In The Media - Page 8 of 11 - Women In Digital

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Elise Bentley boasts an impressive resume. Having worked as an Electorate Advisor at the Office of Premier Campbell Newman, Business Analyst and currently the Senior Director of Marketing at Tiny, Elise has dipped her toes across a broad range of industries. We were excited to sit down with her to talk about all things marketing including her impressive career, digital trends in the industry and the lack of female leaders in digital.

These are incredible professional accolades, but tell us, who is Elise Bentley the person?

Behind the work persona is someone who I would say is pretty normal. Away from the office, I’m the person you will find avidly planning their next overseas adventure or taking time out to be with friends, family, and of course, my dogs. I will most likely always be able to tell you about what’s been happening in the latest Netflix movies and shows as well.

It is commonly recognised that there are fewer female leaders in digital and technology. You actually started your career in political communications. How did you end up working in this industry?

When my time in politics was finished, I decided I wanted to go into the commercial side of things and branch out of communications into general marketing. My first role from there was actually with a consultancy specialising in HR. It was a great experience to be able to see the impact we were able to make for clients, but I was after something that was more technical and product orientated. I then happened to land at a company which had a service arm, but was also building a tech start-up within the financial space. It was such a great experience, I thought finance was the space to be, but I ended up really missing the technological aspect, so decided to come back into tech. It has been an interesting mix of different experiences from different industries, but having all these various backgrounds I found has really allowed me to have a strong understanding of many different viewpoints, techniques, and concepts, which you wouldn’t be exposed to if you have always sat within a single industry.

Tiny was well-primed for remote working considering your team is dispersed across countries and timezones – what advice do you have for team leaders that are new to remote working?

The most important thing is to ensure your team can reach out to you whenever they need to. I find it is important to have both a professional relationship with the team, but also the understanding that everyone is human and we have all been going through massive upheavals over the last few months. It has been so important to touch base with everyone daily, not just about what they are working on, but also stimulating more casual conversation and trying to find activities to do with more team members.

What do you think can be done to improve diversity in the digital industry, particularly in more technical positions?

I have been very fortunate within all my digital and tech roles that diversity has always been fairly strong, both at the leadership level and among the wider team. I think a lot of this has been because of the human approaches these businesses have taken. It is about being willing to take risks with people who may not have been the perfect fit on paper, but have the attitude and the willingness to go the extra mile. Being in the marketing side, I have been lucky that there are always loads of really talented women marketers (along with men) and focusing on the right fit and the right attitudes has always worked out well.

What is on the cards for Tiny in the new 20/21 financial year?

We have some pretty big plans for Tiny over the next year which I cannot quite talk publicly about yet, but I’m really excited to see where we go. Watch this space!

What’s your most recommended Business/ Marketing resource?

I loath to recommend a single source, there are so many great people (and companies) out there who are doing such amazing things within the marketing space and are happily sharing their journey, and learnings, online. The digital world has opened so many different avenues to grow and explore your passion in marketing. For those who are just starting out, I always point them over to the Hubspot Blog. Love them or hate them, they provide great content on a lot of the fundamentals of marketing.

What technology development is most exciting to you at the moment?

Real-Time Collaboration. It may sound like something that has been around for ages (Google Docs anyone), but within our niche we are seeing the pent up demand for a scalable, easily deployable system which can be integrated into any product or platform. For those that follow Tiny’s blog they will know we have been working on it, and listening to the development team talk about all the different ways they are trying to solve this problem and take it to the next level. This is something I find truly fascinating. We’ve been really public about why we have been making technical decisions, and the reaction we are getting from the developer community has been amazing. We get so many comments and thoughts from developers who have tried similar things but not been able to make them work.

What is something that not many people know about you?

I am a complete nerd about far too many things. Marketing being one of them. I truly love the way you are able to take so many concepts and ideas, and bring them together to create something truly amazing and creative, and turn it into something that resonates with your customers and helps solve their problems and fulfil their needs.

What is next for you?

Being with Tiny is such a great experience – working with the team to create software which truly makes a difference in the world of Open Source. I cannot wait to continue working to redevelop and redefine the marketing arm at Tiny and deliver a world-class experience.
It is too hard to say what will be next for me as I continue to explore marketing!

A big thanks to Elise for chatting with us. If you want to read more Q&A’s with the top women in business head over to our blog! We will also be sharing further female success stories on our socials so stay updated with our Facebook and Instagram.

From a career in the commercial sector to co-founding a social enterprise, Zoe Caplen-Black is one of our top picks for women in business to keep an eye on. As CEO and co-founder of Happy Paws Happy Hearts, Zoe is helping make the world a happier and loving place by connecting socially isolated individuals with rescue animals in a safe and positive environment. We were thrilled to chat with Zoe about her insights as a business co-owner and her successful career journey so far.

You have achieved so much in your career but tell us, who is Zoe the person?

