My Way to IT: Riem Zouzou
Chief Product Officer at WorkPoint
A perfect blend of people and IT
Riem Zouzou's passion for IT arose by chance when a Master's degree in IT as a Plan B quickly became her Plan A. Here, she found the opportunity to combine her interest in people with technology. Today, she is the CPO at WorkPoint, where she bridges the gap between IT and user needs and is driven by creating products that add value for the users.
From product ideation to customer and business value
As Chief Product Officer at WorkPoint, I am responsible for the company's Product Management, which includes both technical and commercial aspects.
Overall, I ensure that the products we develop create the greatest possible value – both for our customers and our company. Therefore, the goal is to raise the bar every day, so we are always even better this month than we were last month.
Before a new WorkPoint product sees the light of day, the journey often starts with a specific request from our end users. My team and I then identify their needs and challenges, which we incorporate into the development process. As a company with many innovative ideas, my core task is to ensure that our product visions align with the company's strategy and achieve the desired results.
An exploratory environment where interdisciplinary collaboration drives results
At WorkPoint, our company purpose is: "We enrich your work with tools you love," which aligns perfectly with what excites me most about working in IT: creating products that users love and that truly benefit them. What makes me particularly happy to be in IT is the industry's constant movement and new opportunities. It never stands still. There is a special energy in wanting to move and develop things – and an exploratory approach to discovering new potential. The industry's entrepreneurial spirit and curiosity to try new things – regardless of the outcome – motivate me because it always leads to new knowledge and learning.
One of the reasons I have stayed in the IT industry is the collaboration across teams and disciplines. The shared drive and commitment across competencies are motivating to be a part of.
A Career in IT: From Plan B to Plan A
My way to IT was actually a Plan B. With a Bachelor’s degree in anthropology, I wanted to pursue a Master's degree that would better prepare me for the job market. By chance, I met a girl from the dormitory who told me about the many skills and tools the IT education provided, which I knew would look good on my CV. Despite my hesitation about technology back then, I started my Master's degree in IT, where my interest and understanding of IT quickly overcame my prejudices. Early in my studies, I realized how anthropology and IT can complement each other.
To develop software that has real value, you first need to understand the people you are developing it for. It was a huge eye-opener that my knowledge from anthropology could be directly applied to the IT world and be valuable on a daily basis – especially in the analytical part of my job, where it is all about seeing things from the users' perspective. This is what I love most about Product Management – putting users at the center in our product development process.