From Telco to Tech - my leap into the unknown - or was it?

Almost two months ago I entered the world of tech - moving from the incredible EE team, to the unknown of Snap Inc., where I now lead the UK team. The move wasn’t part of any master plan; I loved EE, but having been a part of the team that led it’s transformation to become one of the most personal and customer-focused technology brands in the country, the time felt right to make a move and find some new industry legends to work alongside.

Moving into the world of tech from telco has been an eye-opening, incredibly fun (AR lenses anyone?!) experience - and so I thought I’d share a few early impressions after my first couple of months at Snapchat UK:?

?? 1. Snap Inc. values are: Kind. Smart. Creative. Before I joined, I have to admit I was more than a little sceptical about the ‘Kind’ value. Nice idea, I thought, but how would that really manifest itself in a high pressured, corporate, commercial environment? I was surprised to find that kindness is a very real element of our culture - teams are curious, lean into new ideas and ways of working and they look out for each other. Respect is very visible in meetings. It is a tangible and unexpected differentiator for our company culture and a key asset to help us to win.?

?? 2. The UK is an engine-room of innovation and home to some of the brightest minds in global augmented reality (AR). Some of the world’s leading AR is being built right here, by our team. I’ve learned about AR Spectacles and a bunch of tools that help developers build AR experiences using our tech. From Ray Tracing - which enhances the quality of AR Lenses where light is reflected (like jewellery); to, Landmarkers which transforms famous monuments around the world into fun AR experiences and, City Mesh which allows us to transform whole cities or very specific regions, like London's Zone 1 into immersive, AR playgrounds. I’m incredibly excited for what we’ll share next. Watch this space!

?? 3. Diversity is a journey, and like most organisations, at Snap we are working on creating appropriate representation to fully reflect our Snapchatter community. I’m always interested to see how embedded this desire is in an organisation, and have been inspired by the number of talented senior women at Snap doing game changing work. See Kate Bird / Colleen DeCourcy 's wonderful creation - moresnapchat.com. It’s incredibly refreshing to see gender representation at the highest level bringing a different dynamic to the office and a very visible set of role models for those women coming through the ranks. Whether it’s the enhanced maternity and paternity packages, menopause and period leave, or the non-negotiable diverse hiring process - it’s working and I’m pleased to be part of it.

?? 4. Snapchatters in the UK - all 21+ million of them - live their lives through the platform because it’s where they come to chat and have fun with their friends and family. But we know we need to help more people (who may not have grown up with the app - like me!) understand Snapchat and how our community, especially teens, are using it - including the critical work our team continues to do to help keep them safe. As a parent, this is a subject close to my heart.?

To my new, talented team - you’ve blown me away. From the creative campaigns we’re building for clients, to the growing roster of incredible creators we’re nurturing - while growing our business in a highly competitive, highly regulated environment, and keeping our customers happy. I’m super excited about what we will create together on the next phase of the Snap journey and I’m passionate about helping those less familiar with the world of tech to understand how they can be part of it, both on a personal and professional level.

I’ll be keeping the updates coming, so watch this space! ??