Amanda Perran
Partner, Consulting - Deloitte Canada
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She’s on cloud nine in her work
As technology devotees go, Amanda Perran is one-hundred-percent all-in. She waits with fervent anticipation for the next software releases in the same way music fans count the days to the latest album by their favorite band.
Her passion for computers and technology started at a young age under the influence of her father, and really took hold when, as a Business undergrad in Newfoundland, Canada, she started dating a web designer, who—as well as going on to become her husband—introduced her to coding and programming.
“I’d spend my evenings and weekends in front of a computer screen learning everything I can, experimenting, building things with hardware, trying different operating systems,” Amanda says. “I just really loved that ability to solve problems and have the power to create things myself, and frankly, I couldn’t get enough.”
Today, as the national lead partner for Deloitte Canada’s Microsoft Technology Services practice, Amanda’s enthusiasm hasn’t waned one bit. After two decades as a specialist in Microsoft products—and having written books on the subject—her attention is now focused on helping clients transform their business on the cloud.
“What I really like about the cloud is, we are able to build solutions that not only change how a particular process works, but will really change how a business can run, and how a business can serve its customers and their clients in a way that that really creates great experiences,” she says.
When she started out as woman in the technology field, Amanda was conscious of being a rarity, sometimes the only woman at the table, and she had to deal with her fair share of “mansplaining.” She looks back and realizes that she may have questioned her own abilities too much at the beginning. But now, as a respected leader in her field, she has come to Deloitte full of optimism about what women can bring to the table.
“When you look at the extensive nature of the cloud and what it’s capable of, it's sometimes easy to get lost,” Amanda says. “And I think that women have this ability to really zoom out and see the big picture, but also kind of come back in and bring everybody on board to the specific kind of activities and focus that we need. And I think a lot of that comes from our backgrounds and our innate capabilities of listening and fostering empathy and integrity. And it really drives a better culture.”
For those just starting out on the technology career path, Amanda’s journey demonstrates the power of passion and curiosity.
“I had this constant thirst and passion for learning … I couldn't wait to get my hands on the latest innovations in the latest releases of the platforms I was working on, and I've really experimented and tried many different things through that. And it was that constant thirst for experimentation and innovation and change that really brought me to the path that I'm on now.”
And that passion is still with her: “I wake up every day and I'm excited. I'm excited because I love what I do, and I love who I work with.”
