In a candid interview with Vivian Pegiou, a seasoned professional in the Australian Telecommunications Industry, she shared insights into her illustrious 30-year career journey, shedding light on her motivations, challenges, and aspirations as a Greek woman in the technology sector.
Currently the Head of Sales and Partnerships for Wevo, an Australian Managed Communications Service Provider, Vivian's expertise spans Sales, Account Management, and Sales Leadership, and has been instrumental in driving successful telecommunications and technology initiatives across various industries. "My extensive knowledge of technology over the years has resulted in repeatable long-term partnerships and strategic wins," she tells Greek City Times in a recent interview.
When asked about her motivation to pursue a career in technology, Vivian highlighted her love for continuous learning and problem-solving for clients. "The ability to transform a business and their user experiences through technology is extremely rewarding," she says.
However, navigating a predominantly male-dominated industry hasn't been without its hurdles. Vivian shared her challenges in progressing her career into management roles, especially after taking a break to raise her three children. Nonetheless, she overcame these obstacles by staying active in technology forums and remaining connected to business initiatives.
“Given that the Technology sector is a male dominated industry I have been faced with challenges progressing my career into management positions,” Vivian says.
“I have needed to take a break in my career to have 3 children which has been a set back to the timeline of my career progression.
“I have overcome these challenges by remaining active in particular technology forums and remaining connected to business initiatives to ensure I stay up to date with the relevant technology changes.”
Drawing from her Greek heritage, Vivian stresses the importance of human relations in her career.
“My Greek heritage and in particular my focus in human relations have influenced my career progression. I have found that our cultural influence in uniting people in business has helped me with my business relations. Whether over a meal or simply connecting in other ways as a business family has really made a difference,” she says.
Reflecting on the unique contributions of Greek women in the tech industry, Vivian highlighted their characteristic assets in the fast-paced technological landscape.
“Greek women are often very passionate, empathetic, vocal and go getters and in particular these attributes are beneficial in a fast paced technological industry,” she says.
While there aren't specific initiatives for Greek women in technology currently, Vivian believes the multicultural gap has narrowed over the years. She encourages aspiring Greek women to stay true to their heritage and leverage their cultural values in their professional endeavours.
In Vivian's words, “Stay true to your heritage and bring your values and beliefs to the table and never be afraid to showcase the amazing history of the Greek culture and how it positively impacted society.”
Looking to the future, Vivian sees promising trends with more women, including Greeks, ascending to leadership roles in the tech industry. She advocates for mentoring programs to facilitate growth opportunities for Greek women, citing examples of female executives at leading telecommunications companies.
“I believe the gap for women in leadership roles is closing in general for the Tech industry, with the example of women at C’ level at Telstra and Optus in particular. It would be great to see mentoring programs developed for Greek women to gain access to these executives to maximise their opportunity for growth,” she says.
