Andrea Carter, the Regional Director for Marketing – NEMEA at Sophos, speaks to Arabian Reseller about what made her choose IT as a career choice
Tell us about your philosophy, when it comes to your domain of expertise.
As a marketing director there are a few key philosophies I believe in – keep it simple, don’t over complicate your message and present the right message to the right people at the right time. Additionally, I am passionate about the alignment between sales and marketing. It’s important to have the same business goals and work as a team to ensure success.
Why did you choose IT to advance your career?
That’s a great question. I practically ‘fell into’ IT and realised very quickly that I had a passion for technology. Since taking my first job in the workforce at a sales automation software company, I have only worked in the IT sector. Fast forward to today and the world of cybersecurity: the pace and constant rate of innovation at Sophos keeps my role interesting and exciting.
Have you witnessed any transformation in the technology industry?
It’s exciting to work for Sophos as cybersecurity is a key area that is continually transforming – the attack landscape grows every day and we are seeing increasingly sophisticated threats. We are seeing a huge transformation in how organisations protect themselves due to the digital transformation we witness every day, for example, the storage of company information in the cloud requires new thinking on how that information is protected.
Where, according to you, is the next technology transformation going to come from?
I think there will be several areas, but AI is probably making one of the biggest differences right now, especially in security. Our award-winning endpoint protection at Sophos now includes AI and EDR, meaning that our customers have a greater defense against malware, exploits, and ransomware.
What is your advice to women looking to break into the field of technology?
Never stop learning, be passionate about what you do and seek support and advice from female mentors who have done well in this sector. Most importantly, never feel that being a woman should affect your choices or roles in this industry. I may work in marketing where it is more common to see equal numbers of men and women, but I work with a whole range of successful females at Sophos who work in SophosLabs, product development or customer support.
Are you involved in any sort of charity work?
I enjoy fitness and take part in several obstacle course races each year where I get very muddy. I also take part in races for charitable causes, including cancer research.
What is next for you in terms of your career in the tech industry?
I have recently taken on responsibility for additional regions at Sophos and the Middle East and Africa region is one of them. I am excited to support the growth and development in the MEA region. Sophos is an exciting organisation which is continually innovating to provide leading solutions for cybersecurity, so I am confident that as Sophos continues to succeed my role will take on new elements as we continue to embrace the latest technology innovations not only in the development of our products but also in how we go to market.
