-Chloe

Let's get personal!

What are you most proud of?
‍ First and foremost, I am very proud of my children. I was just in a parent meeting and they are doing so well at school; they get all the hardest homework and that makes me so proud!
Personally, I am very proud that I have completed my master's degree in systems engineering and industrial economics, while I was a mother of young children, pregnant and on maternity leave. It was very hectic and demanding. Looking back, I don't think I would have made it now. 

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What's the closest you get to magic?
‍ In one way, the memories of nature and the sunset in Lofoten come across as a good, and in many ways magical, experience. But at the very other end, and a very concrete - and almost magical - event was when my eldest daughter became seriously ill and the doctors said that she could either die or become fully or partially disabled, and she came out of it in one piece. To me it was magical. The doctors said there was a 0.01% chance it would happen, and then it happened to us. You don't get any closer to magic, I think. 

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What is the most useless talent you have?
‍ It depends a little on the setting whether it is useless, but I am very good at expressing myself through art, through painting and drawing. I don't really get to use it for anything, so I would say it's a useless talent, which I still appreciate having.

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‍ … and the most useful?
‍ I am creative! Both in the context of making art, but also when it comes to solving problems at work, I tend to be very creative. In addition, I am a person who really gets into things: When I first learn something, I become very good at it. And when I can do it well, I am able to be creative with it and think about it in new ways.

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If you could change one thing about the industry you work in, what would it be? 

It feels natural to point out that we need to promote more women in the tech industry, but this also applies to increased diversity in general. It's getting better, but we still have a long way to go. So, one thing I think is good is that tech is increasingly for everyone. Including all age groups. We see that children and young people are becoming increasingly involved already from primary school, which I think is very good, and which I want more of! 

Because if you want to create more diversity in the tech industry, and if you look up and think about the bigger changes on a societal level as well, you have to sow those seeds early, and start at the very bottom of primary school. I see this in my own daughter who, instead of going to summer school, would rather take a coding course this summer!

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What is your most memorable moment from your time at Axdata ? 

It's not necessarily a specific moment, but rather the way you enter a family when you enter Axdata : You are looked after, people see you and you get the help you need. An incident I remember well, during which this was extra notable for me, was when I and some other colleagues had to work through an entire weekend; the project manager came by with freshly baked buns and checked that we were all right. It's nice that you don't just say , but show that you appreciate each other and the effort you put in.  

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Do you have any hobbies or things you are passionate about? 

I am very keen to follow what is happening in the world around me; injustice and tragedies in war, discrimination; such things engage me very much. That's why I notice that I get very inspired when I log on to LinkedIn and see all the women who come forward and tell their stories. They show that even if they have faced defeat, they are not weak, and if they may not master one thing, it does not mean that they are not capable. On the contrary, they show how tough they are! There are many people who go and feel that they don't succeed, I have felt the same myself, so it is motivating and inspiring with those who share. It inspires me to go further, support important causes and think differently, so it's something I value highly. 

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Chloe Nguyen is a senior business consultant, with a master's degree in System Engineering & Industrial Economy from the University of Southeast Norway.