SAMAR AL HILO, FORTINET

Samar joined Fortinet 7 years ago, as inside sales representative through the years I grew up as a person overcoming the experiences and challenges that made me today the manager who works with great team of women building their skills and capabilities to empower them professionally and socially.

Interacting with people, knowledge, and experience exchange. The environment of our organisation is very supportive and women empowering that allows creating a climate of trust.

Regarding challenges, Sara says she tackles the various challenges in her job by “continuing learning and taking every challenge as an opportunity to grow. Set your standards high, maintain self-confidence, build knowledge and leadership skills.”

SARA VERRI, NOZOMI NETWORKS

Sara is responsible for driving EMEA marketing strategy and execution for Nozomi for the past two and a half years.

More recently, I have moved to a global role as Global Partner Marketing Director at Nozomi Networks, where I will develop and promote strategies to enhance our overall go-to-market engine via partners worldwide.

“I started my career in IT almost 16 years ago and since then travelled consistently and lived in different countries, thanks to the flexibility this industry gives you.

I love the diversity, working with so many cultures, helping colleagues and partners feel a part of the same mission and in turn working together towards one goal. Nozomi Networks and the people here inspire me to go above and beyond: seeing our founders (with whom I share Italian roots) continuously innovating and disrupting this market without losing a sense of humbleness as well as my colleagues, who are always going the extra mile to support our customers, motivates me.

Challenges will come and go, so I tend to focus on the end goal and continually remind myself of the larger vision, including what we’re building as a company and ultimately a team. Once I have all the working pieces of the challenge ahead, I align the steps I need to get the job done. The purpose and people provide meaning to what we do and motivation too, so it’s always a worthwhile reminder when I face challenges.

By successfully leveraging partners wherever possible to help us meet and exceed our goals, we have built a strong partner ecosystem that last year contributed to around 95% of our revenue.

To always believe they are a peer, worthy and equal and in charge of their own success. To not focus on numbers (more men than women in IT), to continue building brick after brick, to bring into the business their vision and values, and their sensitivity too. To always trust their gut.”

Over the last 12 years, I have faced unique opportunities in the form of either creating brand awareness for new cybersecurity technology players in the regional market or helped in creation of brand equity of the organisation as a Thought Leader in the cybersecurity domain.