Sabine Howest ─ driving global partner engagement while accelerating diversity, inclusion and equality...
May 12, 2021 • 3 Minute Read
Updated October 2022
Sabine Howest
Senior Vice President, Global Digital Operations
Ingram Micro, Inc.
(Previously—Vice President, Global Partner Engagement and IoT
Ingram Micro, Inc.)
Are you looking for a strong leader whose career journey and candid conversation will inspire you to be your best self? We know the person—Sabine Howest!
Sabine is currently the Vice President of Global Partner Engagement and IoT at Ingram Micro, where she leads an award-winning and diverse team of high performers who are skilled at helping their customers navigate complexity and use technology and data to achieve results. Her areas of focus includes accelerating market adoption, defining profitable growth strategies, and driving investment plans between key global and regional reseller customers and IT companies.
Please meet this IT Wondrous Woman, Sabine Howest!
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?
There are plenty, and that’s totally ok!
2. Before the pandemic, how many air miles/KMs did you flying annually?
Over 200K. At last count, I averaged three+ months per year in a hotel. I shudder now at the thought alone, and don’t expect my travel to be the same in the future.
3. What is the most adventurous food you have eaten and what city/location did you eat it?
A marinated, thousand-year-old egg in 1999. Where? Hong Kong on the Dragon boat. True story.
Your Career
4. What are the top two experiences, achievements or failures that shaped your journey as a successful leader?
Meeting people and taking chances. I think everyone’s professional and personal journeys are shaped by the encounters they have with people and what they make out of them.
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?
One of the biggest lessons for me was to understand that it is my own mindset that matters. When you take it all under consideration, we don’t have complete control over much, except our attitudes and how we want to react to others.
Walking In Your Shoes
6. What is one piece of business or career advice you would give to your younger self?
For me it would be to narrow down the number of people you take advice from. Everyone’s got an opinion, but not everyone carries a compass or has the experience to back them. Choose wisely.
7. As a leader, how do you remain a resource for people early in their careers?
I mentor and coach as much as I can. I also work hard to look well after the people on my team, especially when it comes to their career development.
Today’s Business Environment
8. What is the most interesting project you have worked on in the last few years?
There have been many, but one that stands out is building a global cyber security practice within one of the world’s largest technology ecosystems. It was by far the most interesting and at the same time, most challenging and rewarding projects I’ve led in the last few years.
9. What skills are you currently developing or refining (in yourself) that will make you a more successful leader in the digital economy?
In my view, we do not aspire and train to become a successful leader and wake up one day with the mission accomplished. For me, I work hard to listen, read, self-learn and above all be available to those who matter when it matters.
10. What is your greatest business challenge today?
It is change management today, as well as yesterday and tomorrow. When you are able to translate effective change management into a competitive advantage at work, it’s not just a challenge but also a fun and rewarding opportunity.
