Liz Lawson - a skilled partner leader with deep APAC, Americas and global experience.
October 28, 2020 • 2 Minute Read
Liz Lawson
Senior Partner Field Enablement Lead, APAC
Amazon Web Services
Looking for a skilled partner leader with deep APAC, Americas and global experience? We know the person─Liz Lawson!
For over 25 years, Liz Lawson has held leadership roles in channels, sales, services, and marketing in global organizations for IT companies. After a 16-year stint in the US, Liz relocated back to her native Australia in May 2020 and joined Amazon Web Services to lead Partner Field Enablement for the APAC region.
Liz has a hunger for new ideas, applying design thinking and other methodologies to innovate or improve business services. Her motto in life is an adventure, a continuous learning experience. Not only is she an observer in life, but has hiked the highest peak in South East Asia, ridden elephants up the side of mountains, slept on floors in small villages, met Burma’s (Karen) rebels, and rafted down rivers. She is truly a renaissance woman! Please meet this IT Wondrous Woman™, Liz Lawson!
Our 10 Questions for this IT Wondrous Woman.
Fun Facts
1. What’s the one thing about you that your business colleagues don’t know about you?
My passion is ancient history and a general interest in history.
2. Before the pandemic, how many air miles/KMs did you flying annually?
Mileage had gone down over the last few years to 120,000 miles in 2019.
3. What is the most adventurous food you have eaten and what city/location did you eat it?
I ate live octopus in Chungmu, South Korea while attending a Korea Partner Meeting. The octopus’s suckers were still working and I ended up with a tentacle stuck to my lip.
Your Career
4. What are the top two experiences, achievements or failures that shaped your journey as a successful leader?
Top achievement –throughout my career I have hired and worked with many talented individuals, and the most satisfaction I have is how they’ve grown in their careers. Some are now Directors and VPs, and many are following their passions and dreams. That’s what it’s all about.
Failure – ignoring or underestimating politics that can exist in an organization and thinking I could get around it by just working hard.
In my first job out of school, I had great support from the head of marketing for a division at Du Pont in Australia. His advice was “always remember that bs baffles brains – keep things simple”!
5. Did you have a mentor in the early part of your career and, if so, what is the biggest lesson you learned from your mentor or influencer?
In my first job out of school, I had great support from the head of marketing for a division at Du Pont in Australia. His advice was “always remember that bs baffles brains – keep things simple”!
Walking In Your Shoes
6. What is one piece of business or career advice you would give to your younger self?
Don’t be afraid to ask, don’t be afraid to stand up for what you believe in, don’t be afraid to speak up.
7. As a leader, how do you remain a resource for people early in their careers?
I love mentoring – either in formal programs or just being available for ad-hoc advice. I also find I learn a lot from those I mentor.
Today’s Business Environment
8. What is the most interesting project you have worked on in the last few years?
A detailed distribution study to address capacity and distributor performance from some very interesting angles.
9. What skills are you currently developing or refining (in yourself) that will make you a more successful leader in the digital economy?
Staying on top of collaboration and tools used; teaching myself shorthand, which won’t make me a better leader, but hopefully a better note-taker!!; and being a better listener.
10. What is your greatest business challenge today?
Making life rewarding for partner managers, and helping them run their “business”. It’s a tough role, there’s so much to know and keep on top of – especially with the dynamics of the IT industry changing so quickly and how that translates to partners.