I’m an adventurer who has always had a big heart – sometimes to my own detriment! I love time with my family and puppies, travelling in Oz and abroad.

I’m the kind of friend who is always there for a long open-ended chat. You don’t have to twist my arm to have a whiskey either.

What is something that not many people know about you?

Most people would be surprised to know that I’m allergic to cats and yet I still chose to work with animals each day! Telfast does quite well out of me!

What’s the most useless talent you have?

I can still do the Highland Fling because during school I did Scottish dancing competitions with my cousins.

What are you currently watching/reading/listening to?

I’ve just finished reading Cilka’s Journey – sequel to another book I absolutely devoured. I’m almost always listening to some country music or Queen.

Who is your professional inspiration?

I look locally for my inspiration. Sandy Blackburn has taught me so much about social impact measurement and is a constant inspiration to me.

What’s on repeat with your work playlist right now?

Conversations about scaling enterprises whilst maintaining our culture and quality of outcomes for people and animals.

What’s your most recommended Business/Marketing resource?

Your own network! You don’t have to follow their advice however getting some different opinions and experiences has always helped me determine which direction to go.

You left the security and stability of corporate to co-found a social enterprise. We so often talk about ‘taking the leap’ but how did that evolve and what did that practically look like for you?

‘Taking the leap’ actually looked more like small stepping stones in quick succession! When we started our venture it was just an idea that might work so it really was a part-time gig supported by amazing volunteers. I job-shared between Happy Paws Happy Hearts and RSPCA QLD who offered me a Business Partnerships role. It was tough going because both felt like full-time jobs. After a few years, our social enterprise took off so I needed to work solely on it.

Looking back, when was a big ‘aha moment’ when you knew you were going to take your career on a new, squiggly path?

When we first pitched the concept of Happy Paws Happy Hearts, I didn’t even know I was in a pitch! I was having a side conversation with a contact I’d met through another Board position. They asked me what else I did outside of work and if I had any other ideas for what I might do. When I explained this idea, they quickly said, “we’ll fund this… go and do it” so off we went…

What role has mentors/sponsors played in your career/life?

I’ve had mentors and supporters every step of the way. I used to have only ‘care bear’ mentors who would cheer me on and over time I realised I needed to add some ‘tough love’ mentors who would deliver hard advice based on their experiences. Whenever I’m faced with a really challenging phase in the business, I go to both sets so I can help organise my thoughts.

What do you think can be done to improve diversity in the digital industry, particularly in more technical positions?

We need to engage the next generation of leaders so they understand the challenge. I’ve heard of some amazing leaders who are constantly looking to improve diversity and are even scanning their pay brackets to make sure no one is underpaid simply because they didn’t come forward. These types of leaders are actively paying the position, not the person. We need more of this.

What technology development is most exciting you at the moment?

I’m pretty amazed by voice recognition technology – even my 2 year old can tell our home devices to “play baby shark on Spotify…” Truly scary stuff!!

What is next for you?

We’re taking our programs to more rescue shelters this year in both Queensland and NSW. It’s hugely exciting and also brings on more challenges as we manage fast-paced growth.

A massive thank you to Zoe for chatting with us. Be sure to check out all the wonderful things Happy Paws Happy Hearts are doing over on their website, Facebook and Instagram! If you want to read more Q&A’s with the top women in business head over to our blog! We will also be sharing further female success stories on our socials so stay updated with our Facebook and Instagram.

GlobalX is undoubtedly a leader in the gender diversity space; their software team is 50% female and their entire workforce is 49.46% female. When it comes to gender diversity, they aren’t working towards it, they have achieved it! And now, they are setting their sights on greater diversity and inclusion – including racial and cultural diversity. We are so happy to have GlobalX onboard as a Corporate Member and we hope you enjoy this interview with their CMO, Lara Paholski as much as we did.

How would you describe GlobalX in just one sentence?

An innovative and collaborative organisation with a strong focus on team culture, diversity and having some fun along the way.

How long have you been at GlobalX?

Coming up to 2.5 years.

What is one thing not many people know about GlobalX?

Our staff organise and serve hot meals during work time to local members of the Brisbane community who are homeless or disadvantaged. We do this monthly for local charity Community Friends – a group that holds weekly grocery giveaways at West End.

We have partnered with Community Friends quietly for several years doing both the food giveaway and an annual Christmas Food and Toy Drive. We’ve never promoted our presence at the food giveaway publicly, as we prefer to spend our time genuinely getting to know the people we serve rather than using it as a photo opportunity.

How did you enter a career in marketing?

I was fortunate enough to get my first “real job” straight out of university at a multi-national advertising and marketing agency.

Grateful for the opportunity, I sank my teeth into learning and doing as much as I could. I got as many life lessons during my stint there as I did work lessons.

I loved the fast pace and diversity of marketing then…and I’ve never looked back.

