A coffee with… Pierre Berlin, GM EMEA, Monday.com

Pierre Berlin has been Monday.com’s GM of EMEA for 18 months. Prior to that, over a long career that has spanned the globe, he has worked for several major tech firms including a six-year stint at LinkedIn as a senior director of talent relations.

A passionate manager who is driven by helping teams progress, he has been tasked by Monday.com with overseeing the launch of its new office space in Central London, where he sits down for a coffee with TI, and explains why the cloud-based enterprise platform is asking staff to work a hybrid model.

Why did you join Monday.com?

First, the product. Reaching a billion dollars in revenue says a lot about its quality.

Then there’s the growth story—and the journey of the founders, Roy Mann and Eran Zinman, which really resonated with me. As I got to know the team, the culture stood out: people are humble, and the founders still take the tube to work. They’re incredibly approachable.

Finally, the role itself was fascinating. I’d done something similar at FINMA (the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority), but this felt different. Even as a billion-dollar company with 2,700 employees, Monday still feels like it’s just getting started. The potential ahead is huge.

Why are you opening this new office in London?

From a go to market perspective, we want to be closer to a customer, we want to better understand the nuances of the market.

We cannot do that from Tel Aviv. Israel is a small country, and so from Israel, we are going to continue to work with the Israeli customers. We are following the emerging market, and we have operated a move because originally, at the beginning, everything was there to the UK.

We also have plans to open offices in France and Germany as we transition nearer to our customers.

A lot of industries have moved to flexible working models — why invest heavily in an office?

As Monday.com continues to grow and expand into new products, we want to deepen relationships with our customers through in-person interaction.

While we lead in digital transformation, we believe human connection still matters. Collaboration is vital to us, and being constantly remote can blur boundaries—disconnecting people from family, not just from work.

We’re also concerned about how screen time affects presence and empathy—qualities we value deeply. That’s why we’re investing in a new office and bringing our teams together three days a week: to create balance, build stronger relationships, and stay true to what we believe.

Do you regard yourself as a techie person? If not, how did you get into the sector?

It started by chance. After my military service, I joined a company organising large-scale events for major tech firms. That led me into marketing and sales roles, including at Tableau (now part of SAP), but I always stayed close to tech—I’ve always been drawn to the real-world impact it has.

At LinkedIn, I helped open offices in France, Italy, Spain, and Dubai. I’d often hear from people who found their dream jobs through our work, which really showed me the power of digital transformation.

Each time I’ve thought about what’s next, I come back to what I genuinely enjoy—and now, as I gain experience, it’s rewarding to share that perspective with others.

What one piece of advice would you offer to anyone starting out in tech?

Enjoy what you do, keep learning, and make sure you can pay the bills.

I’ve always focused on being fully present and doing my best in the role I’m in. When new opportunities come up, I consider them carefully—but I also think a step ahead to avoid getting boxed in later.

What do you do outside of work to relax?

I’m a big sports fan—used to play a lot of rugby, though my back has retired me. Now I stick to watching.

Outside of that, family is everything. I’ve got three kids and, after missing a few birthdays earlier in my career, I now prioritise being present.

I also love living in London and make the most of its culture—whether it’s theatre, cinema, or exhibitions.

How do you take your coffee?

Usually with my right hand! Joking aside I used to be a serious coffee addict—up to eight cups a day. When I moved to Italy, the stronger brews started messing with me, and a doctor told me to cut back. I quit completely for 18 months, which proved I wasn’t as hooked as I thought.

Now I’m more balanced: one cup a day, usually a double espresso after lunch—unless it’s morning, then it’s an Americano.