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Enjoying the company of good friends .
Working in our field – mowing , strimming , landscaping tinkering with engines / machinery .
If you could go back and change one career decision , what would it be ?
What are the region-specific challenges when implementing new technologies in North America ?
As with any market , ensure you understand customer and channel expectations / requirements . Don ’ t assume one size fits all .
I have no regrets about the decisions I have made in my career . I do pinch myself on a regular basis as feel I have been exceptionally fortunate to have had the opportunities I ’ ve had , as well as the people I have met , worked with , learnt from and a career which I have and still enjoy .
However , I do sometimes wonder what would have happened if , in 2009 , we ’ d decided not to leave North America .
That said , it was a family decision and the right decision at the time . I remained with Microsoft , so I ’ m not sure if that answers the question .
What I maybe would have done differently is taken better advantage of mentors and refined my personal development by applying more time to formal and structured training .
What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry ?
• Development into more specific areas of data discovery outside of compliance and legislation .
• Understanding and leveraging of AI .
• Consumerization and simplification of data management .
Can you scale ? If not , how will you ? It ’ s a massive area to cover and takes , focus , investment and resources .
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 ?
The tech / software industry in the past 12 months has hit a bit of a dip and while signs are emerging that this is changing , for many tech companies it will be a longer journey . As such , I believe my role is really on looking at how we maintain the right trajectory , focusing on the now but still investing in the future . Very much in listening mode with the teams , helping work through organizational constraints during the dip , while then hiring people who raise our standards and energy .
What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain a C-level position in your industry ?
Do it . Understand why you want to do it and what value you will bring to the organization . Be self-critical and humble as you are just one part of a wheel , which if you do your job well will run without you . Leave your ego at home and learn how to listen . But have fun and embrace being out of your comfort zone . p
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