Intelligent CIO LATAM Issue 19 | Page 80

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LATAM ’ s most common challenges are more educational resources and inclusive education .
What do you currently identify as the top investment areas in your industry ?
Investing in research and development must be something all companies should focus on as you will be up-to-date and relevant , allowing you to offer state-ofthe-art technology to customers constantly .
A simple way to see it is that their life worth is powered by our life work , and since our life work is what we value the most , we make sure what you get from Zoho is the best in all aspects .
What do you think is the current hot technology conversation topic ?
With everything moving to the cloud , privacy and security are of utmost importance , but it is often a downplayed topic .
Any company ’ s worst fear is being hacked or exposed , and there should be a set of requirements every company should meet to protect privacy and security .
How do you deal with stress and relax outside of the office ?
I enjoy spending time with my son and husband when I am not at work . I also enjoy volunteering in my community and at church events . Giving back to the most vulnerable takes my mind off the daily duties and constantly inspires me to become a better person and be grateful for all I have .
If you could go back and change one career decision , what would it be ?
I would have chosen to go to school for a business degree and not an education degree . Although my motives behind choosing my degree were based on the changes I wanted to make in this field , I feel a degree in business would have kicked started my career in sales and would have been taken more seriously in other sales companies .
In addition , companies should look into protecting customer info against any breach or hack . Also , some companies have started to invest more in employee experience as it is costly to lose employees .
What are the specific challenges of the region when implementing new technologies in Latin America ?
LATAM ’ s most common challenges are more educational resources and inclusive education . Another challenge would be the cultural and human aspect of fear of change and , in many cases , the lack of investment in researching and developing specific markets .
What changes have you seen in your job role in the last year , and how do you think they will develop in the next 12 months ?
In the last year , I have experienced many minor and significant changes . On one end , we all shared the importance of adapting to fast-changing market demands and needs and believe this will continue in the future .
The buyer industry is also moving towards a more technology-centric approach , and social selling and account-based marketing are still top strategies but applied according to this principle .
In 2023 , I expect to see organizations let go of some previously tried-and-true ways of selling and communicating with customers as they move in this direction ! AI will become more common as it continues to help improve efficiency and productivity .
What advice would you give someone aspiring to a C-level position in your industry ?
Always learn from every experience . Research and read a lot and be interested in topics that have nothing to do with your field or expertise . Knowing several topics and industries will help you widen your eyes and thoughts on many scenarios you will face as a leader . Also focus on creating leaders along the way but , most importantly , always stay humble . p
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