Intelligent CIO Europe Issue 28 | Page 81

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 81