Page 3 - Dash of SPiCE (May 14, 2020)

10 The SPiCE Magazine • SPi Global @ 40 The SPiCE Magazine • SPi Global @ 40 11

“MakE the unexpected happen”

By JP Reyes, AVP for Operations 90 employees. I was one of less than 20 staff members retained. I remember
the mental and physical stress of being a first-time team lead. On most days,
In his speech during the launch of SPi Global’s 40th entrusted with multimillion dollar projects, letting me I spent 12 to 14 hours at the office to assist my team and help them with
Anniversary, our President and CEO Ratan Datta said create my own team structure, strategize based on their tasks. Such situations force you to grow not just as a leader, but also
that he still doesn’t know how he became CEO, which business needs, and experiment a little. as a well-rounded person. Having the mindset of responsible acceptance
got me thinking about my journey to becoming was necessary and the knowledge that tons of effort and sacrifice will
Associate Vice President. My career wasn’t always this promising, though. From ease the pressure and eventually normalize became our redemption.
disagreements with colleagues to client escalations and
Over the course of 15 years at SPi Global, I am fortunate project reassignments, I have experienced any work Along with supportive mentors, colleagues, and clients through the years,
to have experienced career progression from entry-level, challenge imaginable. the internal training programs at SPi Global provided me with much needed
individual contributor to more senior positions. At 37 confidence boost. Apart from soft skills training for leadership, customer service,
years old, I am managing multiple projects that revolve After graduating Computer Engineering from MAPUA and quality assurance, I completed all aSPire medal programs, where I
around content engineering, supporting clients’ University, I worked as a technical support engineer – a spearheaded ideation and continuous improvement projects. I also
platforms, and data analytics. I provide direction to different field from software development and hardware submitted and completed Yellow and Green belt projects under
nearly 300 employees consisting of software develop- technologies where my interests lie. Being an only child, the Lean Six Sigma program that helped our projects meet
ers/engineers, analysts/editors, database/full-text I’ve always had this need to be independent and help out different SLAs. I was also fortunate to be sent to the US for
designers, and content specialists/product owners my family as much as I can, which is why I immediately client coordination, business meetings, and workshop.
across multiple sites to improve business services, accepted the first job offer I received.
boost financial performance, and ensure operations Months into my first job, a couple of companies invited Now, I’m a firm believer in teamwork as the driver to success.
processes are well-aligned with SPi Global’s overall me to apply for roles in software engineering. One of I teach my teams to place an emphasis on collaboration,
vision. them was SPi Global, where my initial interview did not visibility, and open communication in everyday leadership.
Making an effort to regularly engage in team consultations,
As part of the Operations team, we always need to go well. When HR informed me that they’ll “be in touch”, I business review and project status meetings, and even quick
find ways to improve our client services, so a big part was definite that I’ll get passed up for another candidate. chats with team members on the floor make a huge difference
of my day goes to strategizing and examining solutions The offer from “Company B” was very promising. Equally, in team dynamics. Communication is a two-way street, so in
that will make us a better business partner. I must the position I had applied for was interesting and chal- these encounters with colleagues and superiors, keeping both
also ensure that my unit is aligned with the company’s lenging. The only downside was that I would have had to lines open is always the best approach.
overall direction, including monitoring and improving my travel a total of four to five hours a day to report to work.
unit’s financial performance. Thus, I usually start my day Technology and collaboration should go together. SPi Global is
reading and responding to emails, meeting clients, and The call-back from HR came several weeks later, inviting transforming to a more technology-driven company to better
conducting team consultations. To help me prepare for me for another round of interviews. At that time, I was address our clients’ needs and stay ahead of the competition.
tasks and manage my time more effectively, I regularly seriously considering taking the offer from “Company B”. If these two components are not aligned, it will take us a very
check my calendar and agenda for the following days. But SPi Global was my first choice and I was willing to do long time to go where we are going.
whatever it takes to be part of the company.
My team uses automation and engages in monitoring, The kind of services my teams provide are better aligned to the company’s
implementation, and change management for efficient After more than six hours of one-on-one and panel direction now than ever before. We are putting more focus on robust
and timely delivery of content platforms of clients in the interviews with different teams– including team leads technologies and best strategies that bring process improvement and value
news, business, legal, regulatory, and health sectors. and directors – SPi Global finally found a suitable to clients through robotics process automation (RPA), machine learning (ML),
Aside from developing conversion programs, we conduct project for me. and analytics. Currently, the team is in the middle of putting together a
analysis and gather product requirements directly from proposal that will revolutionize a client’s systems using a new tool that has
content providers across the globe including CNN, The rest, as they say, is history. been created by revamping old processes and marrying them into SPi Global’s
Japan Times, Dun & Bradstreet, and Legal firms. We also tech products. This exciting development involves a more proactive approach
cater to an analytics startup company’s software devel- Going to unfamiliar terrain can be tough, as you have to and is going to impact how we do things.
opment requirements. acquire new knowledge to understand processes better
and faster. Reflecting on my life as an employee of SPi Global, I realize that time truly is
What I love the most about my job is that I work and always of the essence. Spending at least eight to nine hours a day at work must
talk with different people in our and our clients’ organi- In 2008, I went through one of the hardest hitting mean something. And it’s up to us to make them meaningful, by giving it our
zations. It is a never-ending opportunity to learn from obstacles of my career, when a 10-year old project got best. Attitude is the great driver of altitude and we must keep the fire burning and
people’s experiences and skills. And I feel lucky that I am pulled out from my team, resulting in the layoff of over do the right thing, for it is in commitment and perseverance to excel that we can
truly make the unexpected happen.
2 • Make the unexpected happen 3 • Make the unexpected happen