GET TO KNOW...
On the lighter side of things, we ask the
industry experts what makes them tick. . . .
Aaron Auld,
CEO of Exasol
W
What would you describe as your
most memorable achievement?
My most memorable achievement is
becoming CEO of Exasol because it wasn’t a
simple, straightforward decision. We had to
consider whether it was the right thing to do
for the company – it was a heartfelt decision,
for sure.
What first made you think of a
career in technology?
When I was younger, I actually wanted
to be a high-profile lawyer so that’s the
path I followed for several years. But then
my career took a different turn. I realised
that I really wanted to work within the IT/
technology space. I joined Exasol in 2006.
The two standout factors that made Exasol
the place to be was the unbelievably good
technology and the smart and dedicated
people behind it.
What style of management
philosophy do you employ with
your current position?
I always try to motivate our people by
giving them room to grow and encouraging
them to assume more responsibility in
their roles. I ask them to think about their
roles in a more comprehensive way and
to also challenge their ways of thinking by
asking questions, which I understand can
sometimes be uncomfortable.
www.intelligentcio.com
I strongly believe that you can develop
your own skills, grow in self-awareness and
recognise your strengths and weaknesses by
stepping outside of your comfort zone. The
other side of that coin is accepting mistakes
and misfires because they are also part of
any development process.
“
What do you think will emerge as the
technology trend of 2020 and why?
I’m confident that Artificial Intelligence
(AI) and Machine Learning will continue to
be leveraged in business processes across all
industry sectors. This will mean businesses
will have to get their data under control
I STRONGLY
BELIEVE THAT
YOU CAN
DEVELOP YOUR
OWN SKILLS,
GROW IN SELF-
AWARENESS AND
RECOGNISE YOUR
STRENGTHS AND
WEAKNESSES
BY STEPPING
OUTSIDE OF YOUR
COMFORT ZONE.
INTELLIGENTCIO
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