A Place to Belong
While I've worked for Silicon Valley-based startups and even spent time in the travel tech industry, I'd sometimes feel I was just part of the system. Working each day to earn my keep, and with no bigger purpose than that.
However, from the day I started with Akamai, I felt like I was part of the family, both with my team and pretty much everyone I work with. To top that off, knowing what we can do for our customers every day in terms of delivering amazing digital experiences is definitely a reason to wake up every morning.
I sometimes struggle to explain to friends and family what the company I work for does, and how it impacts them. But at Akamai, our technology and customers are so entwined with our personal lives, that I feel very much in an ecosystem as both an employee and as a consumer.
In fact, if you look at the world around us, our lives have certainly transformed over the last few years. Can you imagine life without streaming services such as Spotify or Netflix, or paying cash for groceries every time? Because I can't! I was a late adopter of technology, which is ironic as I've been in this industry for more than two decades. Yet now I love my home setup of Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
More recently, there's been increased remote working and time spent at home. Which means more of us are spending time online and there's been a subsequent surge of content consumption in streaming services (Over-The-Top), gaming and social media.
Those are our top verticals in APJ. In our region, countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam which are dominated by the mobile-first generation are growing fast. These are new markets, and we're determined to tap into them further this year.
APJ as a whole has one of the most incredible geographies in the marketplace. From Japan to China, moving down south to India and even further to Australia, there's a host of different languages, races and religions, and the buying journeys are so varied too. Each one has its unique character and growth opportunities, which makes life here more exciting.
Our customers here are dynamic, and on a constant search for innovation. I speak to colleagues from different countries about different issues over the course of my day, and every day I have the chance to learn something new.
Of course, I haven't been alone. I'm fortunate to have a wonderful, seasoned team in APJ Media Marketing, and I turn to them often for inspiration and great ideas. My manager has also been open, transparent and guiding me from day one. I know I can rely on her advice, whether it's a big issue or a small one.
With more connecting devices, gaming on the go, digital at our fingertips, 5G technology and a region that has a high adoption of tech, the growth opportunities are incredible. Personally, and professionally, this is a place I'll never tire of.