What made GlobalX want to become a Women in Digital Corporate Member?

GlobalX is incredibly supportive of women in its workplace and creates opportunities and pathways for them.

So the opportunity to further support both our female employees and the broader ecosystem of women across the industry through Women in Digital was a terrific fit for our company values.

Obviously, diversity in digital is important to you but what is your definition of diversity and how or why do you think diversity is important?

Diversity to me means all types of employees coming together to express their unique point of view and working productively together; regardless of age, religion, gender and other factors. It means inclusivity for all.

Diversity is crucial in workplaces as we know it drives higher employee engagement, innovation, collaboration, creativity, reduced employee turnover and improved decision making.

Diversity helps build great culture and you just can’t put a price on that!

In what ways do you think diversity is important to someone in the role of Chief Marketing Officer?

In my role as Chief Marketing Officer at GlobalX, I’m responsible for overseeing all our marketing and branding activity, with the wonderful support of my talented and dedicated team.

I’ve genuinely found that our team’s overall creativity and innovation towards our work is enriched because of the many contributions from our diverse range of employees from across the organisation.

The multiple perspectives that we seek to find internally via working groups and cross-department project groups inspire our marketing team to try new things and ways of approaching specific problems.

And our own marketing team is also diverse in its own right and I’m proud to say we operate as a highly engaged and productive team, where everyone’s contribution is valued and heard.

How would you describe your current thinking about diversity, and how has your thinking changed over time?

I think diversity in workplaces used be an ideal that was typically thrown around as a “nice to have” or “strategic business imperative” – but it is now a mentality and a reality.

Companies who have embraced diversity have witnessed the highest rates of growth and success and research tells us that it’s a critical factor to overall company success.

If I think back to my first job out of university, there’s been a gradual, but real shift in the focus and importance placed upon it in workplaces.

I think employees truly now realise the benefits of diversity for not only their workforce, but their customers. It’s a cyclical effect of employees working hard to make the customer happy!

What does it mean to GlobalX to have a commitment to diversity?

For GlobalX diversity means inclusion and creating supportive pathways for a career in digital.

How is GlobalX demonstrating that commitment?

Nearly 50 per cent of GlobalX’s software development team is now made up of females and 49.46 per cent of its entire workforce are females. This is more than double the national average of less than one quarter (23 per cent) in the Australian Information and Communication Technology industry.

We also run initiatives aimed at arming female staff with the tools they need to feel empowered, such as an internal leadership program run throughout the year to help women prepare for leadership and executive roles within the company.

And whilst we can always improve, we’re actively championing women to make their mark in digital.

What do you think is the biggest struggle for businesses when it comes to diversity in digital?

On the whole, I think businesses are supportive of diversity in digital.

The biggest struggle they are actually facing is individuals believing in themselves. As an example, I think many women are often challenged to believe in themselves and that they deserve an equal seat at the table. And it’s probably the case for many individuals, not just women.

But workplaces these days are helping to continue diversifying their workplaces and are putting their money where their mouth is.

What do you think GlobalX can improve on when it comes to diversity and inclusion?

I truly believe that GlobalX is an advocate for diversity and inclusion, and this is evident even in our female employee numbers that are well above the national average. We would like to move towards increasing our number of internal programs and initiatives that not only focus on gender diversity, but also racial and cultural diversity. This could include awareness activities (e.g. Potluck lunch with a dish from an employee’s country of origin, office decorating, days employees can dress up in outfits from their country of origin) to help foster better understanding of the racial and cultural diversity that comprises Team GlobalX.

To businesses or leaders out there that know they want to improve gender diversity within their team but don’t know where to start…. What advice do you have for them?

Reach out to your network and connections! Speak to individuals who are working the space, employers who are walking the talk and other organisations such as Women In Digital who are supporting and putting measures in place to proactively support gender diversity.

So many of us have had positive experiences throughout our careers like myself who are happy to share our insights to help you pave a positive way forward in your own workplace and teams.

There’s more people and companies out there ready to help you than you might think – just reach out!

Thank you so much to Lara Paholski for not only sharing her time with us, but for being such a fierce supporter of Women in Digital and the team here. Lara truly goes above and beyond to support us and we couldn’t be more grateful. Also, a big thank you to GlobalX for coming on board as a corporate sponsor and for being a leader in gender diversity.

If you are interested in learning more about GlobalX and their people, click here. You can also find them on Facebook and LinkedIn.

You can learn more about our Corporate Membership here.

Insights from the WID Squiggly Careers Evening…

The following points are my squiggled down reference notes from an interesting Women In Digital International event that I attended in February 2020. The topic was Squiggly Careers with guest speakers Bernadette Stone, Zoe Caplen-Black and Karen Whiteford.

