Insiders

The key to success isn’t just about what you know, but how you embrace opportunities, connect with others, and keep learning. Life is full of chances to grow, and the more open you are to them, the more you’ll discover. Surround yourself with people who inspire you, and never stop evolving.

As the Ecosystem and Partnership Manager at Alstom in Montreal, my primary focus is on creating value through strategic partnerships that drive growth and innovation. I believe that fostering strong relationships with key stakeholders is essential for the success of any organization. My role involves developing and maintaining these partnerships, identifying and pursuing new opportunities with government bodies, universities, and public organizations. One of my significant achievements includes leading the North America Battery Strategy, which encompassed scouting new technologies, managing data rooms, and implementing a Power Lab. This initiative has been crucial in positioning Alstom at the forefront of sustainable energy solutions. This involves conducting thorough market research to identify emerging trends and potential opportunities, ensuring that Alstom remains competitive in the industry. Effective communication is also a key part of my role. I work closely with internal stakeholders across various departments, including engineering, sales, and public affairs, to align our activities and goals. Furthermore, I proactively identify and mitigate risks associated with partnership agreements, ensuring that all collaborations are beneficial and sustainable in the long term. In every endeavor, my goal is to create value and drive meaningful progress for Alstom and its partners.

There are lots of knowledge silos at large engineering firms and it's useful to get to know people on other teams and understand what they do. I have often made progress much faster on issues with my subsystem by having relationships with engineers on other teams who often have relevant experience or understanding I would not have benefited from otherwise. Even areas I'm less involved with like project management, bids, or HR, have people willing to share a lot of information that helps me get a better understanding of the organization as a whole and all the things that go into making a project successful.

Be curious: Ask questions, seek feedback, and always be willing to learn. Curiosity is an essential ingredient to growth and development, and it will also help you to build meaningful relationships. Be adaptable: The world is changing at an unprecedented pace, and organizations must learn to adapt quickly. Embrace change, be flexible, and stay open-minded to new possibilities. Build relationships: Collaboration is key to success. Invest time and effort in building relationships with your colleagues, stakeholders, and customers. Take initiative: Don't be afraid to take on new challenges and responsibilities. Taking initiative shows your employer that you are proactive and eager to contribute. Foster a growth mindset: Embrace challenges, learn from mistakes, and celebrate successes. By developing a growth mindset, you will be better equipped to tackle challenges and achieve your goals. Remember, your success and the success of the organization are interconnected. By following these pieces of advice, you can help to create a thriving work environment that benefits everyone involved.

Professionally, I have worked for several companies, but only at Alstom did I see the culture of really valuing the intellectual capital of employees, of valuing and promoting the knowledge of its employees.

A supportive and positive work environment makes a big impact to your career development, job satisfaction, and overall happiness. Having the employee resource group, Alstom Women of Excellence (AWE), has made all the difference for me. From the beginning, AWE made me feel like I was part of a community and truly belonged. That means a lot for a woman in a male-dominated workforce which can be isolating. My number of work friends increased exponentially and so did my confidence. You cannot perform your best unless you can bring your whole self to work, and AWE helps me embrace my whole self.

We need to solve a lot of problems all the time, so you need to be a resilient, persistent and disciplined person! It is also important to always try to learn something new, keep up to date and keep an open mind to learn from other people, situations and experiences. Always seek to develop the hard and soft skills, to be a professional of excellence.

Be someone who can work well with multiple personalities. Having co-workers see you as someone with a positive attitude. Have poise and exude maturity.

The Golden Rule is : Treat others how you want to be treated. I have always treated my suppliers with utmost respect. Even when they are not perfect. In my 25+ years of career in purchasing, I have learned that working together and making yourself available in order to achieve Alstom's goal is the winning formula. When things are not going well with my supplier, instead of being angry and demanding, I always ask "how can I help?" or "what can we do together in order to achieve X or Y ?" . This has worked every single time. It has opened the relationship with them and has done more than being angry. Suppliers are people and people will go the extra mile when you ask them to go that extra mile with you, not when they are being demanded to. That is my biggest advice for a buyer or potential candidate.