Inside Temenos – A Series of Inspiring Career Journeys, Sue Laws
“Nowhere before Temenos did i get the chance to learn so much, so fast – I find this energising and truly motivating”
At Temenos we believe that our people make the difference. What we create and achieve is a result of the aspirations and goals of the 4000+ unique individuals that make up Temenos today.
Our people drive real change, and working together as a team is what got us to where we are today.
In an effort to recognize and celebrate our talented colleagues, we’d like to share some of their inspirational stories, where they takes us along their journey before and after joining Temenos.
Before becoming a Business Solutions Manager, Sue Laws was a highly experienced finance professional who wanted to build an exciting career in a place she could learn new things every day and travel the world. She found all that within Temenos – learn more about her journey:
Nowhere before Temenos did i get the chance to learn so much, so fast – I find this energising and truly motivating
Sue Laws
1. Tell us about yourself, when did you join Temenos?
I came to Temenos in 2006, I was working for Credit Suisse back then.
2. Tell us about your journey within Temenos.
I come from the client side and so I was already familiar with the Temenos product line and the company itself. I really enjoyed their product and believed in it and an opportunity presented itself so that the moment they asked me to join the Miami office as part of the Services Team. I instantly said “Yes” and dove right in. For a while I worked in Trinidad on implementations. I spent around 2 years in Services, which gave me the chance to travel quite a bit, especially to the Caribbean Islands. You see, I had a background of Finance and Banking, both from an educational perspective and a professional one, which would have you think I’d be stuck in an office, but that’s just the thing: Temenos gave me the opportunity to travel, to do what I love and not be tied up to one place. It was the perfect opportunity for me.
3. What motivates you in your job?
I think a huge motivator for me is the dynamic constant learning & lifestyle – we get to hear about the latest industry trends, we meet great clients, we help find solutions for our clients, we travel frequently and we get to learning something new every day. I had 20 years of experience in banking even before I had joined Temenos, but nowhere did I get the chance to learn so much, so fast – I find this energizing and truly motivating, knowing that I’ve still so much to learn and see. I’m not one to be driven by a status. If I were, I never would’ve come to Temenos which is much more flat structured, but for me so much more rewarding as it gives you the opportunity to be the best you can be.
4. What were your aspirations when you joined Temenos?
I didn’t really have a plan. It felt like a great opportunity and moving to get true International Experience would make me happier, it felt like I’d get that inner satisfaction that was missing from previous roles. The person who recruited me was the Area Service Manager I used to work with on the client side and I had always gotten along great with her – I think this was also important and helped me jump ship more easily.
5. Tell us about yourself – what are you passionate about? Who are you at home?
I’m a work hard, play hard adept. I enjoy traveling for fun as much as I enjoy it for work. So every chance I get I travel with my husband and daughter; we enjoy exploring, diving, sightseeing, biking any outdoor activity really. I also love going to the gym whenever I can. And I believe Temenos has somehow shaped me in these past few years to really embrace every opportunity I get, whether that’s business or pleasure – I’m much more aware of my personal time now and always try to maximize it by planning activities with my family.
6. How do you think your passions/personal life link to your career?
Well obviously we’ve talked about traveling, but I also think that life can be very intense and so you cannot, in my opinion, survive if you don’t have a good sense of humour and camaraderie. I find this so incredibly important in life and work alike, especially in Presales – I look at other fintech companies and not all appear to encourage team spirit, more so, highly professional individuals who compete for work, rather than share the work I’ve heard many times that people don’t want to share knowledge, collaborate, they’re a lot more on their own, and looking to close as many deals and get their bonuses. In Temenos we work and collaborate as a team across the organization which speaks to me as a people person and helps to motivates me every day.
How do you think Temenos has helped you move forward in achieving your career goals so far?
What I love about Temenos is that you can drive your own career – you can decide for yourself who you want to be, nobody will impose boundaries, you just need to work hard and follow your plan. I’m a self-starter, and I find that this is particularly important in Presales – to be self-driven and always be looking for the win / win in every situation. The company will provide you with all the resources you need to become successful, but it’s up to you to make that happen.
Back when I started in Temenos I remember how much I appreciated (still do) the fact that our Head of Sales at that time as well as all the Regional Director were so open and approachable. In addition I was blessed with a quality line-manager, this open-door policy really encourages you to seek mentorship and enables you to understand the business from all perspectives.
7. What is the most important thing you’ve learned so far in Temenos?
There are two things actually:
Firstly, I’m a very passionate about people – always have been. And my greatest joy is to engage, encourage, motivate and mentor my team. What I learned in Temenos growing as a professional is that it is my responsibility to adapt to my team and their needs and to help them become the best they can be. It’s only by doing so that we can be truly successful as a team.
And secondly, Temenos has taught me to embrace being part of a global network and operate with respect no matter the situation – “Treat others the way you’d like to be treated” is really the feeling I got even when I was on the client side.
8. What advice would you give to someone looking to take their career in FinTech to the next level?
There are two words I’ve never said since joining Temenos: “I’m bored”. Advancing your career isn’t about a job title, and I think you should always favour those opportunities that take you out of your comfort zone and allow you to grow and learn new things, to explore new places or areas of interest.
There’s a fun anecdote from our induction period in Temenos: when you join, you are given a welcome pack and within that you receive a rope. They say that the person who embraces change and learning will use the rope to swing from one opportunity to the other, and not to strangle themselves with it.
Ultimately, I think the best advice I could give someone is to stay true to themselves and embrace every opportunity that comes along, making the most of it and have a little bit of fun along the way.