An Exciting Career Transition and Never Looking Back
A career change can be daunting, especially when you’re at a later stage in life. Better yet, jumping into a whole new industry makes it even more intimidating. Only a few would dare to take a risk and defy the odds. Say hello to Jenny Hall, the true definition of #girlboss and how she decided to shift her career after working for over 10 years in the corporate world and taking on a whole new challenge in a fast-paced, high-growth startup.
“First things first, take us through your journey and how you managed to excel in shifting your career.”
“Absolutely. I actually started off fresh out of university working for Kantar, a global market research firm. My main responsibilities were managing global clients and helping them to understand shopper and consumer insights and data. Right when I joined, I enquired about the opportunities to work abroad and after a few years, I relocated to Thailand. It opened my eyes to the incredible, diverse cultures of Asia, and right there and then I knew I wasn’t meant to stay in one place. Following an incredible 6.5-year period in the ‘Land of Smiles’ I relocated to Singapore and after working at Kantar for around ten years, I decided it was time for a significant career change. I took a leap across to the creative and advertising industry working for SME and start-up companies, focused on creators and influencer marketing. It was then that I discovered Ampverse through a partnership call with Charlie Baillie (Chief Strategy Officer of Ampverse).
Partnership calls turned to recruitment talks and ultimately became one of the most exciting career transitions.
“Originally, I met with Charlie to discuss how TalentHouse (my current company at the time) and Ampverse could explore ways to engage and collaborate with each other. But the more Charlie shared about Ampverse and esports, the more interested and intrigued I became on how video gaming could be such a huge industry and what Ampverse was planning to do in this space. It didn’t take long before I found myself joining one of the fastest-growing, most exciting startups in a whole new industry.
What’s it like transitioning from corporate to startup and working in esports where it’s a predominantly male industry?
“It’s quite a big leap, I’m not gonna lie. But it has opened up so many more doors and presented more exciting opportunities for me. Both my current and previous startup roles have been multidimensional, enabling me to roll up my sleeves and further expand my experience. It’s empowering to know that you can have such an impact in helping the company to grow. Working in a corporate does, of course, have its benefits, but I feel at times it can be limiting and a role can be more tunnel visioned, whereas in an SME and startup world I’m able to experience a new challenge and learn new things everyday. I feel an even greater sense of achievement in the work that I do and it never gets boring.“
As for being a female working in a predominantly male industry, I have to say I love it. People may think it’s intimidating, but I never felt like anyone has looked down or belittled me or made me feel that I’m not in the right place. If you have grit and set your mind to something, you can achieve anything. I entered this industry without much knowledge in gaming or esports, but I’ve put in the work through self-study and research, to gain as much knowledge as possible, allowing me to reach the current position I’m in today. I’m so grateful to have been invited to speak at events and webinars, and even present to government officials in the industry! To all the girl bosses out there, don’t give up, keep rocking it!!
Last, but not least, give us 3 Fun Facts about yourself.
“Oh wow…you put me on the spot (laughs). Well first off, I’m a fitness freak – I feel like it’s the most important part of my morning because it helps to clear my head & puts me in the right mindset to start the day. Second, I love rose and champagne! Nothing is better than unwinding at the end of the week with a glass of champagne. Lastly, one of my favorite video games from my teenage years was Quake, an FPS (first person shooter) game. It probably isn’t a common answer for a girl but I loved the action of the game! Finally, I would like to say to everyone who’s still finding their way, seeking out their true passion or in the midst of a career transition to just go for it. Life is short so make sure you’re doing something where you wake up feeling energized and motivated every single day!”
Jenny Hall
Head Of Strategic Partnerships, Southeast Asia & India