Emil Zail

Emil Zail has worn many "hats" since joining the T-Kartor team in Kristianstad, Sweden, in 2011, all of which have been critical to our success. 

Currently a Senior System Developer, he has also held the roles of System Developer and Head of Development. His career path began at Kristianstad University, where he studied computer science. His educational background and strong development skills have allowed him to become fully immersed in the geospatial industry.

Emil's start at T-Kartor began not at a networking event or conference but at an athletics club. A track and field athlete who has trained extensively over the years, a mutual connection introduced him to T-Kartor founder Sten Ravhed (himself a handball coach).

Although Emil had considered looking for roles in different cities after his graduation, he jumped at the chance to stay local in Kristianstad and join Sten at T-Kartor; this allowed him to stay close to his family.

While some people may think of developers as sitting at a desk behind a screen all day, Emil highlights the creative aspects of his work in development. He enjoys engineering visual outputs that are helpful to users and takes opportunities to create and innovate.

Over the years, Emil has seen the T-Kartor team grow and has been instrumental in our success. He has learned how to be flexible in a business setting, often taking on responsibilities outside of development, such as sales, documentation, and design. 

With many projects to balance, Emil views each day as a new challenge; all are different, and experiences and challenges go hand in hand.

Emil describes the culture at T-Kartor as a family atmosphere. He also looks forward to visiting the office daily and seeing the Kristianstad team.

Recently, Emil gave an excellent presentation in St. Louis, MO, at FOSS4G North America. He has also attended several FOSS4G events throughout Europe and is proud of the industry's collaboration and openness. 

Emil would encourage industry newcomers to keep an open mind and be eager to learn. He believes there is a continuous learning curve, and there's no reason to be afraid if you don't know everything immediately (everyone is still learning!). 

Emil is curious to see how geospatial progress will unfold over the next decade. He is specifically interested in the innovation that will happen as data becomes increasingly available to end users. With the growing impact of artificial intelligence, he predicts we will continue to see rapid changes.

Outside of the office, Emil is an active outdoorsman. He enjoys training and sports, hiking, and spending time in the sun. He also values time with his family.

One of Emil's favorite travel destinations is the Canary Islands; he is fond of one of their training facilities and the island weather.