Find out how engineer Fulvio Bertolani balances his professional career with his talent for singing and playing more than five different instruments.

Fulvio Bertolani joined Techint Engineering & Construction in 2009 and is currently working as an Instrument Design Manager in Brazil. However, his hobby involves quite a different kind of instrument: musical ones! He started his journey back in 1978, at the age of 10, when he began learning the viola, his favorite instrument, and started taking singing lessons. Later, his curiosity prompted him to explore other instruments, such as the guitar, electric bass, keyboard, violin and even flute.

Fulvio has been immersed in a musical environment ever since he can remember, thanks to the influence of his parents, Pedro and Rosa, who, although not musicians themselves, have always enjoyed music in their lives. He grew up listening to a broad diversity of genres, such as pop rock and Brazilian folk music, in addition to classical music and of course, the original sertanejo, reflecting the musical heritage of his family’s roots in the state of São Paulo. When asked about his favorite artists, his answer reflects a decidedly eclectic array of preferences, from Djavan to Michael Jackson, and bands such as The Beatles, Queen and U2, in addition to contemporary musicians like the New Age artist Yanni.

Fulvio recalls three defining moments in his life: when he was playing in a couple of bands formed by work colleagues and friends, singing “Garota de Ipanema” at a dinner with some fellow engineers in Canada, and the opportunity to play with Derico Sciotti, a Brazilian musician best known for his saxophone performance on “Programa do Jô”.

The art of synergy

Fulvio thinks of music as a metaphor for his work in engineering: “There are several things that performing music has in common with project organization. In both cases, it’s essential to achieve synergy and coordination between everyone involved in order to get the results sought. It’s crucial for everyone to do their part on the road to excellence.”

Fulvio started out as an instrumentation supervisor, quickly moving up into the position of Engineering Manager. He worked on several of the company’s most emblematic projects, in particular the P-76. This is a floating production and storage offloading (FPSO) facility built by Techint E&C that has a daily output of 150 thousand barrels of oil and the capacity to compress 6 million m³ of natural gas for Petrobras in the Búzios field, in the pre-salt area of the Santos Basin off the Brazilian coast.

He is currently an Instrumentation and Automation leader, whose job is to analyze proposals and provide coordination as a consultant offering technical and strategic support at various different stages in the company’s projects. One of his more recent works was at Fortín de Piedra, a project that the company completed in a record time of just 18 months. Today, the operation is supplying 15% of the gas consumed in Argentina.

You may also be interested to read:

Gonzalo Macias, a biker by heart

Engineering and music: twin engines of inspiration

“The perfect wave exists, we just have to be ready to ride it”

“Art complements my work life”