‘Women bring a wealth of diverse talents to the table’ – Joanne Wong

Get to know Joanne Wong, a former lawyer who is now Vice President, International Marketing (APJ & EMEA) at LogRhythm.

TECHx: What inspired you to pursue a career in technology?

Joanne: While I am a lawyer by training, my passion for technology began with my work for the non-profit Business Software Alliance (back in the late 90s). There, I managed marketing and anti-piracy initiatives across Asia Pacific, and worked closely with companies and governments.  This piqued my interest in tech, and also opened doors to opportunities with companies like Microsoft, SAP and of course, now at LogRhythm.

TECHx: How have you dealt with challenges throughout your career? 

Joanne: The challenges I’ve faced in tech were not very different from those which I was confronted with when I was practising law in the first part of my career. I’ve found that being well-prepared, balancing assertiveness and openness to differing views with a healthy dose of humour has served me well in both fields.

TECHx: How do gender balance and a diverse workforce contribute to the success of an organisation?

Joanne: Women bring a wealth of diverse talents to the table, as do men, and having a diversity of talents is a business enabler. Being able to harness that ‘women’s intuition’ by giving a different perspective based on their life experiences and wisdom will add immense value to the organisation.  

TECHx: Do you have a female role model? If so, who is she and how has she inspired you?

Joanne: Undoubtedly, my mom is my strongest female role model. Mom taught me to be the master of my own destiny, and not to confine myself to past decisions. Mom was constantly improving herself and exhibited a passion for lifelong learning. Whether it was learning a new language, or picking a musical instrument, she taught me to always be open and adaptable to learning new skills. By watching my mom, I learned to explore new paths and opportunities, even from a very young age. 

TECHx: What is it about your work that excites you?

Joanne: Cybersecurity is arguably one of the hottest areas in tech today. With cyberattacks occurring every 39 seconds on average on the web, hackers stealing 75 records every second and cybersecurity professionals attempting to keep pace with their adversaries, I’m excited to be part of LogRhythm which is extremely committed to creating software that protects the world from damaging cyber threats.  As a professional marketer and cybersecurity advocate, the pace at which the cyber landscape evolves makes it a challenging yet exciting space to be in.

TECHx: With technology moving so fast, how do you remain updated?

Joanne: I’m always trying to keep up with the latest and greatest by reading anything and everything that’s on tech news and speaking to tech investor friends who are exposed to some of the coolest tech innovations and ideas still in incubation.

TECHx: What’s your favorite motivational quote?

Joanne: If you’re going to achieve excellence in big things, develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception; it is a prevailing attitude – Colin Powell

TECHx: Among all the gadgets you use, which is your favorite?

Joanne: My iPhone 13 Pro Max.

TECHx: When it comes to progressing in a leadership role, what are the most important traits? Can you give one piece of advice to young females who are considering careers in tech?

Joanne: Courage, curiosity, a caring heart, and resilience. If you have a strong passion for tech, follow your heart, build a community around you, and seek out mentors, both male and female, in the industry you can learn from.