[Interview] Elizabeth Mumbua Paul on 14 years of working in the Telecommunications industry, Life and Mentorship

Elizabeth Mumbua Paul is the Regional Key Account Manager for East Africa at GSM Systems Ltd with over 14 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. 

Elizabeth has a proven track record in building and managing strategic partner relationships that drive mutual synergies and deliver the highest return on business investments.

In this interview with TechTrends Media, she talks about her experience in the industry as well as her life-work balance.

Give us a brief history of your background

When I joined the Telecommunications industry over 14 years ago, I struggled for the first couple of years to find my fit within a giant telecommunications company. With time, I developed a keen interest in being part of the teams responsible for the company’s revenue growth. Albeit with a lot of obstacles, I managed to grow my career from a divisional assistant to the area of my passion. I naturally enjoy walking the journey with customers from identifying their pain points, developing innovative solutions, and implementing these solutions, thereby catalysing customers’ business growth by creating cost and operational efficiencies.  Over the last 5 years, I have built a track record of leading teams that achieved and doubled annual recurring revenue, successfully managed multi-stakeholder engagements including C-level relationships and skilfully negotiated multi-million dollar contracts.

When did you join GSM Systems?

I joined GSM Systems in 2017 as a Key account manager, in 2021 I was promoted to a regional key account manager – East Africa, where I am responsible for strategic multi-vendor hardware and software sales and account management for the East African market.

What is that one life-defining change that shaped you into the person you are today?

I like to think I am a result of all my choices, both good and bad. I am a firm believer in trusting the process and soaking fully in every season of life by being present to learn from each of these experiences.

Share with us something about yourself that you’re working on improving, and how you think it will be run more smoothly once you’ve accomplished your goal.

As I progress in my career and personal journey I want to impact the lives of the people around me. My personal goal is to enrich other people’s lives as it is fulfilling. To me, there’s more to life, something much larger than ourselves. I am working on finding the balance to do both, to contribute more towards random acts of kindness and pay forward by actively mentoring young women to find their voice in their areas of passion. I’d love people to remember me for how I touched their lives, however small a way.

Tell us about your philosophy. Where does it come from and how did you develop it?

I believe that showing up authentically as yourself is a powerful thing in itself. Earlier in my career, I struggled with self-identity, I thought I needed to be like the people that I admired and looked up to. Over time I have learned that we are uniquely created to be just us, and there is power in being yourself. 

What keeps you going in the face of adversity?

I always endeavour to show up as the best version of myself and doing my best. As things are bound to go unexpectedly sometimes, I take action on what is within my control and accept the outcome, either as success or as a lesson learnt.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Heading a bigger Market region in a leading Multinational organization. As industry catalysts for circular economy and the creation of sustainable business models for my customers. Paying forward by offering mentorship to young girls as other people did for me.

When you’re not working, what do you do to unwind?

I love nature, so most of the weekends I am out and about looking for new collections for my small kitchen garden. I also enjoy entertaining, reading and listening to music.

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