This is the first of our #womenintech series, profiling the diverse range of roles in the field, how different women got involved, and their ideas for making the sector more inclusive. Find out why we launched this series here.
Below Polycom’s new Senior Director in Marketing Gabrielle Cichero, answers our questions.
Responsible for establishing a new marketing strategy at the video and collaborations company, she brings a long career in technology to the new role. It started by accident, she says, but has seen her take on senior leadership roles at security company FireEye and Hewlett Packard.
1. Has your tech career been planned or did it just happen? Tell us about how you got started in tech.
My tech career started completely by accident. I took an administration and operations role with a then small technology company called Mercury Interactive. I loved it and was fortunate enough to be able to grow my career with the company, discovering marketing and eventually being promoted to APJ Marketing Director.
2. What qualifications (if any) do you have that support you in this role?
When I started I had no qualifications for the industry. However, I studied as I went getting a post graduate certificate in marketing and an MBA along the way. I was fortunate that organisations I worked for invested in me and encouraged my development – along with a little bit of hard work on my side. The most important element to success is always wanting to learn more and apply that knowledge.
3. Do you know any coding languages, is this relevant to your career?
No, but thankfully it has not been relevant in my marketing career.
4. What’s your proudest achievement so far in tech?
I’m really proud to have been able to mentor people that have worked for me and to see their careers flourish within the tech industry. It’s so important and rewarding to encourage people that work with you to achieve their dreams.
5. Why is diversity so important in the tech sector?
Diversity is so important because technology touches all people, regardless of gender, culture, race and age. I have been fortunate to work with teams across the globe and especially in Asia Pacific, and I know that talent is blind to language, gender, culture, religion and age. In today’s competitive environment and the war for the best talent, you need to be talent rich and that only comes from diversity. Great ideas that change the world can come from anyone, anywhere – so you need to be not just open to diversity but actively building it.
6. What do you want all girls and young women to know about careers in tech?
Tech is fun. All things are possible. Dream big. Find great networks and mentors and offer them as much value as you are looking to get from the relationship. My father had a favourite quote “the harder you work the luckier you get.” I believe that’s true, so work hard and smart to achieve your dreams.
7. What do you personally do to raise your profile and voice as a woman in tech?
The most valuable tool for me is networking. I build trusted and long term relationships, where I always try to give more than I receive. LinkedIn is also a great tool for staying in touch and to mentor emerging marketing superstars.
8. How can we get more women speaking at technology-related events?
The number of women in tech and in leadership positions is growing, and this needs to be represented at industry events. It’s great to see women in tech events emerging and inspiring youngsters into the industry, but now it is time for us to hit the mainstream and make our voice heard.It would be great to make sure that every tech conference has at least 20% female presenters and it is up to the entire industry to help make this shift. As women in tech, we also need to be better at stepping up and offering great content that is well delivered.
9. What does your ‘daily juggle’ look like? Can you run us through an average day in your life?
I’m lucky to have an amazing partner and very capable son, which means we all pitch in to make life happen. My day generally starts at 5.45am to get my son up and off to school on time, get dinner prepped for the evening, look at urgent emails and then head into the office. That means I can leave the office by 5.30pm and be home to have a family dinner and log back in afterwards to wrap up the day. I try to combine exercise and girl time a couple of nights per week. In amongst that I stay in touch with news and some social commentators that I follow so I know what’s going on in the wider world and learn something new every day. Polycom is a very flexible workplace, our video conferencing technology means I can stay in touch no matter where I work, so I do work from home at least once per week. On the weekends I volunteer with NSW Rural Fire Service which fantastic, and I always ensure I get in lots of great family time.
10.What more would you like to see the tech industry doing to better support women in the field?
My personal experience has been great. I’ve always had great employers like Polycom who are flexible, open to new ideas and welcome diversity. I’d like to see that as a ubiquitous approach and sadly it is not. Paid maternity leave, flexible working practices, better work/life balance and mentoring programs targeting women with high potential would all help.
11.Finally, who are your tech-related role models? Anyone else you’d like to see answering our questions?
I have been so fortunate in my career to have had brilliant mentors. Christopher Lochhead, Marge Breya, and Sue Barsamian spring to mind, but are not the only ones. All are amazingly smart, generously kind, think beyond the obvious and know that personal success is as important as career success. So to me, because of their impact on my life, they are my role models.
One person who would be great to answer your questions is Melanie Brock – she is a fantastically successful technology sales leader (rare to find women like this, in this field) who gives back to the community in many ways including volunteering as a surf life saver. I was lucky enough to once have her work with me and she is brilliant.