Paco Garcia Jimenez, Senior Producer, Analytics, and AMIGOZ member, shares his thoughts on company culture — and how we all play a role in creating it —  his growth at Zynga, and how a hockey coach taught him the importance of putting people first — caring for a team, building trust and empowering individuals to achieve their best.

What is your role within Zynga and how did you get here?

I am the Senior Producer for the Data Ingestion team in Analytics. Before Zynga, I was at an indie gaming studio where I worked as a Team Lead developing video games.

How would you describe the culture at Zynga, and why is culture so important to you?

I was surprised by the amazing culture that Zynga has (and Zynga Toronto in particular – where I’m based). It not only makes your job more appealing, it can make you stay longer due to the bonds that you create with the people around you. This is why I believe being an integral part of contributing to the workplace culture is so important.

How has Zynga supported your growth?

In the almost 2 years I’vebeen I’ve been at Zynga I’ve been given the tools to not only thrive at my job, but expand into other areas and contribute to the communities that I am a part of — and do that in a way that feels authentic to me.

Do you have any mentors or leaders that have helped or inspired you throughout your career? 

I’ve been lucky enough to have great mentors that have taught me not only about the craft of what I do (which is production), but about how to create culture. One of them is a former hockey coach that was with me along the road of a very long and difficult project at the former studio I worked for. He taught me the value of caring for a team, building trust and empowering individuals to achieve their best. That has been the cornerstone of how I see myself in production to this very day: people first.

What is it like being diverse in Gaming?

I love the diversity that exists at Zynga, and I truly believe it is one of the pillars of its strength. As a Latin American (born and raised in Mexico City), it is wonderful to be celebrated for my heritage and have the opportunity of learning first-hand about other cultures within our walls with vibrance and joy.