A Deep Dive with Alexandru Luchian Constantinescu on Atlassian's Impact and Innovation

In a candid conversation with Business Review, Alexandru Luchian Constantinescu , CEO of Life in Codes - Atlassian Solution Partner , shares his passion and perspective on how Atlassian products are reshaping the business landscape in Romania. Leading a company that's at the forefront of tech adoption, Alexandru reflects on the journey of integrating these tools to enhance business operations and foster a culture of innovation and sustainability.

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Life in Codes has been a significant player in implementing Atlassian products in Romania. Could you share how these tools have evolved to meet the unique needs of Romanian businesses and what impact this has had on local industries?

Certainly! Over the years, we've seen how Atlassian’s tools, especially Jira, have become indispensable to IT teams across Romania. But what's really exciting is how Atlassian’s offerings have evolved far beyond just project management with Jira. The entire suite of tools has been designed to cater to the needs of all teams within an organization, not just IT.

For instance, Confluence has become a go-to collaborative workspace where teams can share knowledge and work together more effectively. Bitbucket is another example—it's a powerful platform that has transformed how software teams handle version control and code collaboration. And then there's Jira Service Management, which has brought structure and efficiency to how teams manage requests, incidents, and changes.

Atlassian’s focus on cloud technology has been a game-changer as well. They’re heavily investing in AI capabilities, which we're already seeing in action across all their products. Features like virtual assistants, natural language queries, and AI agents are helping teams automate repetitive tasks and manage information more effectively. These advancements are enabling Romanian businesses to remain competitive and innovative.

When we look at the broader landscape, the European Innovation Scoreboard 2024 highlights a key challenge for Romanian companies: a lack of innovation in business processes and collaboration. We truly believe that Atlassian’s products can address these gaps. That’s why we're committed to supporting local companies with expert advice, best practices, and even offering free audits to help them identify areas where they can improve and innovate.

As CEO, you've guided Life in Codes through various phases of growth. What have been the biggest challenges you've faced while scaling your operations in Romania, and how have Atlassian products helped in addressing these challenges?

One of the most interesting aspects of our journey is that, although we are a Romanian company, much of our growth has been driven by international clients. The markets in Western Europe, for example, have a higher level of business maturity and opportunity costs, which means companies there have a very clear understanding of their competitive strengths. They value focusing on their core expertise and are more inclined to bring in external consultants like us for areas that fall outside of that specialization. This forward-thinking approach has been instrumental in our growth, and we are keen to foster a similar mindset here in Romania.

In my view, one of the biggest challenges for companies is to truly understand their identity—what sets them apart—and then define their goals in a way that aligns with that identity. It’s crucial to find the right people, tools, and strategies that support those goals. This is where Atlassian’s products have been incredibly valuable for us. Their tools create an agile, collaborative environment that scales seamlessly as we grow, integrating with other systems in a way that doesn’t restrict us. Instead, these tools empower us to grow in a direction that stays true to our vision and values. A tool should serve the company’s strategy, not the other way around.

Our own experience is a testament to this philosophy. Our team of 15 professionals is spread across Europe, working asynchronously to capitalize on our diverse strengths. This setup allows us to select the best talent available, regardless of location, which helps us keep operational costs low while still delivering top-notch quality. We’re able to maintain competitive pricing without compromising on the quality of our work. Our flexibility, responsiveness, and dedication to our clients' needs are central to who we are, and the tools we use—like those from Atlassian—are crucial enablers in helping us fulfill those commitments and deliver on our promises.

The upcoming event in September is touted as the first of its kind in Romania, featuring workshops and case study presentations. What are your main goals for this event, and how do you plan to measure its success?

We've been part of the Atlassian ecosystem for over a decade, and in that time, we've had the privilege of attending Atlassian's European and global events. These experiences have been incredibly inspiring and enriching, and they've fueled a long-standing dream of ours: to bring this level of insight and energy back to Romania. We've always wanted to share powerful examples and valuable knowledge with Romanian companies that are ready to invest in their future.

Now, we’re thrilled to see this dream finally becoming a reality. The excitement we've received from Atlassian and Atlassian marketplace vendors has been overwhelming, particularly because many of them are not yet familiar with the Romanian market. Our main goal for this event is to bring this wealth of knowledge to Romania, fostering new connections and sparking curiosity among local businesses. We want to inspire a can-do attitude in those who have the potential to drive their organizations forward and help them evolve.

As for measuring the success of the event, we’ll be looking at a few key indicators. First, the level of engagement and interaction during the workshops and case study presentations will be crucial. We want to see participants not just attending but actively participating, asking questions, and sharing their own experiences. Another important measure will be the new connections made—both between Romanian companies and the Atlassian ecosystem and among the attendees themselves. Ultimately, if we can ignite curiosity and motivate leaders to take actionable steps towards innovation, we’ll consider the event a success.

Can you discuss the significance of having both international Atlassian speakers and local users at your event? How do you think this mix will benefit the Romanian tech community?

The presence of international speakers from Atlassian at our event is incredibly significant. These experts will be sharing the latest insights into Atlassian's products, strategies, and their vision for the future of work. They’ll also discuss how Atlassian is preparing its tools to meet emerging trends. This forward-looking perspective is invaluable, and we believe it will leave a lasting impact on the attendees, providing them with a clear sense of where the industry is headed and how they can stay ahead of the curve.

Equally important is the inclusion of local companies who are already leveraging our services to transform their processes. Hearing directly from these companies about how they’ve become more agile and responsive to market demands will make these concepts much more tangible for the audience. These real-world examples will resonate with other Romanian companies that are still figuring out their best path forward. It offers them practical, relatable insights on how they too can evolve and thrive in an increasingly competitive market.

The combination of global expertise and local success stories creates a powerful mix that will benefit the Romanian tech community. It bridges the gap between global trends and local implementation, giving companies the inspiration and practical know-how they need to take the next step in their growth and innovation journey.

Looking ahead, how do you see Life in Codes shaping the adoption of tech solutions in Romania? Are there any particular sectors or trends you aim to focus on in the coming years?

We certainly aspire to work with more companies in Romania, applying the extensive experience we've accumulated over the years with businesses of all sizes. Our goal is to become a true partner in their growth journey, helping them adopt strategies that ensure sustainable development right from the early stages.

One of our key objectives is to break the misconception that collaboration, project management, and knowledge management tools are only beneficial for large enterprises. We firmly believe that every company, regardless of its size, can gain significant advantages from having well-organized information and resources, a collaborative and seamless work environment, and a clear understanding of their objectives and how best to achieve them.

As we move forward, we want to encourage more Romanian companies to embrace these tools and methodologies as integral parts of their business strategy.

If you're still unsure whether this is the right path for you, we invite you to join the Work Evolution Summit and discover more!