Camille Flores-Kilfoyle, diversifying the tech industry

Originally from the sunny south of France, Camille Flores-Kilfoyle began her career studying International Business Management and then continued her education in the Netherlands. Her first job was in CRM implementation, and this began a career-long passion for data.  

For the last 12 years, Camille has lived in Liverpool, UK, and initially worked in marketing in the manufacturing industry. From event planning to build partnerships, Camille thrives off working with diverse cultures and discovering different ways to do business. She’s also been incredibly lucky to travel to the world throughout her career, visiting Asia, North America, and various European countries.

“However, it was incredibly interesting, and at the same time frustrating, to begin my career in a role within a male-dominated industry with few female leaders,” Camille says. 

“Just over five years ago, I made the move to join Reputation. This was a role in which I could combine my love for international business and passion for data. And, I’ve had the chance to work alongside several female leaders including former CMO, Rebecca Biestman who is an inspiring leader in the tech industry. 

“I was the first marketer the business employed outside the US, which presented a number of interesting challenges. I’ve loved being able to build both processes and a team to help drive brand awareness within the UK.  

Reputation is now one of the biggest customer experience (CX) players in the UK and EMEA, and Camille is excited to be continuously pushing this to the next level.  

We caught up with Camille is discuss how she’s navigating her way through a male-dominated sector, her greatest accomplishment and the secret to her success.

Hi Camille, could give us an overview of your responsibilities as co-chair of Reputation’s Women in Technology Affinity Group?  

I am the co-chair of Reputation’s Women in Technology (WIT), a responsibility I share with my incredible colleague, Zena De Kasha. Zena is a Senior Manager of Proposals and Programs within Reputation. We set up an employee resource group (ERG) at Reputation, with the goal of supporting women pursuing a career in tech. From hosting a regular book club and guest speakers to highlighting success stories, we want to bring further visibility and awareness about the career opportunities available both inside and outside our organisation.  

Reputation is an international business, so it was also important for us to promote an inclusive culture across the company, and it's an honour to be representing EMEA at a global level. 

What drove your passion for advocating women in technology?  

Sharing knowledge and driving visibility are two major aspects of Reputation’s Women in Tech group. Early on in my career, I was fortunate to have access to something similar. In the technology industry, we have seen a huge amount of change, however, we must keep celebrating women’s role in this industry to build on the momentum and inspire younger generations to enter STEM careers. 

What have been your greatest career accomplishments?  

During my time working in engineering, I put together two award entries for the Queen's Awards, and was immensely proud that both were successful, leading to the team winning the Innovation Award and the International Trade Award. What made this achievement all the more special was that I got to meet the late Queen Elizabeth II. It was an experience I will never forget, and in many respects, as one of the world’s most respected leaders and an innovator in her own right, the Queen was an inspiration to women the world over.  

At Reputation, I’ve developed a go-to-market strategy and team that has enabled our revenue to grow at a tremendous rate year-on-year. It has been (and still is) one of the greatest accomplishments in my career. 

Likewise, what have been your greatest challenges?  

Marketing and selling a software-as-a-service platform across various regions comes with its challenges. Every market – even from within the EU – has a different degree of maturity, and when you work in an innovative sector there is a great deal of expertise and patience required to successfully launch products in several countries. Navigating that space and understanding what success looks like in different markets can often be challenging. 

What advice would you give your younger self?  

Do not assume a role or career is not suited for you until you try it. I thought I would never overcome the language barrier of working internationally or have the technical expertise I needed for my first job, but soon found myself excelling beyond what I could have ever imagined. 

What has been your secret to success?  

Always listen and learn from the leaders and colleagues around you. I’ve learnt so much from collaborating with talented people – and sometimes from a director or a colleague in a completely different department – and still do.