Meet Robert, Option Software Group Lead at BlockTech

How Robert turns trading strategies into powerful software

‍
When Robert Hana first walked into the BlockTech office nearly four years ago, he was handed a monitor and told, “Go find yourself a desk.” The team was in the middle of a move to a new office, the place was filled with boxes, and the entire company consisted of just over twenty people. “I was surrounded by unpacked screens and had no clue where I had ended up,” Robert recalls, laughing. “It felt chaotic, but also exciting—like a proper startup.” That chaotic energy, he would quickly learn, came with opportunity.

Fast forward to today: Robert is the Option Software Group Lead, helping set the roadmap for some of BlockTech’s most critical trading systems. But his path wasn’t always smooth. “I had a slow start,” he admits. “Coming from a really theoretical background, I made things too complicated for myself. I was trying to shoot mosquitoes with a bazooka.”

“There’s a real Champions League mentality here. We want to win, but we want to win as a team.”

Building bridges between trading and tech

Robert started out as a Quantitative Developer, a role that sits right at the crossroads of trading, mathematics, and software development. “As a Quant, you're basically the bridge between the traders and the tech team,” he explains. “You’re a programmer who understands markets. Most of our time is spent writing code, but we also provide input on trading strategies and system behavior.

”The role requires fluency in both abstract thinking and practical execution. “You’re analyzing data, writing algorithms, and trying to make sense of complex market behavior. But at the end of the day, you’re writing trading software. That means that, no matter how elegant your mathematical solution may be, it still has to run reliably in a production environment.

”He describes the position as a “hybrid role”—equal parts engineer and strategist. And for Robert, it’s this variety that makes it so exciting. “There’s a lot of depth in what we do. One moment you’re knee-deep in a data analysis, and the next you’re discussing edge cases with a trader or deploying updates to our option pricing engine.”

“At some point, I ran the entire option pricing setup pretty much by myself, writing features, fixing bugs, and providing trader support. That just doesn’t scale anymore. Now it’s about building teams that can move together.”

The secret sauce: trust and responsibility

One of the biggest reasons Robert has stayed at BlockTech is the level of trust he’s been given from day one. “It’s about taking ownership,” he says. “Here, if something breaks or needs to be built, you’re trusted to go and fix it. Management believes in giving people space to prove themselves.

”That sense of ownership became a defining part of Robert’s trajectory. “I may not always be the smartest person in the room, but I do take responsibility,” he says. “From day one, I showed up early, stayed late, and tried to learn as much as I could. That mindset helped me grow quickly.

”Over time, he transitioned from writing code to leading his own teams, helping define strategy and structure for BlockTech’s ever-scaling systems. “At some point, I ran the entire option pricing setup pretty much by myself, writing features, fixing bugs, and providing trader support. That just doesn’t scale anymore. Now it’s about building teams that can move together.”
‍

BlockTech: a culture that challenges and elevates

When asked what sets BlockTech apart, Robert doesn’t hesitate: “The people. We have incredibly competent colleagues who challenge and support each other every day. There’s a real Champions League mentality here. We want to win, but we want to win as a team.

”That team-first mindset is woven into the culture. “There’s no ego. Everyone’s trying to get better, and that means being open to feedback—even when it’s hard or brutally honest,” he says. “It’s intense sometimes, but it’s the kind of intensity that helps you grow.

”For new hires, especially juniors or graduates, he offers some candid advice: “Leave your ego at the door. You can learn a lot here, but only if you’re open to learning. The standard here is high, which is a good thing. It keeps you on your toes.”
‍

The road ahead

Despite his senior role, Robert is eager to stay involved in the technical side of the work. “There’s nothing I enjoy more than being hands-on; solving problems, building new tools, and digging into market behavior,” he says. “I’m mostly working on the bigger picture now, like team roadmaps and internal planning, but I always try to stay close to the traders and developers.

”Looking back on his journey, Robert is proud of how far the company has come. “It used to be just a handful of us, trying to keep the systems from crashing every other day. Now we’re operating at scale, with solid infrastructure and brilliant people across the board.

”Still, the essence of the early days remains. “It’s grown up, but it hasn’t lost its edge. We’re still that ambitious, fast-moving company—just with better desks now.”
‍

‍

‍