#CareerFocus With Lianne Williams Marketing Director At Vuma
1. Tell us a bit about yourself.
I started as an intern for a financial institution doing market research and spent most of my career in financial services, mostly in the rewards space across banking and insurance. I spent a little time in a legal firm in the space of both Marketing and Business Development, after which I joined Vuma as Head of Marketing, and Marketing Director since 2022.
This has been, and still is an exceptionally exciting space. I am in awe of how much value there is in what technology enables, for both personal and business development. I currently reside in Pretoria with my husband and two boys.
2. What work do you do?
I am the Marketing Director at Vuma, since 2022.
3. How long have you been in the industry?
For over 18 years and counting.
4. Has your work always been your passion? Tell us why?
No, I didn’t have a particular interest in entering the technology or telecommunications space. I was very interested in human behaviour and Research Psychology became a particular area of interest. While studying, technology was primarily used for research purposes and data analysis with programs such as SPSS.
5. Being a woman in the industry – what does it take?
The experience of being a woman in a male-dominated industry is not unique to the tech or telecommunications industries. Business in general was more geared to developing and investing in males for growth and building their careers. As a woman, I generally had to work harder, and longer, and sacrifice more of my authentic self, so I could ‘fit in’. Be quieter, conform to business and boardroom ‘norms’, speak a certain way, use particular words and language, dress a certain way, etc.
I have experienced the cost of going against the grain, as I’m sure many women have, and it is definitely higher for women than it is for men. I eventually built up the courage, with much help from mentors and coaches, and chose to not sacrifice who I am, for anybody, at any time. It robs one of time, energy, happiness, and productivity. It is exhausting of having to manage the different ways of having to show up depending on the environment and people who occupy the space. It’s just not worth the sacrifice.
6. What has been the most difficult challenge of your career?
Encountering men who don’t take me seriously. However, I do believe this to be true for industries beyond that of tech.
7. What advice do you have for other women in your industry?
The closing paragraph of a recent CNBC article sums it up quite succinctly, it reads:
“Women need to be given the same exposure and clear promotable tasks that men receive to be able to level up their careers…People assume that women are going to be fine. ‘They’re loyal to the company’. But if they don’t see the payoff for themselves, now at their current company or even what’s promised to them in the future, they’re going to leave.”
Organisations such as GirlCode and the work they do is imperative to get and give more young girls the opportunity to learn skills that will make entering the industry more attainable. Teaching hundreds of girls how to code during and after school years is invaluable to the lives of the girls as well as the industry. Giving them exposure and teaching these skills will provide tech companies have more females to consider for taking or creating roles.
8. Plans for the future?
Vuma has connected over 700 schools for their Vuma’s Fibre to Schools project, which provides a free 1Gbps uncapped fibre connection to schools on Vuma’s existing fibre deployment routes. We hope to connect more in the coming future and work with organisations, such as GirlCode in their quest to empower women and girls with the necessary tech skills.
To connect with Lianne, please visit her socials:
LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lianne-williams-1a818355/?originalSubdomain=za)
Facebook: (https://www.facebook.com/lianne.williams.73)