Today, more women are leaders of businesses than ever before. This new breed of leaders are known for their management skills that grow the organizational success through emotional intelligence, empathy, reciprocal and collaborative relationships skills. And according to a Fortune.com article, “in a world that favors leadership based on skills of personal interaction rather than on authority, women have a head start.”
Ange Ferguson, Group Managing Director (GDM) of Asia Pacific at ThoughtWorks is one such leader. She leads the ten offices across Singapore, China and Australia and works closely with their clients located in and serviced by these offices. She helps the clients obtain a sustained competitive position through the innovative application of technology. Ange also works closely with each country’s Managing Directors (MD) to oversee operational results and the strategic evolution and expansion of their business across those regions.
Founded in 1993, ThoughtWorks is a software company and community of passionate, purpose-led individuals who specialise in software consulting, delivery and products. The company thinks disruptively to deliver technology and address clients’ toughest challenges, all while seeking to revolutionise the IT industry and create positive social change. The company has 3600 employees with 32 offices in 12 countries.
ThoughtWorks partners in client’s digital strategies which include social, mobile, analytics, cloud and security solutions. Today, ThoughtWorks is involved in client conversations that move beyond technology and into the organizational transformation space.
Ange comes with a background in project, programme and change management in a variety of industries. Prior to taking on the Group MD role, She was the MD of Australia and before that played multiple consulting roles for clients in Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and India apart from excelling in management team roles in both, India and Australia.
What Ange loves about coming to work at ThoughtWorks is, “collaborating with curious, passionate people who love what they do. They have actively chosen to do it and love taking that passion and curiosity to every situation they find themselves in.”
ThoughtWorks, the ‘Game-changers’
ThoughtWorks works with people and organizations who have ambitious missions – whether they are in the commercial, social or government sectors. The company sets up smart teams who love challenges and think disruptively to help their clients succeed. Agile development tools help clients continuously improve and deliver quality software.
ThoughtWorks is focused on helping the industry improve and believe in sharing what they learn. This happens by writing books, blogging, hosting community events, talking at conferences, and championing open source.
ThoughtWorkers are strong believers in the power of software and technology as tools for social change. Through the Social Impact Program, technologists collaborate with organizations who are guided by their humanitarian missions and broad reach, helping the latter leverage technology for positive impact.
Ange, the ‘Inspired, Everyday’ person
Ange states that she is an everyday motivation person who loves witnessing a person’s ‘a-ha’ moment. This person could be a client, a colleague, a friend or a family member. “Life is about learning and watching others experience ‘a discovery’ is awesome,” she adds.
Path to Success: Awareness, Curiosity and a Commitment to Continuous Learning
Ange believes that every individual’s path to success is different. “Each one of us has strengths and weaknesses that can chart our different paths to success, but with self-awareness, curiosity and a commitment to continuous learning, I think most of us have the ingredients required.”
Work-Life Balance does Not exist
Ange is pretty emphatic when she says, “I actually, really dislike the separation that some create between personal and professional life. The term work-life balance has never resonated with me. For those of us privileged enough to work in the kind of knowledge work that I do, work is a part of life. Balance in all things is important, but if one needs to balance work with life and suggests a separation. I really don’t think that exists.”
In the next five years
“Today, ambitious, curious and imaginative companies are realizing the need to become digital by making technology a central driver of their business, rather than an enabler, add-on or optimizer. These are the kinds of co-creaters that a digital company like ThoughtWorks wants to collaborate with to deliver disruptive thinking and technology.
ThoughtWorks: Disruptive Thinking in Software Design, Creation and Delivery
