Big Interview: Insight's de Sousa on her new European role, how she found herself in tech and why leading in a crisis is second nature to her

Insight’s UK MD reveals to CRN what obstacles she anticipates in her new European role and her penchant for entering new jobs at times of crisis

"I don't consider myself as going anywhere, to be honest with you," mused Insight's current UK MD Emma de Sousa, about her new role as the global reseller's president of EMEA.

"I'm taking on a broader responsibility but I will still be very involved in all the geographies, and the UK as part of that. I don't look at myself as leaving anything, but more that I'm expanding."

De Sousa has headed Insight's UK operations since 2009, and has also held the position of SVP of marketing for EMEA since 2018. The reseller giant recently

appointed her to the top job in Europe, which she will take over from incumbent Wolfgang Ebermann on 1 January 2021.

Her marketing role has been instrumental in developing her relationships in the countries she is soon to take charge of, and she is excited about the chance to work with different cultures, she explained.

"I'm looking forward to getting involved with other countries; I have some engagement with the countries today through my marketing responsibilities, but really getting to work with GMs and really getting to embrace the cultures across the different countries and helping to grow within each of those geographies is really exciting from my perspective," she said.

"We've seen some phenomenal things happening at a regional level, but also at a country level. The UK has been incredibly successful for the last 10 years or so - as has EMEA - and one of the things that I'm excited about is looking at best practice across the different countries to make sure that we're taking those learnings and sharing them across the broader regions."

She hasn't decided yet whether she will continue to be based in the UK or whether she will use the opportunity to indulge her wanderlust.

"I love the diversity of being based in other geographies, but I have to look at where it makes most sense for me to be based, both professionally and personally," she added.

Wanderlust

Insight's global presence has allowed her to indulge her passion for travelling, she said, and her 13 years with the firm have seen her live across Europe, including a stint as the MD of Germany. Her first encounter in the tech sector came during a year spent working with Texas Instruments in France, as part of her European marketing degree. When she left university, she joined British Airways' graduate programme to make her passion her job.

"Growing up, I knew that I had a natural interest in different cultures and different geographies and I knew I wanted to get out and experience the world; I think that was what started me on that journey through British Airways," she explained.

"Within that organisation I had a wealth of different opportunities and I really got to understand the financial aspects of the business - as well as some of

the leadership aspects.

"[That, combined with my time at Texas Instruments, meant that] I really started to understand that I liked cultural diversity and I liked technology - I suppose that's what initially got me into tech.

"I joined Insight in a sales leadership capacity and I spent some time learning the channel, and learning the ropes around sales leadership. From there I've had a number of different opportunities with Insight, not just in the UK but also in other geographies."

Leading in a crisis

De Sousa is conscious of the fact that she will be taking the reins of Insight's EMEA operations as the world will grapple with the repercussions of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. She was nonchalant about the prospect of taking on the role during what is predicted to be a global recession, as she has experience in such a situation, having stepped into her current job just after the 2008 financial crash.

"There's always lots happening, there's always change, and with that you have opportunities," she said. "I'm a firm believer that if you've got the right people, a very clear vision and strategy and are motivated in the right way, then you can overcome lots of obstacles.

"We don't know what the future holds - and it's very early days in terms of what the likely impacts of today's situation are going to be - but I think continuing to invest in our people to make sure that they are best placed to be able to do the job we need them to do, understanding the market, and making sure we understand - and can support - the changing needs of our clients should stand us in good stead."

She was coy about revealing how the current crisis has affected Insight's UK business but emphasised that it was working with vendors and distributors to ensure it could deliver its services as usual to customers.

"Clearly there have been some constraints and some challenges - like with everybody - but communication is key," she added.

"We are working closely with our distribution partners and just making sure we're keeping our clients up to speed and managing their expectations as appropriate. It's just making sure that we're on hand to support our customers in the way that's most appropriate for them right now."

De Sousa is "very proud" of her team and quick to spin any successes in her leadership to include them. She places a lot of importance on the company's culture and praises her colleagues for taking responsibility for making it a good work culture.

"I firmly believe that as leaders, our most important responsibility is to enable people to be the best that they can be," she said. "I would like to think that I have been authentic and inspirational and have made a difference not just to the business, but to the individuals within the organisation."