“Take the Risk and Seize the Opportunity”
Interview with Marie-Monique Steckel, President France Telecom North America
GTWN: Our members are always interested in learning about other women who have reached the most senior levels in the telecommunications industry, and who have realised a strategic vision. Can you tell us how you developed your career in telecommunications?
Marie-Monique: I believe that in many cases, for both men and women, major career moves rely heavily on luck but also on identifying an opportunity and being willing to take the risk and seize that opportunity; when I began in telecommunications in 1978, only a few of my colleagues in France Telecom were ready to take the opportunity presented to them of coming to the United States to establish an office here. The risk of leaving headquarters and the seat of power was considered to be too dangerous for one 5 career ambitions.
I, on the other hand, had already realised that I wanted to create a bridge between the US and France. While French by birth, I studied at Yale and then married an American. I had worked for six years as the Head of the Industrial Development Agency for the French Prime Minister; then for two years with Jacques Chirac’s office as the National Delegate for Telecommunications. I was eager to return to the US and play a useful role in building on my experience within the US and French markets.
GTWN: So what do you think was essential for your career?
Marie-Monique: In many ways I was in the right place at the right time, before telecommunications was as complex as it is today. I was prepared to take a risk, and seized the opportunity. I believe women are more gifted at creating their own careers and raking advantage of new situations, as they don’t have as many prejudices as men.
This is why there are so many women entering the multimedia industry today.
GTWN: What have been the greatest challenges that you have faced? How have you overcome then;, and what are the lessons for those who wish to succeed?
Marie-Monique: The greatest challenge is to have enough self-confidence to enable you to start something yourself without anyone to tell you what to do. The key is to find a good mentor (I have had two – both in France).A mentor is essential in telecommunications, as it is such a special club. Iris a unique industry requiring an understanding of a mixture of technology, marketing and economics.
Today everyone is expected to have a ‘background’ in the industry; no-one is prepared to train you, as in the old days. We want instant experts, who are au fait with the jargon and the culture of the industry This is where a mentor becomes a vital link to that inner group.
GTWN: Given your experience of operating in the US, what advice can you offer to new entrants wishing to enter the market now?
Marie-Monique: For new entrants coming into the US marketplace, the major challenge is in understanding the culture of the US market, which is quite different from Europe. Hiring the right executive in the US has become very difficult, not just in telecommunications, but in many industries. For example, for a European-based carrier, it is a challenge to identify skilled staff who can also understand and appreciate the French cultural differences. The HR strategy of a company today is critical, as people are a company’s biggest asset in the US.
GTWN: How would you characterise the US telecommunications market and what differences, if any, has the Telecommunications Act 1996 made to the US market and in particular the prospects for new entrants?
Marie-Monique: The US market today is characterised by big ‘blocks’. Previously there were several second tier operators; now the trend is to be allied to one of these blocks. The changes to the legislation (which allowed players to enter into each others’ backyards) have pushed people to form alliances. The US market is getting too big for any one carrier to do it alone. The investment required would be enormous.
Since the 1996 Act US carriers are focussing on the US domestic market as their priority. They are no longer pushing out internationally for a global reach as much as the RBOCs did before. So to cover the needs of their customers, they are looking for global partners.
GTWN: What is your view of the future prospects fir the telecommunications industry in general, and telcos in particular? All carriers are now going into content related areas; do you think this is the way forward, or will carriage remain the core activity?
Marie-Monique: A main area carriers are now focussing on is mobile telephony. A second priority is emerging markets, in particular in Africa, the former Soviet Union and Asia. Thirdly; carriers are busy consolidating the alliances they are forming. An alliance, for example, is really just like a marriage. It takes a lot of work for it to succeed.
Personally, I think that the strength of the carrier will remain in the backbone – the network. Resellers without infrastructure will be increasingly under pressure in the marketplace from carriers. Carriers can build value-added services on top of their networks, as evidenced by the number of telcos going into multimedia and online services.
I believe all carriers should now be going into voice on the Internet. In the future, one can imagine the consumer having a communications instrument with various buttons – one for image, one for low quality voice, one for high quality voice, etc. and you will pick which service you require for each particular application.
GTWN: What role can the GTWN play in assisting women to take advantage of the opportunities now developing in telecommunications?
Marie-Monique: Women are particularly geared to being leaders in this industry They are prepared to take the risks for their career, and go into areas that men may avoid.
Women are more interested in foreign cultures and in communicating with others, and they are usually more gifted linguistically. Therefore they are ideally placed to thrive in the new global environment, which requires adaptability and risk-taking.
Many people are unaware of the number of talented women now in telecommunications, or those interested in entering the industry. And equally, many women are unaware of the opportunities that are presenting themselves.
The GTWN can therefore play a very useful role by being an ‘information exchange’ among industry; the business schools, the conference organizers, and talented women in the industry.
For younger women, The GTWN can play an additional role, of assisting them to identify appropriate opportunities and enabling them to gain the experience they need to progress in their careers.
