ABB’s Unstoppable series highlights the inspiring stories of women who have broken down barriers. Through this series, ABB aims to raise awareness of the importance of diversity and inclusion; and encourage more women to pursue careers in STEM fields.
Graciana Khouri, 32 from France is a Sales Manager for High Power Rectifiers at ABB Process Industries in Switzerland. She was previously an electrical engineer and applies that knowledge to her current role. She tells us what makes her Unstoppable…
Graciana, you’re a Sales Manager for ABB’s High Power Rectifiers. What career path did you take to get here?
“I have a background in electrical engineering, I worked as a service engineer for seven years in the electrical field energy sector. After seven years and a lot of travel for work, I wanted to move from the field to a management position so I decided to study for an MBA at IMD in Switzerland. Now I work as a Sales Manager for High Power Rectifiers.”
What is a High Power Rectifier?
“A High Power Rectifier is a converter, it converts AC current to DC current, and this DC current is used in many processes such as hydrogen production or steel production to manufacture materials.”
Who inspired you to become an engineer?
“I was inspired by my dad, he has always been my mentor, and he is a role model for me. He is an engineer and I saw him growing in his career, which gave me inspiration. Plus, I love math and physics and to create new things and find solutions, engineering gave me the chance to do that.”
What made you want to switch from field engineering to sales?
“I wanted to work in sales in the energy sector, transferring my knowledge from my previous experience in the field to a new domain. I think my personality lends itself to working in sales, I like getting to know people, understanding them, and using my communications skills to get to know what they need in business, too. I wanted some challenges and some action. Sometimes in sales, you have tough deals, tough negotiations, especially in today’s fast-moving market where the competition is stiff. What I sell is not sold from a catalogue, or from the shelf, it’s a technical sales role as we offer very customized solutions to the customer and so each negotiation is different and that’s exciting.”
During your studies, and throughout your career, have you worked with many women?
“Since I began studying, most of my career and most of my life has been spent working in male-oriented domains, especially at university, a maximum of 2% of the class was female. As I became more established in my career, I learned about diversity and how to interact with people from different and diverse backgrounds, male or female, and also with people more senior than me, people with 30 plus years of experience. Whatever your gender and whatever your background, it is about your skills and your know-how. It’s important for us all to remember that.”
What mindset do you think hiring managers need to have to encourage diversity and to ensure diverse teams?
“Having a diverse team means you’ll have people from different perspectives who bring different ideas, it’s a treasure to any team. I would say instead of looking at KPIs, or choosing people from certain backgrounds to tick a box, I would encourage anonymous CVs, to allow those recruiting to really look at the qualifications of the person, their extra-curricular activities, and their experience and hire based on fairness and equal chances, making sure to pick the person because they are the right fit. Hiring someone just to tick a box can be harmful to them, if they are not truly right for the position or ready for the role, but they are hired because they tick some diversity boxes, this can hurt their career path, regardless of whether they’re a man or a woman.”
What about people who are struggling to make in-roads in their desired careers, do you have any advice for them?
“I always create my own community. I started a badminton club at ABB. I wasn’t an exceptional badminton player, but badminton is an easy access sport, easy to play and very affordable. We play with men and women, but it allows us to get to know one another on a more personal level and to bond. That connection is invaluable in the work environment. I really advise everyone to join an activity or sports club, no matter where you are in the world. And if a club doesn’t exist yet, create one. Start something.”
What else do you think is important in building your career?
“Networking is also really important and I would encourage other women to reach out to people, whether you ask someone for a coffee chat, or you contact them on LinkedIn, you can share your experiences and ask questions, share your wisdom. No matter how young or old you are, you can always grow your network. I would always offer to meet with someone who reached out to me for career advice, it’s important to help one another to rise and give back to others if you are successful or have wisdom you can share.”
Looking back on your career, what advice would you give your younger self?
“I would tell my younger self to be more patient. It’s good to be energetic, to aim high and to be ambitious, but patience is key. With hard work and patience, you can achieve your goals. I would also say don’t be afraid to say what you think out loud, share your thoughts and say how you feel.”
What does Unstoppable mean to you?
“First, be a lifelong learner, don't lose your curiosity. Learn a language, start a new activity or a new sport, join a masterclass or move to a new country, always be open to discovering new things. Secondly whatever you do, throw yourself into it, hands and heart, engage with passion and love what you do. Thirdly, try to help others to rise, lead by example, and always give back to others, even in your small circles.”
Lastly, what do you think you would have done in your career if you were not an engineer?
“I love hosting and I love people, so I think I would have liked to own a restaurant or a hotel, a place where people could meet and be together to create memories and special moments.”