I picked upon a few common themes as I listened to these three distinguished female professionals during the course of the evening. Throughout their squiggly careers they have retained their positive attitude and embraced the change that was thrown their way. I won’t try to summarise their stories, rather expand on a few points that I found particularly interesting.

Look after people and all the rest will follow

From the outset, my handwriting couldn’t keep up with all the golden nuggets of information Bernadette shared about what was important to her as a successful leader. Her message, put quite simply; look after people and all the rest will follow. As a leader myself, I strive to surround myself with the best; people that embrace change and have a desire to keep learning. Surrounding our self with the best, as an example, could mean hiring people that are better than ourselves in the areas we need knowledge in. As I continued to listen and squiggle down note after note, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief knowing that we don’t have to feel as if we have to ‘do it all’. Whether that be in the home or in the workplace, we tend to juggle and forget to ask for help. Be kind to yourself, give yourself a break. Hiring people with strong leadership and EQ will prevail over capability sets when faced with challenging situations.

Choose values, skills and capabilities and NOT role titles

As a Program Manager by trade, I live and breathe project plans so it’s probably no surprise that I used to have a career plan in my 20s. That was until I actually hit my goal. What then? I found myself unsure of where to go from there because I was searching for a specific role title to put ‘in the plan’, yet I knew it was important to keep planning to help stay driven and focused. Bernadette, Karen and Zoe, all suggested that when career planning, stay away from choosing specific role titles and focus on what values, skills and capabilities sets you’d like to acquire, what it is that you want to achieve from the role and what you want to do, rather than exactly what it is. With that in mind, start to think about what makes you happy and what you’re good at. Do what you believe in. Do what you love. If you focus on your strengths, then you are more likely to shine. Although it’s good to have a career plan, ensure you’re continuing to scan, internally (self) and externally (market), not for the purpose of jumping ship but to validate you’re still on the right track – plans change, and so do you. If you hit a roadblock within your plan, remember that failure isn’t fatal. In fact, it can quite often be seen as an opportunity, at the very least for learning how to do things differently next time. If what you tried didn’t work, jump back in and start again. The failures will have taught you a lot and have helped define what your ‘non-negotiables’ are when looking for that next role. Don’t lose confidence with a failure. Communicate your value proposition with the value you are bringing to the next opportunity. When that time comes, ensure you are interviewing the organisations as much as they are interviewing you.

Don’t forget to acknowledge your current success (it’s not all about the next big move)

While executing this career plan, it’s important to self-reflect and remind yourself that ‘this’ is what you wanted. My husband reminds me of this often, as many years ago I wrote on my career plan that I wanted to be a project coordinator, then project manager and now a program manager. It seemed so far away at the time but before you know, through a combination of steps, you’ve reached your goal and onto the next challenge. So, remind yourself that ‘this’ is what you wanted, don’t forget to acknowledge the success rather than continuously trying to get to the next big move.

Choose a mentor that will challenge you to grow

The other person to assist with career planning is a mentor. Quoting Zoe “don’t just choose a ‘carebear’ mentor”, choose someone who will help you critically think and improve. Although it’s important to have inspiring people around you who make you feel good, choose someone who tells the truth, always pushing you to the next level. Seek diversity in guidance. This person might also be able to help you define what your non-negotiables are when looking for the next role.

Bring everyone along on the journey to diversity

Lastly, and maybe an apt way to finish the Women In Digital International event as we near International Woman’s Day, it was interesting to hear where the Q&A honed in on. There was a strong focus from the audience’s question on the importance of equality. Specifically, how can we find ways to learn from our male colleagues and leaders and involve them in diversity and equality conversations. We need their help. We can’t and shouldn’t do this alone as we have a lot to learn from each other. I felt that was an insightful way to end a jam-packed evening as Women In Digital International actually have a strong focus to include both male and females on their Board, within their speaker selections and in their event attendance. Let’s keep the diversity of thought alive by inviting your Man-bassador along to the next event!

Words by: Julia Morton

For more information on upcoming community events, follow our Women in Digital Facebook page.

Our job at Women in Digital is pretty special; we get to meet intelligent women and partner with phenomenal digital-centric businesses and sometimes when we are extra lucky, these two intersect. Enter our latest Corporate Member loans.com.au headed up by the accomplished Marie Mortimer. loans.com.au is an award-winning online lender headquartered in the heart of Brisbane, Australia. We sat down with Marie to discuss all things loans.com.au, fintech and the importance of diversity in digital.

How would you describe loans.com.au in just one sentence?

Loans.com.au is one of Australia’s largest online lenders of home and car loans, and we exist to make it easier for people to own and invest in property.

How long have you been at loans.com.au?

I started loans.com.au 9 years ago in 2011, and have since grown it into a business with over $6 billion worth of home loans under management.

What is one thing not many people know about Loans.com.au?

Loans.com.au is a part of the Firstmac Group who are Australia’s largest non bank lender. By dealing with loans.com.au, customers get the advantage of low interest rates because they are dealing with the funder direct, there is no middle man. Plus, we’re a Premier Sponsor of the Brisbane Broncos.

