Lorenzo, DevOps between Batman, Dante, and a rock band

What do Nirvana have in common with Dante’s Divine Comedy and DC Comics superheroes? Apparently, nothing. Unless you’re Lorenzo Lombardi, Technical Consultant in the Customer Digital Solutions Practice. A 26-year-old from Rome, originally trained as a materials scientist before making an early career switch to IT, Lorenzo manages to bring together grunge and philosophy, Dante Alighieri’s tercets and CI/CD.

A self-proclaimed “social animal” and “almost a nerd” when it comes to comics and movies, he effortlessly combines his professional and personal passions with the agility of a true DevOps specialist, following “paths that keep crossing every single day”.

Tell us about your professional journey. How did it all begin?

At university, I initially enrolled in Materials Science. But after two years, I realised that spending my days in a laboratory wasn’t really suited to my personality. I consider myself quite a “social animal”. So I switched to Computer Science, returning to a passion I’d had since childhood. My dad is a real tech enthusiast, old-school, the hands-on type: I learned a lot just by watching him. At university, I explored the academic side of the subject and met some important people along the way, as well as discovering valuable opportunities. I graduated in December 2024, and in February 2025 I received my first job offer. Mashfrog, DevOps.

And what did you discover at Mashfrog?

I have to admit that when I accepted the offer, I didn’t really know what I was getting into. Moving from theoretical study to the real working world is like entering a whole new universe, one you have to discover for yourself. I found people who genuinely supported and guided me: my colleagues, Umberto, Raul and Riccardo, who was my first mentor. Everything I’ve learned so far is also thanks to them, and I’m very grateful.
In my first year, I earned three certifications with the company’s support. I feel very much at home here. For me, the greatest value of being part of Mashfrog lies above all in the people who continue to challenge and inspire me every day. Today, I’m involved in many projects, and I feel I’ve become someone the team can rely on when emergencies arise, even though I know I still have a huge amount to learn.

You were among the Spotlight Award winners. How was your trip to London?

I’ve just got back: I went last month. I really enjoyed it, although, being a “social animal”, I’m not used to travelling alone. I was the only one among the winning colleagues who chose September. It was a great opportunity and a wonderful recognition. The Spotlight Awards, together with the Talent programme, have shown me that commitment really does pay off.

Projects, studying and certifications. Sounds like a busy life!

Hard work and merit go hand in hand. I grew up with that mindset. I started working at 14 in the vineyards, then during university I worked in bars, at events, then at ACI, at Zara... During the summer when I decided to change degree programmes, I was juggling three jobs: maths tutoring in the morning, McDonald’s in the afternoon and deliveries in the evening. In my spare time, I studied for the university entrance exam.
I believe a lot of the satisfaction I enjoy today comes from those experiences and the values my parents, Fabio and Adriana, passed on to me. I owe them so much, both in terms of my mindset and my passions.

What passions did they pass on to you?

I can honestly say I’ve been listening to Pink Floyd since before I was born. When my mum was pregnant with me, my dad used to put headphones playing The Dark Side of the Moon on her belly. It’s a story I’m very fond of and love telling.
I grew up with rock, punk and metal, while my mum loves jazz. That contrast also taught me to appreciate things that might seem unrelated to my own interests. And I eventually found my own musical path: I’ve been listening to Nirvana since high school, as well as Verdena, Afterhours, Queens of the Stone Age, alternative rock and grunge. I followed my dad’s musical tastes and made them my own.

So, do you just listen to rock, or do you play as well?

I’ve been playing guitar since I was 12 or 13. After years of teaching myself, I started taking lessons and, together with some friends, founded a band called Attrito. We play both covers and original songs, and we’ve started entering competitions at local venues.
My girlfriend is a visual artist and listens to completely different genres, but she’s my number-one fan. And, to my great surprise and delight, some of my back-end colleagues even came to our first gig!

Apart from music, do you have any other passions?

I admit it: I’m “obsessed” with Batman. There’s no point trying to hide it anymore! I organise calls with friends to exchange reviews and recommendations. I’m particularly fond of American comics because I find the idea of an individual’s strength being put at the service of the community fascinating, especially in superhero stories.
But I’m not just a Marvel and DC Comics fan. I have another group of friends with whom I do exactly the same thing for movies. I wouldn’t call myself a nerd, but I definitely have a few obsessions I can’t deny.
At the same time, I’ve held on to completely different interests since high school. They’re more humanities-oriented passions, and they run just as deep. They’re not going anywhere!

Would you describe yourself as a literary-minded DevOps specialist?

I was simply lucky enough to have some excellent teachers of Italian, philosophy and Latin. Today, I still attend a philosophy course, but above all, I’m passionate about Dante and the Divine Comedy.
Every now and then, I organise evenings with friends dedicated to Inferno: I choose a few cantos, we read them and discuss them together. To me, Dante is the name. And here in Italy, we owe him an enormous amount culturally, even if we don’t always realise it.

How do you manage to balance so many passions with such an intense working life?

At first, I thought I had to choose: either music or IT. Today, I see them as paths that keep crossing every single day. I can work, study to develop my professional skills and make music with my band. It’s the best thing that could have happened to me.
I love exploring things in depth, whether it’s a technology, a comic book or one of Dante’s cantos. I’m quite meticulous: when a problem gets under my skin, I find it hard to leave it unresolved.
Rather than someone who advocates hard work for its own sake, I’d say I’m simply not a fan of shortcuts.
Even when I use AI every day to speed up my research, I still want to understand and verify things. You need to know when to hit the brakes and question an answer. AI is like a “junior colleague” that can be a great help, provided you use it consciously and intelligently. But reasoning and analysis are not things I can delegate in my line of work.