Zyxel’s Rachel Rothwell

“There is a stigma around progression for mother.”

Rachel Rothwell is regional director Western Europe at Zyxel.

CF: How long have you worked in the channel?

RR: This April makes it 25 years!

CF: What’s your favourite part of your job?

RR: My favourite part of the job has got to be the people. Having worked in the channel from a young age, I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside a number of inspirational, highly intelligent people. I’ve loved working alongside my colleagues and peers and watching them develop their careers alongside me.
In my time working at Zyxel, Lee Marsden and Jean-Michel are two standouts. They’ve helped me develop into the director I am today, giving me confidence in myself and encouraging me to push myself and take on extra responsibilities. This sense of community spirit is rife within the channel, and it’s fantastic to be able to pass on the baton to my younger peers now.

CF: What are some of the biggest changes you’re seeing in the channel today?

RR: There are plenty of challenges facing the channel industry at the moment. The pace that technology is evolving is much faster than it was 25 years ago when I first started. Educating these changes to customers is a constant challenge that we all face.

Similarly, the ways in which we communicate with our customers has changed drastically. Previously, we’d pick up the phone or interact face to face. Now, with the emergence of social media, we have a range of digital, instant routes to interact with our customers and the wider community. Navigating this “always on” landscape and the ever-changing social trends may be an uphill struggle at times but present some fantastic opportunities too.   

CF: Is there one thing you believe channel organisations and vendors can do to encourage or enable more women leaders?

RR: Like the wider tech industry, the channel is very much a male-dominated industry and the ratio of men to women can often make it harder for women to be heard and recognised. That being said, I firmly believe it’s a great industry to work in and that the channel can offer so many fantastic opportunities for women to pursue, no matter their area of interest. 

I think one of the major barriers preventing women from pursuing leadership positions is the stigma around progression for mothers. But with hybrid and remote working a widespread lesson from the pandemic, there is now the flexibility supporting work/life balance which allows determined women to become great parents without feeling too much pressure from their employers. We all have a responsibility to remove this stigma and educate smart, ambitious women that they no longer have to choose between being a great mum and a great professional – they can do both.

CF: What can we expect from Zyxel in 2022?

RR: Short answer? Great things. 2021 was a tough year for the entire industry for various reasons, not least product shortages. But in spite of these obstacles, I’m very proud of the enormous growth we still managed to achieve. Last year, one of our programs grew by 85%. This is all thanks to our loyal customers, and this year, they can expect to benefit from exciting new programs.