Fresh off the official opening of PTW Braga (now Side Braga) in Portugal, we’re excited to introduce Daniela Rocha Mar, our Studio Head in Braga. Her unique background in operations and team management across various industries recently led her to our doorstep amidst our expansion into the ever-growing Portuguese gaming industry, focusing on game localization.
Read on to get to know her a bit better.
Tell us about your background and what drew you to a career in studio management.
My career path from when I first started working until I became a studio head is not a traditional one nor the most obvious—and in fact, going back a little more, neither is my academic path. I have a degree in Biochemistry and worked in neuroscience research for over 7 years. While I was completing my PhD in Biomedical Engineering, during the last year and a half I also decided to pursue an MBA, as I wanted to further explore my management skills.
After this and before I joined Side as Studio Head, I worked in the pharmaceutical and clinical research industries and the textile industry. I have found several similarities between the pharmaceutical/clinical research industries and the video game industry, particularly when it comes to confidentiality and data security. Overall, having worked in different sectors and managing teams with diverse profiles, I believe my experiences have broadened my horizons and have enabled me to have a unique perspective on studio management.
Is there anything that made you want to work in games specifically?
This is my first job in the games industry, and I am happy that Side’s recruiter found me and reached out with this position. I like learning new things, and the challenge of learning more about this industry energizes me—the fact that it is ever-evolving keeps me on my toes.
When I was younger, I played video games with my brother on our Mega Drive, and I still have that console today, but I had never thought of the possibility of working in the gaming industry. It is amazing to look back now and realize that my previous experience in operations, business development, project management, and team management prepared me for this role and that I can now work in an industry that brings happiness to people all around the world.
Can you describe your current role at Side Braga? How does Braga fit into the larger organization within Side globally?
My role as Studio Head at Side Braga is quite broad: it is about managing resources, ensuring daily operations run as needed, monitoring the work environment and identifying things that can be improved, problem-solving, fostering a culture of growth and development, and motivating the team so we can all meet our goals. Overall, it is about using initiative to keep everything running smoothly.
Side has invested in Braga as a strategic location to expand Side’s European services footprint. So, our Braga studio was born from a desire to grow our operations to better serve our world-class clients.
We are currently offering Game Localization QA and Localization services from Braga, contributing to helping game publishers and developers ensure their games meet the highest standards and provide excellent player experiences globally.
How does working as Side Braga Studio Head compare to previous roles you’ve held?
A big part of a Studio Head’s role is team management. This has been true in every role I have held as a manager, regardless of the industry. It is always a challenging task but also a very fulfilling one. The aim is to achieve a balance between organizational needs and individual aspirations. We want to lead the team towards great achievements that align with the company’s vision and objectives and for that, it is important to ensure people feel valued, motivated, and engaged.
What makes Braga unique? What are the studio’s strengths?
The Portuguese gaming industry has grown significantly. On top of this flourishing game scene, we also have a high caliber talent pool as well as a great pool of linguists to tap into. Braga also has a young population—it is one of the youngest cities in Europe, making it a dynamic and energetic city which, together with the quality of life that the city offers, helps us attract talent. All of these are key elements for our operations to succeed in Braga.
I would say Side Braga’s biggest strength is our motivated and collaborative in-studio teams as well as our connectivity from a data standpoint.
What goals do you have for Side Braga as it establishes itself? What’s your vision?
My goal is to grow Braga’s studio operations and help Side successfully expand its footprint in Europe. For this we need to continue to grow our team, finding valuable talent that can join us and help us provide high quality services to our clients, fostering a collaborative environment where each team member thrives. I want to elevate Braga’s studio visibility, positioning it prominently within the industry landscape. My vision is for Side Braga to become a trusted and sought-after service provider, recognized for our commitment to delivering exceptional quality.
Setting up Side Braga is an amazing opportunity to contribute to Side’s growth and to the advancement of the industry in Portugal. I recognize the value of continuous learning and improvement and aim to apply the insights gained from my peers to enhance our operations. I am committed to learning from our other Side studios and their best practices that we can continue to implement in our Braga studio, to help us grow as a studio and as a company – because when one Side studio grows, we all grow