Moin, I'm Gil Desmarais
How curiosity, systems thinking, and experience shaped the way I build and lead.
I help teams turn complexity into clear, reliable delivery by combining systems thinking, hands-on engineering, and pragmatic leadership.
Background
How it started
I came online through a 28.8k modem and built my first website in Notepad, following a magazine tutorial
about <frames>:D. Curiosity was the constant from day
one.
I explored JavaScript, Perl, PHP, and MySQL early, then Linux and systems internals. Writing automation for IRC and bootstrapping Gentoo on my only computer taught me to understand systems end-to-end, not just frameworks.1
During vocational training, I bridged hardware and software: soldering circuits, programming microcontrollers, and exploring signal processing with Assembler and Delphi.
Serving in the German Air Force added structure and accountability: supporting IT operations for NATO staff showed how trust, process, and technical skill align when uptime isn't optional.
Studying Business Computer Science gave me the dual lenses I rely on today: translating technical reality into business value, and turning business constraints into pragmatic engineering decisions.
That balance between architecture and outcome defines how I lead, build, and deliver.
The curiosity that started with a Commodore 64 now drives how I design systems, teams, and decisions: With an eye for clarity, longevity, and real-world impact.
What drives me
- Efficiency: fix root causes, not symptoms.
- Systems thinking: connect technical and organizational dependencies so decisions age well.
- Ease of use: make outcomes simpler for teams and customers.
- Knowledge sharing: teach, document, and invite questions so teams level up together.
- Delight in the details: keep experiences calm, reliable, and quietly excellent.
Personal passions
- Music: electronic for decades; vinyl DJing sharpened rhythm, flow, and focus.
- Movement: cycling, yoga, and long walks to keep systems balanced.
- Film: long-time passion and part of my career; I log and recommend what I watch.
- Learning: cities, culture, aviation, food; how systems evolve and connect.
How I think about work
I start with why
before how
: understand incentives, constraints, and risk, then align
trade-offs so teams can move with confidence. My background across engineering and film keeps me focused
on communication, feedback loops, and outcomes that are both maintainable and genuinely useful.
Say hi
When I'm not working on systems, you might find me exploring these spaces:
Head over to my contact page for all the ways to reach me.
And yes, I'll still respond if your first guess is
Jill. :-)
For timeline, roles, and technologies, see my Résumé.
Footnotes
- [1]: Staying connected became a bit of a mission too. By 2008 I even rigged my Nokia E51 as a UMTS modem over Bluetooth so I could stay online on the move while most people around me in Germany were still dialing in at home; here's the write-up for a little early-internet wink.