We welcome Berenice Barrios Quiñones. Berenice is a director of Microsoft Alliance at Advania where she leads collaboration for Microsoft solutions within the company and across its sister companies abroad.
Before joining Advania in 2020, Berenice worked for Origo in various positions from Sales consultant, Software solution Architect and finally as a Product Owner of Microsoft products. Before moving to Iceland, Berenice worked for Grupo Scanda in Mexico City as a SAM Manager, focusing on Microsoft products.
What has really attracted me to Berenice – is that she has been outspoken about her experience of being a woman of foreign origin trying to find her place in the IT industry in Iceland. And - at that - she has succeeded and is a great role model for other women.
In the show, Hildur and Berenice discuss among other things:
How computers and technology fascinated her as a child
How video games influenced her learning path
How she found her passion in advising and selling software and chose to study marketing
How other women in executive positions influenced her and gave her invaluable advice
How she decided to be fearless and search for opportunities
How Microsoft solutions play a fundamental role in our day-to-day life and how she decided to grow her career with their solutions
The process she had to go through to be able to work in Iceland
How she was advised to lower her expectations instead of trying to find a job like the one that she had when searching for a job in Iceland
The definitions of equality, diversity, inclusion, and equity
How music motivates her when she needs a boost
How family time, watching food shows and travel recharges her
Books that Berenice mentions in the show:
Who Says It's a Man's World: The Girl's Guide to Corporate Domination by Emily Bennington
How to Stay Human in a F*cked-Up World: Mindfulness Practices for Real Life by Tim Desmond
Innovating Women: The Changing Face of Technology by Vivek Wadhwa and Farai Chideya
The show is sponsored by: Geko – Innovation Talent, Taktikal, and Tern Systems
16. Berenice Barrios Quiñones, director of Microsoft Alliance at Advania