Bernadette Andrietti, Vice President, Intel
IN RUBRIC "BUSINESS" we introduce readers to women of different professions and hobbies that we like or are simply interested in. In this issue, Vice President of Intel and Marketing Director for Europe in the Middle East and Africa Bernadette Andrietti.
I received an engineering education that for a man, especially a girl, at that time was an incredible rarity. At school, I was easier given mathematics and physics - I perceived them more as a game, rather than as work and hard mental work. Literature and humanities have never been a priority. Despite this, my father all his life wanted me to be a teacher, and my brother - an engineer: my father sincerely believed that a teacher was a more acceptable job for a girl. Probably, he, like many, simply believed that the engineer is the one who works in the laboratory. Now my brother works as a teacher, and I actually work in the engineering field. I realized that no one can predict how life will develop, and that passion in relation to various fields of knowledge will in one way or another lead you to the right path.
I met my husband when we were both very young. He is also an engineer, with incredible passion for technology and computers. We have two daughters: the oldest works as a psychologist, and the youngest receives a degree in b2b marketing.
If someone had told me earlier that I would be the vice-president of Intel, I would answer: yes you are crazy! When I had just started my career, I wanted to remain a techie and engineer. I had two little daughters, and I was not at all up for promotion up the career ladder and additional managerial functions. In general, when I was offered to move to the US in their Intel branch, I refused. But the results were in the Paris office. I didn’t get away from the manager’s functions anyway: I was offered to manage a group of people, and despite the incredible gap between engineering and management positions, I don’t regret it. If you know how to manage, it doesn’t matter who exactly to manage - a team of techies or marketers.
Women's approach to management is the same as women's approach to technology. You see, when a woman looks at technology, she thinks: “And where can I use it?” For men, this is most often a competitive element and a question of competence, it was still at school when we were children. The funny thing is that when you grow up, nothing changes. They still ask me: "What do you think of coping with this?" Or: "And how are you going to go to the USA? It is so difficult." And at this moment I think: would you ask these questions to a man? Not? Well then, don't ask me if I can take advantage of this opportunity. If I agreed with something, then I can do it. And I will.
Engineering education gave me confidence in what I was doing. I studied in the only and, probably, rather unique French school, which was engaged in microelectronics. When you understand technology, you learn to understand the smallest details and have all the answers. In the management of such a feature incredibly helps - not afraid to try something new and be curious.
I have met women who behave like men. It didn't lead to anything good.
All women top managers have common features. Always take everything to heart and treat everything with passion, do not be afraid to try new things and constantly take risks, take on challenges and not give in to trouble. And despite these traits, everything should be treated as a woman, that is, taking into account the human factor - personal life and character traits. Plus, we can always give in if need be. I have met women who behave like men. It didn't lead to anything good.
The difference between women and men in the work is grand. Women as a whole are much more able-bodied, focused and rarely give up. Men often do not have enough confidence, we, for example, do not ask ourselves whether we can do it. At work, men constantly ask me for a promotion or salary increase, and I don’t remember any women who asked me about it. Women understand that there are many paths to success; you just need to do only what you love very much and what you enjoy every day. After all, we are distinguished only by passion in relation to certain things.
If we talk about diversity, then the first item should be the spread of technology. According to statistics, technology companies, which include many women, are much more successful. Faced with this data, more and more companies are promoting women. For example, even the economic crisis, women react differently - in difficult situations, they gather and focus without losing self-control. Despite this, about two hundred million women do not have access to the Internet - for me this is unacceptable. If you want to achieve success, then give women access to technology - they are much more inventive to them. Technology is a woman’s best friend, we are even more on Facebook than men.