How did you enter a career in the finance sector?

I started my career in finance when I finished my degree at QUT in 2002. I have a Bachelor of Business majoring in Banking and Finance with a Funds Management extended major. Quite a mouthful – but I find finance interesting!

What made loans.com.au want to become a Women in Digital Corporate Member?

As a female founder and leader with a lot of women who work for me, organisations like Women in Digital are really important. The finance, technology and digital industries are typically very male dominated, so finding our voice as a group is important. This group brings a lot of different women across many sectors together with their joint passion for digital. loans.com.au is proud to be a part of this network.

Obviously diversity in digital is important to you but what is your definition of diversity and how or why do you think diversity is important?

I believe that diversity isn’t just a ‘KPI target’ that we should be trying to hit. I think it’s something that organisations should live and breath because diversity brings different ideas and concepts into every organisation. By willing to accept different points of view, companies can only flourish and grow. It’s better for different industries and the customers who ultimately benefit from having awesome and diverse companies.

In what ways do you think diversity is important to someone in the role of Managing Director?

It’s important to surround yourself with a lot of different people with different points of view. If you lead with a one track mind, your company isn’t going to grow and develop. If you aren’t diverse you are just going to follow the status quo – that’s no way to run a company!

How would you describe your current thinking about diversity, and how has your thinking changed over time?

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve done a lot more research in this area. I’ve been lucky that I have never felt there was a ‘glass ceiling’ but the more I research this area the more I understand the importance of diversity and it isn’t just something at the top of an organisation. Most people know that I’m very passionate about developing the next generation of female leaders who might still be at school or early on in their careers. I’m all about helping young women find a pathway to the top!

What does it mean to loans.com.au to have a commitment to diversity?

loans.com.au is still ultimately a family business and while we have no set diversity targets, we feel that diversity is something that is a part of our culture. Being fair and conscious of finding team members that fit but also bring different types of experience is important to us. We pride ourselves on our tenure of staff and the way we constantly reinvent ourselves as a company.

How is loans.com.au demonstrating that commitment?

I am extremely proud of the flexible working environment we’ve created, particularly in my digital team. There are a few parents on the team (male and female), and as a mother I’m very conscious that some parents not only have their paid job, but also their unpaid job as a parent at home. If a child is sick, we are very understanding to let our staff go home to care for their family (whether it’s the mum or the dad) without judgement.

And as I mentioned before, I truly believe in the importance of surrounding yourselves with different people and different points of view. Both in my digital team and throughout loans.com.au, staff members come from everywhere from the UK to Indonesia to the Philippines, to China and to NZ and more.

What do you think is the biggest struggle for businesses when it comes to diversity in digital?

There aren’t enough women applying for the more technical roles. I find that this is biggest struggle, and it’s not because we don’t want to hire more women. I believe there are two reasons for this. Firstly, women aren’t being educated in the first place with the skills required for the role. Secondly I believe if they do have the right skills, they aren’t putting themselves forward because they don’t tick all the boxes! These are two big factors why technology and digital is still very male dominated.

What do you think loans.com.au can improve on when it comes to diversity and inclusion?

I think as we grow we definitely need to understand what formal measures we can put into place that not only looks at regular reporting on how diverse we are, but also set ourselves some more targets. While we have a lot of informal practices around achieving diversity because we know ‘what the right thing to do’ is, it would be great to spend more time and formalise them further.

To businesses or leaders out there that know they want to improve gender diversity within their team but don’t know where to start…. What advice do you have for them?

Read, read and read some more. There is so much research available online about gender diversity. There are so many fantastic books, websites, papers, talks etc available for free. Start there. Then maybe chat to other leaders in your team and your human resources team. Research first and make a plan! There is always a way to educate yourself further in this digital age!

Thank you so much to Marie Mortimer, loans.com.au and their parent company, Firstmac for getting behind the very important mission of diversity in digital.

If you are interested in learning more about Loans.com.au and their people, click here. You can learn more about our partnerships here.

Close your eyes and imagine you are in a world where you can’t travel…

One month ago, we would have said that was a ludicrous statement! Yet, one month after International Women’s Day, that reality has just been flipped on its head. For International Women’s Day 2020 a room full of Brisbane-ites enjoyed mimosas over breakfast, standing close together, networking. It doesn’t seem that long ago does it? Back then, discussing the lasting benefits of “Global Careers and Game Changing Moves” seemed like a rather normal theme for the Women In Digital Breakfast. Fast forward one month and our reality has drastically changed. When reflecting on the notes I took that day, there was a strong message from each of the panellist that can be applied to our current reality – without the need to get on a plane.

One word… resilience.

