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I have always been interested in technology , how technology can be used for good , and how dramatically it can change the world .
How do you deal with stress and unwind outside the office ?
My mantra has always been to solve as many problems as you can every day at the office .
Personally , making forward progress has always been a great way to reduce stress at the office . Once this task is completed , I like to engage in daily physical activities such as running and hiking . My ideal activity during time off would be scuba diving while exploring new underwater environments .
If you could go back and change one career decision , what would it be ?
I started graduate school to start my MS degree right after finishing my undergraduate schooling . Perhaps if I had worked before applying to graduate school , I would have more quickly determined the type of work I wanted to focus on based on the experience .
What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry ?
Apart from protecting customer data against ransomware attacks , the ability to improve visibility and logging to help customers understand the nature and source of the threat needs investment . This investment will ultimately provide timely and actionable information to detect risks and threats before they happen ; as well as to identify and allow us to take appropriate action , in a timely fashion once they do .
What are the region-specific challenges when implementing new technologies in North America ?
North America is at the forefront of technological advancements . It can therefore be a challenge to convince sophisticated customers that they might have to do even more to protect their data against internal and external threats .
What changes to your job role have you seen in the last year and how do you see these developing in the next 12 months ?
More and more customers have been engaging with StorCentric in a consultative role . It ’ s not just about buying a product . A collaborative approach needs to be taken to ensure the ideal solution is architected for them .
What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain a C-level position in your industry ?
Learn about the challenges in the industry . Without truly understanding the evolving challenges one will not be able to provide lasting solutions . Describe products and services in the simplest way possible to customers . I have seen many missed opportunities in my career when technology solutions were presented in a way that left customers more confused and perplexed , then when they started .
Listen closely to and share customer feedback broadly across your organization . At the C-level one can become far removed from the customer , it is important to stay close , so you truly understand what they are asking for . Lastly , make sure you act and solve problems every day . p
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