Juliette Samson

Board Director former CIO and Head of Supply Chain at TargaTek

Can you please provide a little introduction about yourself

Accomplished and recognized private Board Director, global c-suite executive, technology & business influencer with over 35 years in Pharma, CPG, Telecom, and Logistics industries, with key business acumen and leadership in supply chain, manufacturing, M&A and divestitures in Fortune 50 and midsize companies across global markets.

Provides board-tailored insights and oversight in; strategy, innovation, business & digital transformation, AI, cyber security and risk management, operations, data & analytics, and financial P&L. 

Multilingual in English, Hungarian, Romanian, & Spanish

Residing in the tri-state area with her husband and two children, Juliette is a graduate of Cornell, Lehigh, and Columbia University.

What path have you taken to your current position? 

I started as an engineer in manufacturing, and then in development, with a patent and many "firsts" but soon as I networked, engaged mentors, and took roles that others did not want or were afraid to take,  I evolved to strategy, services, business enablement and other roles, leading to doing "more for less" and transformations of companies to become healthy with + EBIDTA and ROI. 

Has it always been your vision to reach the position you’re at? Was your current role part of your vision to become a tech leader?

It was always my vision to do my best and move to the next level. I did not aspire to be CIO at the beginning of my career or even later, but as I moved ahead and learned, I  saw that I could easily achieve a C-level role and be a Business Leader.   

Have you had a role model or mentor that has helped you on your journey?

Yes, it was a significant move in my career. Her name was Carly Fiorina. She made me understand that I can do just about anything I want with my 'God-given' gifts.

She introduced me to strategy work, took me out of the traditional engineering role that I was in and gave me the belief that I  perhaps did not have before.

How do you see the role of the technology leader evolving over the next 5 years?

Highly integrated into the business, customer-focused. 

What skills do you think leaders of the future will need in order to thrive?

Thought Leadership is key, People leadership is also key!! Of course keeping up with AI, Cyber, Cloud, Bitcoin and the like is also critical to be able to get the respect and insights needed to succeed.

Is there anything in particular that you would still like to achieve in your career or what is the next step on your journey?

Always; My current ambition is to become a Board Director of a public company or PE. 

What advice would you give to aspiring technology leaders who are just starting their careers?

Listen to my podcast on my LinkedIn about my career and advice.  Look for a book coming out in the spring called Empowering Women in STEM  -  you can read about me there as well.

Overall - don't be shy, always do more,  jump into things you are scared of, never give up, and always see things 1/2 full.  

"Don't be shy, always do more,  jump into things you are scared of, never give up, always see things 1/2 full."

What has been the biggest challenge you've faced in your career so far, and how did you overcome it?

Raising kids and having a career is challenging most of the time, in how to divide your time between the 2 every day,  especially if you have kids with medical challenges.  

Keeping the faith, never leaving behind what you can do today to tomorrow, engaging others to help, and walk the talk.  

What role do you see emerging technologies (e.g., AI, machine learning, blockchain) playing in your industry, and how are you preparing for them?

They are key enablers for doing more with less, faster and ultimately better. I attend many summits, read and talk to SMEs.

How do you measure and communicate the value and impact of technology initiatives to other business leaders and stakeholders?

Simplistically, with values impact.  Most of the time I'd say 99% it's about value creation. You must show it! 

What has been your most significant achievement or proudest moment as a technology leader?

Achieving Signiant company turnarounds without laying off people. 

How do you ensure that you and your team stay updated with the latest technology trends and industry best practices?

I encourage education, networking and reading. Also bringing SME into the teams for discussion sessions. With Zoom and Teams and other media, there is a lot of info one can gather.   

A big thank you to Juliette W. Samson from TargaTek for sharing her journey to date.

If you would like to gain more perspective from Tech Leaders and CIOs you can read some of our other interviews here.