Each panellist explained how building resilience through their global careers was an outcome of their experience. Being outside the comforts of your known surrounds forces you to reach within and confront challenges. Forced to make new connections or adapting their communication styles helped these panellists because they became more tolerant and understanding when faced with adversity.

When returning home from these global adventures, they accepted that changes were inevitable and that problems weren’t insurmountable. When they were at their lowest, they dug deep and found something inside, that little bit more that gave them the determination to keep on going. This is no different from what we are facing now.

We must adapt our communication style from face to face to online methods and consider alternative ways to move forward as individuals, companies and industries. This will give us another rung in our jungle gym to build resilience. We all know there is no straight easy way to the top. Through reaching out and speaking with colleagues who we may not have engaged before, we will increase our diversity of thought. People with different backgrounds, cultures and experiences may help trigger the innovative solutions to our business problems that many are currently facing. This is particularly important when we are hiring new team members and leaders.

For right now, while we are isolated, let’s take this as an opportunity to connect with some of the people in our organisations or network that we may not have got to know before. Albeit remotely, now is the time to be learning about different ways to tackle this unchartered territory. It is ok not to know the answers or have the exact path mapped out. In fact, showcasing our vulnerability actually allows us to change the dialogue and get to know one another and find new ways to solve big problems.

Just before the Women In Digital event wrapped up for the morning, we were asked to close our eyes and think of one extra thing we could do per week to make a difference to someone in our community. Now more than ever, I encourage you to close your eyes and think of who you can reach out to, someone who may offer a different perspective or someone who may need your help.

Thank you to the event facilitator Cara Cipollone Walsh, and panel members Laura Stokes, Indi Tansey, Jenna Fitch, Marie Mortimer for sharing your insights on the day. When you spoke with us, we really didn’t know what was around the corner but your lessons around resilience are applicable, now more than ever.

Words by: Julia Morton

For more information on upcoming community events, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

At Women in Digital, we are very lucky to have incredible partners like Amazon Web Services (AWS). AWS came onboard as one of our first Corporate Members and we could not be happier to have them on board. It is no secret that AWS is a major player in the digital space but what many people don’t know is the work they are doing to increase diversity in their workforce. We sat down with their Enterprise Sales Manager (QLD), Anne Marron to discuss all things AWS, diversity and the importance of diversity in digital.

How would you describe AWS in just one sentence?

As we strive to be the earth’s most customer-centric company, our people have the ability to make a genuine impact in their roles, for customers and in the community. Really.

How long have you been at AWS?

3 incredibly fast-paced years.

What is one thing not many people know about AWS?

Both globally and closer to home here in Australia, we have women in tech leading some of our biggest and most important businesses at AWS. AWS is the most diverse workplace I have personally ever worked in!

How did you enter a career in tech sales/account management?

I’ve built my career on deliberate, planned choices. Very early on, I started working closely with a tech recruiter because I knew my first major tech role was going to be the start of a long and meaningful career. I was placed in a role at Cisco and have never looked back.

Along the way, I have taken core learnings and continued to expand my skills with each new role I have been awarded.

My philosophy is that you don’t need permission to be incredible, you simply need to make the choice to back yourself.

I also think it’s important not to just think about your next role, but the one after that and work backwards on the skills/requirements you’ll need to be successful in that role. Think big!

What made you want to become a Women in Digital Corporate Member?

Diversity of thought is critical to the way we solve problems in the real world for our customers.

It is so important to continue to build talent pools to help us meet the needs of our customers all around the world.

Obviously diversity in digital is important to you but what is your definition of diversity and how or why do you think diversity is important?

Amazon has hundreds of millions of customers who benefit from diversity of thought. We believe that diversity and inclusion are good for our business, but our commitment is based on something more fundamental than that – it’s simply right.

We are a company of builders who bring varying backgrounds, ideas, and points of view to decisions and inventing on behalf of our customers. Our diverse perspectives come from many sources including gender, age, race, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, culture, education, as well as professional and life experience.

In what ways do you think diversity is important to someone in a leadership role?

In my experience, diversity brings perspective and empathy. Both are important qualities in leadership.

How would you describe your current thinking about diversity, and how has your thinking changed over time?

My perspective on diversity hasn’t changed much over time. Diversity in the workplace is not only necessary, it’s simply right. And diversity is everyone’s responsibility.

What does it mean to AWS to have a commitment to diversity?

Amazon’s mission is to be the earth’s most customer-centric company, and this mission is central to our work in inclusion and diversity. Our customers are diverse, and we know we serve them better by having and building diverse teams. Our diverse perspectives help us push each other to think bigger, and differently, about the products and services that we build for our customers and the day-to-day nature of our workplace.

How is AWS demonstrating that commitment?

Amazon is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. Amazon is an equal-opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability or age.

AWS is committed to recruiting talent from all backgrounds. This includes but is not limited to alternative pipelines for those in leadership positions, early career and non-traditional career paths, and those who have taken extended career breaks.

