Trudy Norris-Grey is a well-recognized leader in the U.K. and in the Tech industry, with over 30 years of success spanning global organisational leadership, sales, marketing, channel and partner strategies, business development, portfolio transformation, digital transformation, incubating and accelerating new markets including smart cities.
Trudy has held positions at Microsoft, Oracle, Sun Microsystems, BT and AXA. In all these positions she was a champion of the customer and its partners, seeking out insight into their unmet needs in order to better serve them, to help them overcome their challenges and in turn work with them to grow their customer satisfaction, revenue and profit well beyond expectations.
In her spare time, Trudy is a passionate advocate for the development of individual skills and of enterprises so that they can be continually relevant in a fast-changing world; the encouragement of women and girls to consider careers in science, engineering and technology; climate change. She is Chair of UCAS, an independent charity providing information, advice, and admissions services to inspire and facilitate educational progression. She is also Chair of WISE, a UK-based organization which helped add 1 million more women to the UK STEM workforce.
1. Best piece of advice you’ve been given
Believe in yourself. Dare to be YOU.
Be proud of who you are; recognize your talents and believe in yourself – yes, there’s always opportunity for learning and developing but emphasise your positives and always value them UP.
It took me too long to realise that I had something special to offer.
2. Worst piece of advice you’ve been given
Don’t ever ask for a promotion; it’ll come to you.
That’s just not true – while I waited other ‘squeaky wheels’ got heard and got ahead of me.
I should have confidently picked the appropriate timing for applying for a promotion, laid out my credentials, proffered the business case, and valued my contribution my talents and my potential.
3. What would you tell your younger self?
Keep positive.
Don’t take negative people, situations, comments, personally.
Keep a positive attitude and inner dialogue. Keep smiling, enjoying who you are and what you’re doing – it’s infectious, self-reaffirming …and it unnerves any detractors.
4. What excites you most about the future of your industry?
STEM (Science, tech, engineering and/or maths) – STEM talents are at the heart of everything we do.
And there is a real desire for gender balance – but some organisations have difficulty bringing about sustainable and lasting culture change that ensures we deliver on gender-balance and inclusivity. WISE helps with that – and it’s a joy to help organisations achieve their goals.
5. Who or what is your biggest inspiration?
The women and men supporting the quest for gender balance and WISE. You too would be totally inspired! For example, check-out the role models behind WISE’s 1 of the Million
And my guess is that if you’re reading this article, you’ll have an inspiring story to share that will encourage others in the drive for gender-balance and inclusion. So please share your story.
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