Leontin Toderici, Deputy CEO and Chief Operations Officer at BT, gave an exclusive interview to Today Software Magazine about Code Crafters, the bank’s new technology company. As we know some of you are passionate about tech, we’ve included the Q&A here as well. So if you want to find out more about our plans, have a look. Or, if you’re tempted to join the team, here’s a thought — follow Code Crafters on LinkedIn. Enjoy! 😊

Banca Transilvania recently launched a new company, Code Crafters by BT. What is its vision?

The vision of Code Crafters by BT is to help build a digital mindset and culture across Banca Transilvania Group by attracting new talent. We will do this by giving technology specialists the opportunity to contribute to the in-house delivery of the digital vision of Romania’s largest bank.

One thing I often hear from developers is that they work on products and services used in other countries, not in Romania, so their personal contribution can feel intangible. With Code Crafters, they have the chance to build solutions that become part of their own lives; they can proudly tell people at home or their friends that those solutions passed through their imagination and their hands. It’s about contribution, but also about meaning.

What kind of products will be developed by Code Crafters by BT?

At Code Crafters, using state-of-the-art technology, we build high-quality, scalable software products for our clients in various fields — for client onboarding, insurance, managing garnishments, and product and bundle origination. For example, we’re currently implementing workflows for issuing property insurance for individuals and companies.

Cluj has a growing market of IT companies, and demand for well-prepared developers is increasing. What advantages does Code Crafters by BT offer?

Code Crafters combines the freedom of a start-up with almost 30 years of experience in banking. In other words, it means zero bureaucracy. Another strong point is the team we set off with in April, with solid experience in technology firms, outsourcing and banking. We chose a structure similar to specialist tech companies, built around small, autonomous teams passionate about technology and innovation. And when we talk about strengths, we always talk about impact: our in-house solutions are for the largest bank in Romania and its more than 3.6 million customers — for their families and friends. At Code Crafters we see software as a craft industry, where there is always room for those who write quality code.

We’re glad to have a new local company, spun out of Banca Transilvania, on the Cluj market. What are your development plans for the first year?

We’re glad as well to have our own technology company and to help grow new generations of developers, as well as the IT industry in Cluj, which has become a city brand in its own right.

We have very ambitious plans and will share more along the way. As everything starts with people, our first priority is to grow the team by 300%, so we’re recruiting Developers, QA, Proxy Product Owners and UI/UX Designers.