Ramanathan Gowrishankar, finance and accounting manager at Tableau Software, tells us about his newfound love for rain and how Ireland really is the land of a thousand welcomes.
Where are you from?
I am from Port Elizabeth in South Africa — the Windy City, Ibhayi (‘the bay’ in isiXhosa), the Friendly City. Port Elizabeth is the coastal hub in the eastern cape, where locals proudly proclaim that everything lies within 15 minutes’ drive of the airport.
How long have you been in Ireland?
Eight years.
Why did you move here?
Once I finished college, I wanted to travel to various countries in the world. Ireland was always top of the list. When I got an offer from a company in Ireland, I did not think twice about moving here.
What work do you do?
My role involves managing the finance and statutory reporting of Tableau’s international subsidiaries in EMEA.
How would you describe your working environment?
Great! Everyone is friendly and appreciates good teamwork. Employees at Tableau care about our products and work as part of the team to achieve company and personal goals. We all share ideas and knowledge amongst ourselves, irrespective of position in the company.
What do you like most about your job?
Every day there is something challenging. As the company is new, all of us are learning and play our part in building the company together.
Was it difficult to adjust to living and working in Ireland?
Not really. People in Ireland are very friendly — they always make you feel welcome and comfortable, whether at work, in a public park or in a pub.
What surprised you about moving to Ireland?
The amount of rain and the people. I have never seen this much rain in my life. I have started loving rain these days. Now if it doesn’t rain after a week, I start feeling that I’m missing something. And I have never met more friendly people in the world.
How does your working life help to make you feel at home here?
At Tableau, everybody believes in the company’s core values and respects every culture. My colleagues help me a lot. On a regular basis, someone buys something to share with the team and we have good banter.
What do you like most about your adopted home?
I think Dublin and Ireland have charm and spirit similar to my hometown and country of birth. I see the same people every morning passing me and we say hello to each other, and this is something that I find most appealing. Also, I have to admit that life does not stop because of the rain here – it just goes on.