Here are some examples of the global programs we have to support diversity and inclusion in our workplace:

AWS re/Start – preparing unemployed and underemployed individuals for cloud careers through classroom-based training.
We Power Tech – a community of allies and leaders who are powering the future

What is AWS doing to help increase the number of women in the workplace?

We feel strongly that people of all backgrounds are represented at Amazon. We also believe in the importance of investing in and retaining the women already within our organization. Once at Amazon, we have benefits like parental leave, mentorship, flexible work arrangements, returners program, and sponsorship programs in some countries, which help women not only stay at Amazon but also develop their careers. Our various women-focused affinity groups have global chapters to help strengthen the community among our internal talent. Our women workforce are actively involved in external speaking engagements, as well as presenting at local and global AWS events, to talk about their own experiences.

To businesses or leaders out there that know they want to improve gender diversity within their team but don’t know where to start…. What advice do you have for them?

A really simple first step can be checking for gender bias in job descriptions. There’s lots of tooling available to help with this prior to advertising the position.

Also, make sure you have a diverse representation of staff interviewing your candidates.

Finally, being deliberate in activities like talent acquisition and retention or development programs is super important to achieving outcomes.

Thank you so much to Amazon Web Services (AWS) for being such fierce advocates for diversity – with Amazon.com Inc. employing over 750,000 people worldwide, they have the power to create far-reaching, impactful change.

If you are interested in learning more about AWS and their culture, click here. You can learn more about our partnerships here.

New decade, new board! That’s the saying, right? Our past board members have each achieved great success in their careers and have moved onto international opportunities and broader remits. As we farewell and thank them for their great contribution, we are thrilled to announce Women in Digital’s new Advisory Board!

Our Advisory Board is made up of passionate industry leaders who want to contribute to the future of Women in Digital, ensuring that the organisation meets the needs of the community and society more broadly. Women in Digital has a responsibility to create long lasting change in the industry, and this is only possible through the input, energy and collaborative strategic direction provided by these industry leaders.

Introducing our Women in Digital Advisory Board for 2020…

Mandy Ross – CIO of Tabcorp

Mandy is one of the digital & IT industry’s most successful and grounded leaders. Mandy has been asked to join the advisory board to speak on behalf of senior leaders in technology about how Women in Digital can serve its community.

Anne Marron, Enterprise Account Manager at AWS

Anne is the QLD Enterprise Sales Manager at AWS. Her career in Cloud and ICT within the Australian Market spans over 15 years. She is known as a detail orientated leader who is skilled in assisting large, complex enterprises transform to adopt new technology enabling them to deliver on their strategic outcomes.

Anne is also an active ambassador for girls and women in technology and goes above and beyond in her role to champion the community.

Ran Heimann – Founder of Haystack

Ran is one of Australia’s most successful entrepreneurs, having launched Haystack six years ago he now has over 100,000 companies around the world using his software. With a truly global business yet local roots Ran provides a unique voice and perspective on how Women in Digital can create a legacy of change and drive equality for men and women.

Gemma Alker – Head of Engagement & Partnerships at QUT Chair in Digital Economy

A long standing supporter of Women in Digital, Gemma brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in partnership strategy. Gemma is passionate about supporting women to reach the peaks of their careers and sees Women in Digital’s events, partner network and community as the perfect facilitator for ambitious professionals.

Terry Weber – Regional Manager (QLD, NT & PNG) of Cisco

Terry is also a long standing supporter of Women in Digital. He is incredibly passionate about ensuring more women join technology and digital. He has been an internal champion of the Mentor Me program at Cisco which provides young female IT graduates with an opportunity to gain work experience within their office. He sees his role with Women in Digital as a way of extending his IT industry impact.

Gavin Douglas – Enterprise Account Manager at AWS

Gavin continues on the Women in Digital board as a strong advocate for Women in Digital. Gavin’s career has been extensive. Working for companies including Ogilvy, Apple, Adobe, Microsoft and now Amazon Web Services. In the words of Stephen Covey, Gavin always thinks with the “begin with the end in mind’ philosophy.

Bernadette Stone – Chief Information Officer of Brisbane City Council

Bernadette is the CIO of Brisbane City Council and is the quintessential woman in digital. She has built an impressive career in male dominated industries. Companies on her resume include Accenture, Rio Tinto, Queensland Rail, Aurizon, Virgin and now Brisbane City Council. She presents a distinctive value proposition with over 20 years’ experience in IT whilst also holding senior management positions in Enterprise Strategy and Mergers and Acquisitions.

Rowena Samaraweera – Director of Customer Experience for the Department of Housing and Public Works (QLD)

Rowena is the Director of Customer Experience for the Department of Housing and Public Works (QLD) and one of Women in Digital’s earliest and biggest supporters. You might not see her as she often as she works in the background but she has played a pivotal role in getting the Women in Digital Awards off the ground. With a background in Marketing, Communication and Innovation, Rowena has worn many hats throughout her career including Senior Customer Strategy Specialist at Suncorp Bank, Global head of Marketing, CX and Digital at Flight Centre Travel Group and Chief Marketing Officer at Console Group.

