Leaders of CGM: Sorin Veleșcu – From Military Boots to QA Roots

Sorin Veleșcu was born in Dej, a small town with one unique defining trait: it was where his father served as a military delegate. Unsurprisingly, his early life was heavily influenced by army values and routines. With a father in the military and a brother seven years older who would later become a colonel, Sorin's path seemed pre-written. 

In seventh grade, someone from the Ministry of Defence gave a presentation about Military High School. For young Sorin, it was a no-brainer. Despite his mother's best efforts to convince him otherwise, he was determined. With his father's support, driving him regularly to training sessions in Cluj, Sorin became the only boy in his town to pursue this goal. He passed the exams and joined the Military High School in Câmpulung Moldovenesc. 

"The first year? I hated it," Sorin recalls. But over time, the strict environment started to shape him. It taught him discipline, structure, how to tactfully support his point of view, and how to wake up at ungodly hours to do his daily chores – a routine he still keeps to this day. 

By twelfth grade, Sorin had had enough. The military system, once his dream, now felt like a letdown. He moved to Iași, where his family had relocated, and decided to aim for something radically different: Medicine. Neuro-surgery, to be exact. Perhaps the healthcare system was different? Spoiler alert: it wasn’t. 

Eventually, Sorin shifted to what he calls "the middle path." He applied to the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration. "I have no idea why," he admits, but he enrolled in International Business. Compared to military school, university life felt like a vacation. But this detour introduced Sorin to something that would shape the rest of his life: the computer. 

Sorin didn’t grow up having a computer. In high school, informatics was done on paper. He would enter a computer lab maybe once a semester, just to press Enter dramatically. But in college, he realized he needed a computer. So, he got one and started learning everything on his own. 

He became obsessed with digital possibilities. He asked questions, watched endless tutorials, and eventually became good enough to teach others. In his third year of university, 2008, he saw a job ad for SEO. He had no clue what SEO meant but went to the interview anyway, eager to learn. Somehow, he got the job. 

The salary was tiny. But the opportunity? Massive. After two years at that firm and another four in freelancing, he gained a deep understanding of how the internet works. But six years in, he wanted more. He found an opening in software testing. 

Another job, another blind leap. But during the interview, he realized he knew much more about testing than he thought. His self-taught skills and SEO experience gave him an unexpected edge. He got the job as a Junior QA. 

In just four years, Sorin moved from manual QA to automation, eventually becoming a Team Lead. He loved QA deeply: the work, the people, and the autonomy of handling full WordPress projects. Then came a tempting Project Manager role at a different company.

Still, that role wasn’t a waste. Sorin learned advanced QA practices there because, ironically, no one else was doing testing. Eventually, though, he moved on, needing better people and energy around him. 

At his next company, things were actually going well. But then a CGM recruiter reached out. The recruiter was refreshingly honest: "We’re not perfect, but we’re good." 

The role was perfect: Senior QAA and Functional Lead. The offer? Even better. He hesitated out of loyalty to his then-current team but ultimately joined CGM in December 2021. 

"I haven’t regretted it a second. The people, the smooth onboarding, the community vibe, the growth opportunities – it all fit." 

Sorin thrived as Functional Lead (until the role was retired), and the CGM leadership program helped him become more introspective, balancing the technical with the human. He realized a leader isn’t there to micromanage, but to listen, support, and give people space to shine. 

"If your team is working hard, let them work in their own way. A good leader chooses the well-being of their team over personal comfort." 

Sorin’s leadership style is built on kindness and awareness. His team hears a lot of "thank you," "well done," and "I appreciate you." 

"People constantly need encouragement. A kind word always makes a difference." 

Now a senior voice in the QA world, Sorin has some straight talk for newcomers: 

• "If you do something just for the money, prepare for a big fail. You can have all the money and still be sad and alone. Do everything out of passion. Because any passion can be monetized." 
• "If you're not into IT, don’t do it. Try different things until you find what excites you. I only got into QA at 26." 
• "Never take what someone says at face value. Use critical thinking. Filter everything." 
• "Speak up. Always say what you think, but do it with tact." 

So what’s next for Sorin? While he isn’t planning to leave CGM anytime soon, he does have a long-term vision: 

"By 55, I want to stop working full-time. Maybe I’ll do some freelancing, but definitely no more employment contracts. I’ll move to Mălini, my soul’s hometown. Who knows, I might even run for mayor. Politics isn’t my thing, but I love the idea of digital transformation and community involvement." 

Sorin is a man of many passions. First and foremost: animals. He rescues them, fosters them, and finds them loving homes. He’s rehomed over 100 cats. At one point, he had nine. Today, he shares his home with two dogs (Ice and Kara) and four cats (Marie, Dutches, Leaf, and Mika). Well, if you ask Sorin, he has Marie and 3 cats. Because Marie has her own room. Yes, her own room. 

He also loves specialty coffee, mountain hiking (preferably where there’s no signal), trail running, and experimenting in the kitchen. His pasta recipes – especially carbonara and shrimp-basil-cherry tomato variations – are the stuff of legend. 

"Cooking is about experimenting. That’s why I’m not into making sweets. Too many rules." 

But we know better. His panna cotta is nothing short of divine. Gardening is his next project, inspired by his parents’ lush backyard. 

When asked what his mother thinks about his current job, Sorin laughs. "She’s just glad I’m not in the army anymore." She doesn’t really get what testing is about, but he explains it by comparing it to quality control in her world of tailoring. 

Sorin’s journey is proof that behind military discipline, there can be a huge heart – a heart that rescues cats, uplifts teams, and experiments with pasta just because. 

Discipline shaped his work ethic. Passion shaped his purpose. And CGM? That’s where all of it comes together. 

Looking back, Sorin’s life wasn’t shaped by a master plan - it was shaped by courage, curiosity, and kindness. He didn’t always know what he wanted to do, but he always knew how he wanted to live: with purpose, integrity, and heart. 

His story is a reminder that your background doesn’t define your future. Whether you come from a strict military upbringing or stumble into IT by accident, what really matters is what you do once you're here - and how many people (or animals) you help along the way.