Tell me about yourself and your experience at Nortel?
I started at Nortel in 1993 after graduating with honours from a Computer Systems Engineering program. I joined as a new grad in the Field Services Engineering team providing first level support for our carrier customers using DMS portfolio. Over the years, I've held diverse roles in FSE, TAS/ETAS, Customer Engineering, Project Engineering, PLM and Product Marketing to name a few. Through the many roles, I've had the opportunity to work on many different products in the carrier space such as the DMS portfolio, call centres (RT1000, Symposium, CCMIS), SDH utility opportunities, and voice over packet solutions - Succession. Currently, I manage an engineering team responsible for all pre-sales & post-sales - network & product engineering activities in the Asia Pacific region related to our Carrier Voice products both TDM and VoIP.

What type of technology or projects are you working on?
I work with account teams to develop product strategies and solutions to meet our carrier customers needs. My focus is to bring clarity to what products, features and technology is needed to achieve an end customers goals and objective. I'm passionate in meeting customer requirements to identify solutions ranging from TDM to VoIP network transformations, to end user features such as call centres, multimedia services, IVRs, etc. The customer is the number one priority - so in everything we do - we need to keep the customers' concerns and interests at heart and do the right thing.

What is most inspiring in your job?
Flexibility & autonomy and breadth of the role - it touches many products and requires me to work with many teams within Nortel: engineering, sales, finance, PLM, project management, customer support etc, as well as different functions in our customers organization - this helps bring clarity to define what a customer needs and then identify a solution that fits.

My role is never boring - always meeting new people, traveling and having career opportunities in many different areas. I spent 6 months in Canada and have had business trips to US, UK, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, NZ and many cities within Australia.

How do you describe Nortel as an employer?
Empowering. Nortel cares for its employees and invests in developing its people - great company to work for. A great example is the Leadership Edge program that I'm in. It's a way to network, share your experiences with others, work on real business projects and a chance to meet people at all levels of the organization to learn more about the vision and direction of Nortel. It's different and not your typical classroom, textbook type of development - it's a 12 month on the job learning.

How would you describe work life balance?
Quality life balance is knowing when to stop and taking the time to do things you like - spending time with family/children - taking the time to smell the roses.

As a parent, work life balance is very dear to my heart. I find management to be adaptable and flexible once you communicate your needs and constraints.

So like anything - the individual needs to make a conscious decision and set the boundaries. There needs to be give and take. You need to decide what is important to you and communicate that to your management team.

Are there any flexible work solutions available to you?
Yes - I have broadband connection at home and use Nortel's MCS client to make VoIP calls - all my calls follow me no matter where I am: in the office, at home, in a hotel or on my mobile when I'm on the road. I work from home 2-3 times a week and have flexibility in the hours I work. I also have a mobile phone, cable modem service and car allowance.

What would you say to someone who is considering joining Nortel?
Great place to work, fast paced, dynamic - opportunities are endless but you need to be committed and dedicated to the company as sometimes it is not a 9-5 job - but then Nortel is flexible in how you work and where you work - you are not tied to the office/desk.

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