K
im has earned the right to be called an industry
stalwart, having worked in and around the IT
sector for the last 28 years.
Starting at Joffe and Associates, Kim has
spent many of those years in storage and data
processing at internal sales, external sales and account
management positions, before moving to the First Technology Group as a senior account manager in CHM Vuwani
in 2002.
Kim says that virtualisation has always been her passion,
and with her understanding of storage and data centres,
coming to First Distribution to oversee the company’s
virtualisation portfolio was the perfect fit. “It feels like I have
come home” she states.
She hopes to take her years of experience and use them
to empower and assist those around her to make them as
Joining
First Distribution
felt like coming
home to me
women still need to prove themselves and know what they
are talking about.
“Knowledge and understanding is key, as is the ability to
correctly position IT to customers” she says unequivocally.
Has she ever come up against sexist attitudes in business?
“I think it is human nature to discriminate, but it is how you
handle it and how you respond to it which counts” she responds. “Addressing it with logic and taking the emotion out
of it differentiates the individual. A very wise woman once
told me ‘the cream always comes to the top’.”
Joan Joffe has always been a role model for Kim, and she
fondly recalls when she started at Joffe & Acc in the late
80s, that Joan always greeted everyone by name and also
thanked people individually for doing their jobs.
“She once told me that the most important thing in any successful company was the people who worked for it, so treat
them well and they will continue to work well for the good of
the company. Don’t forget to have fun and enjoy what you
do - it will show in your achievements.”
“She also always said ‘don’t look for the pat on the back, as
that does not pay the bills! Rather make sure that it shows
in your pay slip’. Be confident in your own abilities, and
keep yourself up to date.”
So what advice would Kim give to other women looking to
enter the IT/distribution industry?
“The advice I would give to anyone, and not just women, is
stay true to yourself. Integrity and ethics are key. Educate
yourself within the industry and don’t expect anyone to do
it for you, as this shows commitment and dedication to the
industry that you want to be in. If you’re not having fun,
get out, as this is an industry that changes every day and
unless you’re having fun and learning, it will outpace you.”
passionate about the brands she manages, as she is.
Wise words. Kim also feels that women have the ability to
multitask as well as bring empathy and understanding to
business situations with less aggression than their
male counterparts.
“I look forward to growing myself, the brands and the market for First Distribution. As in all organisations both private
and public, I need to look at the bottom line and grow that
number” she says.
Kim’s believes that her ability to balance the stresses of
work with those of her family life have come with age and
experience. Away from First Distribution, she enjoys cooking, healthy eating and entertaining her friends and family.
As a woman who has spent many years in the industry, Kim
feels that it has become more accepting, but believes that
She leaves with a parting shot. “A good sense of humour
always helps in any situation!” she says with a smile.
31 | www.firstdistribution.co.za