CTO Chats with Andrei Navarro, CTO and Co-Founder of Booky

Let’s start with a quick introduction, could you tell us a bit about yourself?

Hi, I’m Andrei Navarro. I’m the CTO and co-founder of Booky, a food discovery and deals app based in the Philippines. I’ve been working in tech my whole career, and I’ve been involved with several startups at different stages. But Booky is the one I’ve stuck with the longest—over ten years now.

What initially drew you into tech?

I’ve always been naturally curious. I grew up in the ’90s when tech was already around. My dad ran a business and had a computer to help manage it. I was fascinated by it. I explored the machine, played around with what it could do, and eventually realised—at a pretty young age—that this was what I wanted to pursue professionally.

I went on to study computer science and management in a combined MIS program, which gave me a good balance of technical and business knowledge. From there, my career just grew organically.

The IT landscape evolves so rapidly. What have been some of the major challenges you’ve faced?

The biggest challenge is keeping up with the constant changes. Tech moves in waves—everyone went online in the late ’90s and early 2000s, then shifted to mobile in the 2010s. Now it’s AI. Every era introduces new tools and paradigms. If you’re in tech and you’re not staying current, you risk falling behind.

For us, especially now, it’s about understanding how AI can play a role in our workflows. You don’t need to build an AI product, but you do need to know how to integrate AI into your operations—automate tasks, enhance productivity, things like that.

From your experience, what are the biggest mistakes companies make in the tech space?

Over engineering. A lot of teams build for the ideal future state instead of where they are now. In startups, we’re biased toward speed—get something out there, even if it’s imperfect. The goal is to release, validate with users, and iterate quickly.

Sometimes engineers focus too much on building elegant, technically advanced systems. But if users can’t use it or it takes too long to launch, that doesn’t help the business. Simplicity wins, especially early on.

How do you see the IT industry evolving in the next 3–5 years?

AI will continue to be the major driver. Tools like AI-assisted coding are already making a big difference. Some people worry it’ll take jobs, but I see it as part of the evolution—just like how we moved from punch cards to GUIs.

It also democratises development. People who might’ve needed years of training can now build things more easily. That’s a big shift.

Outside of AI, are there any other transformative technologies you’re keeping an eye on?

Digital currencies and blockchain have potential. I mentioned them over 15 years ago, and they’ve come a long way. I’m not deeply involved in that space, but it’s definitely an area with growing influence.

How are IT leaders like yourself adapting to regulatory shifts?

Regulations often lag behind innovation. When you’re at the cutting edge, even the regulators are still figuring things out. The best approach is to engage in dialogue—work with policymakers to ensure regulations are informed, ethical, and expert-led.

And how do you personally balance innovation with the need for system stability and security?

Innovation needs a stable foundation. We prioritise basic security and scalability early on, then innovate in small, lean steps. AI helps us build and validate the boilerplate quickly, which accelerates things without compromising our base systems.

In your opinion, what’s the most critical skill for IT leaders today?

People skills. Most tech leaders are technically proficient. But what sets great leaders apart is how they manage and support their teams—how they create safe environments where people can thrive and do their best work.

How do you approach mentoring future leaders?

I prefer a hands-off style. I let people dive into challenges and make mistakes—then I help them reflect and learn from those experiences. It’s how I learned, and I think that growth sticks better when it comes from within.

If there was one question every IT leader should be asking themselves today, what would it be?

“What’s your legacy?” What are you leaving behind, and did you make the world better in some way through your work? It’s a little cheesy, but I think it’s worth reflecting on.

You’ve joined some of our knowledge-sharing events—was there any key insight from those experiences?

I attended an Ortus Club event and sat next to Maria Ressa. That was a standout moment. What struck me most was that across industries—big or small—many of us face similar challenges: regulation, people, scaling. It made me realize we’re more alike than we think.

For first-time attendees at events like ours, what advice would you give?

Be open—listen and engage. And remember, if you’ve been invited, it’s because you bring value to the table. So show up, share, and absorb what others are offering too.

That’s wonderful advice. Any final thoughts?

Just that we’re working on some exciting things at Booky—more deals and a few surprises for Q3 and Q4. So… download Booky!