Meet your HPE OEM Solutions team: Aygun Alieva

[MattQuirk]

The Meet the Team series is back! In celebration of International Women’s Day, we’re speaking with Aygun Alieva to learn more about the challenges and wins she’s experienced during her career in the technology sector.

Thanks for joining us, Aygun. Can you tell us your job title and a little bit about your current role at HPE?

Thanks for having me. I was promoted to OEM EMEA Business Development Manager in January, which I’m very excited about! My role is focused on helping our OEMs design the solution that will best suit their offering. I’m also heavily involved in strategic conversations with our OEMs about their future innovation to understand how we can grow their business most effectively.

So, what inspired you to join the HPE Global Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) Advisor Board?

I was born in Azerbaijan and moved to the Netherlands when I was two years old. I spoke Russian at home, Dutch at school, and watched English television. At twenty-two, I was living in London for an internship and then moved to Spain, where I learned Catalan and Spanish—I’ve remained here for the past six and a half years. Exposure to different cultures and languages made me realize how crucial inclusion and diversity are to building a truly innovative organization.

Second, when I joined HPE in 2017, I quickly learned that working in a male-dominated industry has its challenges—I constantly had to prove myself as a young female IT professional. Having had several conversations with other women in my industry, I realized I wasn’t the only one feeling this way. I joined the I&D Advisor Board to advance both of these agendas.

What successes have you achieved in your role? Is there anything you are particularly proud of?

My successes have always been difficult for me to acknowledge. But over time, I’ve learned that it’s important to celebrate them! In both of my previous roles at HPE, I surpassed my sales targets, which looking back, was a real achievement.  

I’m also particularly proud of the business plan I developed to expand OEM business in the EMEA region. I presented it to our Director and the Vice President of Worldwide OEM BU, received their buy-in, and I’m now able to start executing.

Can you tell us how you broke into the technology sector? Did you find any challenges along the way?

It happened unexpectedly. I studied law but, for personal reasons, moved to Catalunya. To practice law in Catalunya, I had to learn Catalan and Spanish and complete another year and a half in Spanish law. I’d already been studying at university for six years, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue.

An old colleague of mine was tremendously positive and excited about her position at HPE, which made me consider the move. Of course, I started doubting if I’d even be capable of it; I didn’t know anything about the tech industry. But I left my comfort zone and went for it—it’s been the best decision I’ve made!

Has COVID-19 impacted your work-life balance?

Definitely! I used to spend three hours a day commuting into the office. When our office closed, I gained three hours each day that I didn’t have before. I was able to go for long walks in the mornings and socialize after work during the week. Luckily, HPE has introduced its new Edge-to-Office model, which means my improved work-life balance can continue.

The global pandemic also left many women in the corporate workforce feeling burned out.¹ How have you and your colleagues coped during this time?

We’ve all struggled in our own ways working during the global pandemic. I’ve always been very active and have traveled a lot for business which wasn’t possible when COVID-19 hit. The new reality was hard to adjust to. For me, a positive mentality and regular, virtual contact with colleagues over a cup of coffee helped me get through it!

What advice would you pass on to other women looking to progress in the industry?

• Never stop learning: stay up to date with what’s happening in the tech industry as it’s constantly evolving.  Stay curious, form your own opinion about the news, and then talk about it with other people in the industry to find out how they feel about what’s happening in the market.
• Be bold. Get out of your comfort zone and take risks. That’s where, in my opinion, you will grow the most as a professional. Accept failure as part of the process—it’s not something to be feared! Ask yourself, what’s the worst thing that can happen? If it’s failing, then that’s great! Failing is a part of the job. Fail, but don’t let it define you. Face it, deal with it, and learn from it.
• Find a mentor whose leadership style you admire, who you can learn from, and who can support you on your career path.
• Develop a growth mindset and believe in yourself. Get to know your strengths and weaknesses and focus on self-development. Personal development should be at the top of your agenda.
• Celebrate your successes and wins, especially in the male-dominated tech industry. As women, we tend to doubt ourselves more often, we don’t speak up enough when we have a success, and we are shy about sharing our wins. It’s crucial that we recognize them and our contribution to progress within the workplace!
• Find extra-curricular activities that interest you to develop your soft skills like communication, teamwork, organization, problem-solving, and creativity. It will also help you to improve your confidence and expand your network.

Thank you for your time, Aygun.

You can learn more about how HPE supports Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity within the workplace here.

Connect with Aygun on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aygun-alieva/.

Matt Quirk
Hewlett Packard Enterprise

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