Jane Humphreys (Coe) – Group Director, People & Culture at TechnologyOne

Jane has joined the Women in Digital board and with it brings her commercial acumen and experience with organisational psychology. She has built a strong reputation for devising and executing human resource, organisational development and broader business strategies through influential leadership, technical capability. Her experience spans across 15 years and has seen her manage the culture and people at Virgin, Aurizon, QUT and now Technology One.

What an incredible, accomplished and diverse advisory board. We look forward to working with these members in 2020 and beyond.

Emma Croston is the queen of start-ups. When she’s not consulting or giving key insight as an influential board member, Emma runs her own dog fashion label- talk about keeping busy! Her success as a start-up founder, adviser and investor and experience across multiple industries is truly impressive and we were so excited to chat to her about her extensive career!

Emma, you now run your own eCommerce business alongside consulting with organisations and boards to deliver digital transformations. But tell us, who is Emma Croston the human?

Take me away from the office and I absolutely love to have fun. Laughter is a must in my every day, most of the time I am laughing at myself. I love new experiences… Even if they are terrifying. Recently I found myself alone, hiding under a small side table, in a tent, in the Serengeti at 3 am in the morning, armed with a whistle (that’s all they give you to fight off the wildlife), struggling with a bout of diarrhea (let’s just say I wasn’t leaving the table for anything), terrified that I was about to get caught in an elephant stampede! (I could hear them coming)….. Turns out they were zebras. That pretty much sums me up., I love adventure, even if it is terrifying, and my mind is always strategically thinking of the best option to minimise impact… hence the table!

It is commonly recognised that there are fewer female leaders in digital and technology. How did you end up working in this industry?

I started my career in marketing. When the internet came along I was working in the travel industry. The travel industry was one of the first industries people shifted to online purchasing very quicking, with flights and accommodation.

At that stage websites and e-newsletters were the responsibility of the marketing department. At the time I was living in Townsville working for the North Queensland tourism body. We were giving a $6mil grant to promote driving in North Queensland. This meant developing websites and iPod-podcasts.

When I returned to Brisbane in 2007 I thought there was an opportunity for me to position myself in digital marketing and website development. So I studied it and my career went from strength to strength.

You worked with Cathie Reid co-founding Epic Digital. You are both strong women who are used to being in leadership roles, how did you successfully navigate co-leadership?

Cathie and I have very different leadership styles which compliment each other. Cathie is very good at identifying people who can bring her vision to life. I am a strategic futurist. I can take Cathie’s ideas/visions and know very quickly if they are viable both practically and commercially.I can see problems before they happen, which some people see as a negative. Cathie is very good at understanding that I am looking beyond the problem presented and toward the future outcome. We have a lot of respect for each other and we have a lot of knowledge in different areas. We know when we have stepped on each other’s toes and we are able to move past it very quickly and focus on the vision and outcomes. We grew together and we grew to become very good friends.

Did you have any initiatives at Epic Digital to recruit female technical talent, and if so can you please share your insights.

I didn’t have any defined strategy to recruit women. However, I do believe that women are stronger in certain areas within a development team than men are and vice versa. Women naturally tend to have more attention to detail and are strong multitaskers, they tend to thrive in product manager and testing roles. I believe there is a need for more women within the development team.

What do you think can be done to improve diversity in the digital industry, particularly in more technical positions?

I think the focus needs to shift to showing women a lot of creative roles within technology development. The scoping and development of products needs female input. I would like to see more women applying for these types of roles which don’t require formal technical knowledge.

What technology development is most exciting you at the moment?

Predictive analysis I believe is the realistic first step toward artificial intelligence. Companies need to have clean data that can support decision making. Most have a long way to go in just getting clean data. I think there is more to be done before the artificial intelligent learner are ready of deep business application within existing businesses.

A massive thank you to Emma for chatting with us. If you want to read more Q&A’s with the top women in business head over to our blog! We will also be sharing further female success stories on our socials so stay updated with our Facebook and Instagram.

Delving into the world of incredible Brisbane talent, Jenna Fitch certainly packs a punch when it comes to being a woman to watch. Currently Head of Digital at JSA Creative, Jenna’s impressive career spans across the globe – she’s made a name for herself overseas in the UK to here in Australia. We were lucky enough to chat about how she built her Brisbane network from the ground up and her journey to success.

To read the full interview click here.

If you want to find out more, she’s gracing the stage as a guest speaker at Women in Digital‘s International Women’s Day Global Careers & Game Changing Moves– make sure you don’t miss out on her pearls of wisdom and grab a ticket!

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