at Tink for 17 years.