About Pedro
The story of a 20-year journey from code to products to AI, and why I'm more excited about the future than I've ever been.
The Story
I've been building products for over 20 years, and I'm more excited about the future than I've ever been.
My journey started as a software developer in 2002, writing HTML, PHP, and Python. For a decade, I lived in the code—understanding how things work from the ground up. This technical foundation became my superpower when I transitioned to product management in 2012.
For 12 years, I led product teams at companies like Bradesco, Dafiti, and Tembici. I specialized in fintech and payments, leading the initial implementation of PIX (Brazil's instant payment system) at the country's largest private bank. I learned how to build products at scale, manage complex stakeholder environments, and launch features that millions of people depend on.
But in 2023, everything changed.
The Journey
Consulting – Self Employed
Product Consultant
Aug/2024 – PresentWorking with V4 Company and Fliplet.com (London). Leading backlog refinement and prioritization, writing user stories and managing agile ceremonies, promoting product culture in consulting environments.
Idez! – Bank as a Service
Head of Product
Aug/2023 – Jul/2024Defined product vision and roadmap, set and tracked KPIs, led client onboarding, worked with cross-functional teams (UX, UI, QA, Eng), promoted agile product culture.
Tembici – Largest Bike Sharing Company in LATAM
Group Product Manager
Feb/2022 – Jan/2023Reduced payment costs by 2%, expanded payment systems and flexibility, set product roadmap and KPIs.
Dafiti – Online Fashion Retail
Group Product Manager
Feb/2021 – Feb/2022Managed product budget and stakeholder relations, implemented PIX increasing conversion by 3%, trained junior PMs.
CI&T – IT Consulting Company
Digital Strategist
Jan/2019 – Feb/2021Led PIX implementation at Bradesco - first private bank to launch. Led two squads for PIX launch in mobile banking, aligned cross-functional efforts (KPIs, security, rollout). Also migrated e-commerce platform of major supermarket and coached PMs.
Kanamobi – IT Consulting
Product Owner
Oct/2015 – Jan/2019Head of Product for 5 teams, managed delivery of 5 apps in 1 year (30+ people), built client relationships and go-to-market plans.
Valemobi – Fintech Solutions
Product Owner
Jun/2014 – Sep/2015Led innovation lab with 10-person team, executed product vision and roadmap, facilitated full Scrum cycle.
Various Companies
Software Developer
2002 – 2014Full-stack development using HTML, JavaScript, PHP, and Python. Built websites and applications from scratch, developing strong technical foundation that became crucial for product management transition. Graduated in Digital Communication (2003-2005).
The AI Awakening
Like many product managers, I was skeptical of AI hype. Then I started experimenting with GPT-3 for user research analysis. What took my team days now took hours. What required expensive external research could be done in-house. I realized we weren't just looking at a new feature category—we were looking at a fundamental shift in how products get built.
I made a decision: pivot my entire career to focus on AI products.
It wasn't easy. After 20 years of building expertise in fintech and payments, I was starting over in a field that changes weekly. But I've never been more energized by the possibilities. We're not just adding AI features—we're reimagining what products can do.
What I Believe
AI doesn't replace product managers—it amplifies them
The best AI products aren't built by AI engineers alone or product managers alone. They're built by people who understand both domains deeply.
Product sense matters more in AI, not less
When your feature can theoretically do anything, knowing what it should do becomes critical. Human judgment becomes more valuable, not less.
Technical foundation is essential
You don't need to be an ML engineer, but you need to understand capabilities, limitations, and tradeoffs deeply enough to make good product decisions.
Transparency over perfection
I share my learning journey, including mistakes and dead ends. The AI space moves too fast for anyone to have all the answers.
Impact over innovation
I care more about AI solutions that solve real problems than AI solutions that showcase technical prowess.
People over technology
The most successful AI products improve human capabilities rather than replacing human judgment.
Current Focus
Today, I help product teams navigate AI integration through consulting and building open-source tools. I work with companies ranging from early-stage startups to established enterprises, always focusing on practical implementation over theoretical possibilities.
I'm particularly interested in:
- AI-human collaboration patterns in product workflows
- Metrics and evaluation frameworks for AI features
- Building AI products that feel natural, not magical
- Organizational changes needed to succeed with AI products
The Technical Details
Background
- • 10 years software development
- • 12 years product management
- • 2+ years AI product focus
Industries
- • Financial Technology
- • E-commerce & Marketplace
- • Mobility & Transportation
- • SaaS & Enterprise Software
Languages
- • Portuguese (native)
- • English (advanced)
- • Spanish (basic)
AI Focus Areas
- • LLM integration patterns
- • RAG system design
- • AI product metrics
- • Human-AI interaction
Team Experience
- • Led teams up to 30 people
- • Managed budgets up to $2M
- • Cross-functional leadership
- • Stakeholder management
Location
- • São Paulo, Brazil
- • GMT-3 (São Paulo Time)
- • Remote-first approach
- • Available for travel
Beyond Work
I live in São Paulo with my family. When not thinking about AI and products, you'll find me running through the city streets, experimenting with coffee brewing methods, or reading about everything from cognitive science to Brazilian history.
I believe the best product insights come from understanding human behavior in all its complexity—which requires a life outside of product management. Some of my best ideas have come during morning runs or while perfecting a V60 pour-over.
Running
Morning runs through São Paulo, currently training for a half marathon
Coffee
Perfecting pour-over techniques and exploring Brazilian coffee origins
Reading
From AI research papers to Brazilian literature and cognitive science