Technology is always changing – I knew that it would give me a good basis to grow , develop and explore .
What are the latest trends you see emerging across the channel ?
Two major trends : firstly , remote working and collaboration have become critical through COVID-19 – we are helping our channels and their customers operate and collaborate more efficiently at this time . We have seen a x32 increase in our Avaya Spaces collaboration platform and enabled over 2.5 million remote workers in the second half of FY20 . Secondly , cloud adoption , SaaS and Digital Transformation , which are key . Our Avaya partner subscription model has been a major driver in enabling organisations to facilitate remote working and Business Continuity in our ‘ new normal ’ and has played a key role in our continued SaaS transformation . Thanks to our own transformation at Avaya , we ’ re taking our UK channel with us on that journey and helping them grow their relevance to the UK technology industry .
What is your management philosophy ?
I set objectives , then act as a coach , a team member and a trusted advisor . I don ´ t believe in micromanagement ; I prefer empowerment . Trust , guidance and support are the key traits of a good manager – one of the key culture fits for me joining Avaya was the ‘ family ’ feel internationally , despite it being a large global corporate .
When you look back at your career what has been the most memorable achievement ?
I have a green Hulk in my office today ; I was presented with it at only 26-years-old for being top of sales in a prior job at Cable & Wireless , working with IBM and a large retailer in the UK . That is something that I will always be proud of , despite the many Presidents Club or top achievements I ’ ve received at both Juniper Networks and TalkTalk Business . Moving to Avaya has been the most rewarding . I was finally given the opportunity to bring my wealth of 20 years channel experience in both telecommunications and IT into a company where I have an ear , where I am respected and where I can drive change as part of the UK management team and the international channel community . In November FY19 , I was privileged to host the
Avaya International Partner Event in Dubai at the Atlantis . I was the host for two days , presenting to over 1,400 people from all over the world . It was the most challenging experience in my career so far but at the same time the most rewarding .
What made you think of a career in technology ?
Technology is always changing – I knew that it would give me a good basis to grow , develop and explore . I actually was in service management before sales . But found that I could sell on the job .
What do you think will be the hot technology talking point of 2021 ?
Work-from-anywhere will continue to be the driving force in our industry ; there is a ‘ new normal ’ for our customers and partners and it differs from one industry and market to another . For us at Avaya , our focus is on using our Avaya OneCloud portfolio to deliver speed to the value that our customers desire , building on one of the most extensive ecosystems in the industry and our unique ability to innovate where our customers meet their own ecosystem . Communication technology is key for business growth and the new normal – cloud adoption and CX are also key . Therefore , Avaya ’ s one cloud portfolio including UCaaS , CCaaS and CPaaS will continue to thrive as Digital Transformation and cloud adoption accelerates .
What are your personal interests and where do you like to spend most of your time after work ?
I normally love to travel as I love food , wine and exploring different cultures . When I ’ m not on a video meeting or on the phone , I love spending time with my 10-year-old daughter , Lilly-Grace , my husband , Mark , and my dog , Lucy . We built a house in the woods in Bedfordshire a few years back and are really getting to enjoy it in lockdown ! I have also invested in a Peloton spinning bike and regularly use that to de-stress and stay connected with my friends ( I love all sorts of music and am normally a social animal ). I love enjoying a few glasses of wine of an evening and some good food . •
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