VP, Dedicated Cloud Product
Christian Linacre is a vice president with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) where he leads the Dedicated Cloud Product organization. With over 20 years of experience in tech, he’s played a pivotal role in driving Oracle’s cloud strategy and offerings, all while championing diversity, inclusion, and Hispanic culture—something that’s earned him a place in this year’s HITEC 100!
Santiago to Seattle
Christian’s story begins in Santiago, Chile, where he first developed a passion for technology and innovation. Despite first pursuing civil engineering (“I thought I was good at math, and I realized I wasn’t that good at math”), he found his true calling in computer science. “I could have stayed in Chile and taken a role in technology management,” he explains, “but I always had this affinity with technology.”
After completing his engineering studies and several tech stints in Chile, Christian doubled down on his tech ambitions by moving to the US and later to Seattle. With a focus on collecting different experiences rather than fixating on specific roles, he built a solid foundation in technology, sales, marketing, and business. However, his technical prowess always shone through. It was this fusion of technical and business acumen that attracted Oracle’s attention.
Relentless
“Almost four years ago now, OCI called me and said, ‘do you want to come and try and build the next new thing?’ In technology you don’t get that opportunity to build something from scratch in an established market, and that was a very compelling opportunity,” he shares.
Of course, Christian’s answer was a resounding ‘yes’. His leadership style, characterized by a data-driven approach focused on joint outcomes, was just what was needed to drive innovation on a new project. The result? Oracle Alloy and 25 filed patents.
It exemplifies Christian’s philosophy of empowering teams to drive change and think differently. “You need to be relentless. When you must drive new things or change course or correct course for whatever reason, you have to put a lot of energy into it. From a leadership perspective, we’re going to have roadblocks. Our job is to be stubborn and to basically prove the direction is correct through data and by representing the customers, to show it’s worth the investment or it’s worth your time for whatever decision you’re making.”
Effective teams
Circling back to Alloy and its impact, it’s clear that such a successful product took a certain type of team to make it a reality. Effectiveness is a big part of what Christian looks for in hires, as well as product knowledge earned through putting in the work. That kind of experience is often hard-won and features its fair share of failures. In fact, failure is one of the most valuable lessons of all in Christian’s view. “It comes down to the ability to be willing to roll up your sleeves and do the work, because every function takes time and it’s not a granted thing, so you must be willing to understand and accept that. In interviews, everyone always comes prepared to tell you their successes, so I always ask about their failures.”
“One of the things I look for in leaders is that they recognize their failures and that they have a plan to recover,” he explains. “Those are qualities that give you that stubbornness or relentless perspective.”
The power of inclusion
Christian applies many of the same points to his own leadership style. He emphasizes the importance of being relentless and stubborn, but always supported by data. This frees him to empower his team to make decisions. Inclusion is a powerful force in all of this, and he sees the culture he drives as creating opportunities for everyone to make their mark. “Inclusion means 50 things to 50 people,” he explains, “but if you actually go to the core of it, inclusion is giving opportunities to make recommendations, drive decisions, influence peers, and influence leaders.”
“Inclusivity is the reflection of diverse points of view, diverse cultures, diverse backgrounds, people that are program managers, people that have backgrounds in the military. People that are from the United States, people that are not. Men or women. They have different perspectives on things.” The development of Alloy is a testament to this, as each member of his team had the opportunity to contribute. This inclusive approach not only led to a successful product but also fostered a culture of continuous development and innovation.
Heritage matters
Christian’s Hispanic heritage is an inherent part of who he is and how he works. Growing up in Chile, he developed a global perspective, always curious about how things worked elsewhere. This curiosity and awareness of different cultures has shaped his leadership style and his ability to embrace other viewpoints. “My heritage gives me an accent. My heritage is a function of who I am. I cannot decouple that. I cannot decouple who I am from what I do,” he explains. “It’s very difficult to do that. My heritage helps me to have a different perspective. I am from a small country in the south part of the world where you have to learn what everyone else is doing, and that gives you a global view.”
Celebrations like Hispanic Heritage Month matter to Christian. They remind him of the celebrations and new beginnings associated with spring in Chile. They’re also a time to reflect on the rich history and culture of the communities that form Oracle and to appreciate the various perspectives that individuals like himself bring to the table.
“It’s a joyful month. It’s also spring, so it’s nice. It’s a change of pace. When you change hemispheres, the seasons change. What September makes me remember is celebration and new things and new starts. Events like Hispanic Heritage Month are a remembrance of that.”
Developing future leaders
As a leader, Christian is committed to mentoring and developing future talent. He advises young professionals aspiring to leadership to focus on a variety of experiences and to prioritize missions over roles. “Some people are more successful in a vertical path. In my personal experience, collecting experience intentionally, not being a random bumblebee, is what’s needed. Focus on a mission not a role, People usually fixate on a role, and that’s usually a mistake. There are certain things you must have, and I think one of those is maturity. I’m not saying that you have to be old, but I was a manager of a large organization in my 20s, and probably I didn’t have the maturity or experience to do that.”
“I always ask, ‘what is your motivation?’ Because effectively it must be the right motivation. The motivation is to drive towards the objective, but also to support your team.”
Legacy
When asked about his legacy at Oracle, Christian shows pride in the work of the Oracle Latinos Alliance (OLA). He sees the genuine intention of the community to support and uplift one another, and he wants to ensure that other leaders step up and do their part. Mentoring and helping others grow their careers is key to this. “Oracle is a large company so having the opportunity to interact with other functions in the company is something that is important. OLA is important for that. To give a different perspective on what I do.”
Christian’s journey from Santiago to Seattle, and his growth at Oracle, is testament to the power of innovation, inclusivity, and a global perspective. His relentless pursuit of innovation, coupled with his commitment to fostering an inclusive environment, has driven significant contributions to Oracle’s cloud strategy and dedicated cloud offerings. As he continues to lead and mentor others, Christian is leaving a lasting impact by inspiring future leaders to embrace diversity and take risks.
“Take the risk, go for the opportunity—that’s something that Oracle provides. I have seen that in my journey here. From my perspective I want to continue to provide value, innovate, and continue to grow the company. And at the end of the day, if I have helped some people in their careers, I’m satisfied.”
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