Written by: Gwendolyn Ang
Interview by: Cebo Cruz
INA YULO: BRIGHTTALK SENIOR CONTENT MANAGER
Ina Yulo is proof that being in the tech world isn’t just about coding. Entering the tech scene with a background in marketing, advertising and communications, this young Filipina is a rising leader at BrightTALK, a platform that brings together industry experts to share business insights in webinars and videos.
From Manila to Barcelona to London
I spent my first weeks here up until 3 am every night applying to jobs and looking for rooms to rent. It was a really scary experience and it was also really difficult to get rejection after rejection. I just knew that I couldn’t stop trying though, and eventually it worked out
Ina was a communications and European studies major at the Ateneo de Manila University, where she was also captain of the softball team and candidate for class valedictorian, before moving to Barcelona for postgraduate studies.
Two years later, she flew to London in search of a job. “I spent my first weeks here up until 3 am every night applying to jobs and looking for rooms to rent. It was a really scary experience and it was also really difficult to get rejection after rejection. I just knew that I couldn’t stop trying though, and eventually it worked out,” she told us.
Breaking Into The Tech Scene
It was this same determination that helped Ina rise up the ranks at BrightTALK. Currently serving as the Senior Content Manager and Team Lead, her role involves sourcing and interviewing high-level speakers for summits and panel sessions, and speaking at global conferences, while also leading other content managers and helping clients like IBM and Reuters optimize their content to reach target audiences. She is also credited for launching BrightTALK’s financial technology community which is now biggest of its kind with over 300,000 members globally. In recognition of her work, Ina was listed in Innovate Finance’s Women in FinTech powerlist for two years in a row alongside entrepreneurs and C-suite executives.
But what exactly is financial technology? Fintech is the use of software and digital tools to perform financial services more efficiently. “[It] is an exciting space because it merges the worlds of Financial Services and Technology, so I am constantly attending events and listening to talks that discuss developments like Blockchain, Open Banking, and AI,” says Ina. In fact, staying up-to-date on the latest trends and developments is the aspect of her job that she enjoys the most.
Girl Power
Growing up, I was never brought up to think that I couldn’t do something just because I was a girl.
In many ways, growing up in one of the most gender-equal countries in the world has helped her become the woman she is today. “People are always shocked when I tell them that I went to an all-girls Catholic school in Manila, yet we were required to learn how to code and program,” she shared.
She also takes inspiration from her mother, whom she refers to as “superwoman” for being able to balance her work and family life so well. “Growing up, I was never brought up to think that I couldn’t do something just because I was a girl.”
Acquiring this fearlessness early on instilled the belief that there were no boundaries to what she could do and who she could be. Even if she didn’t plan on entering the male-dominated fields of technology and finance, Ina took the chance when the opportunity came and eventually rose up as a female leader.
Advice for Fellow Women
Ina is passionate about showing people that there are different career paths in the tech world. “You don’t need to code to get into these fun and exciting industry,” she told us, “There are communicators, developers, researchers, policy makers, analysts, architects, business professionals, data scientists, and more!”
Take the challenge as an opportunity to stand out, make your mark, and absolutely exceed all expectations.
A life-long learner herself, she also encourages women to constantly find opportunities for growth and learning, be it by taking online courses and webinars or reaching out to people already successful in the industry. “It’s never too late to learn a new skill if you put enough effort into it…. Always be aware of what you don’t know and then do something about it.”
And lastly, for women hoping to break into a male-dominated fields like her, she leaves them with these words of wisdom: “Take the challenge as an opportunity to stand out, make your mark, and absolutely exceed all expectations.”
Read more about Ina Yulo here: https://ewpnamsterdam2017.eu/ina-yulo/
Featured Image retrieved from https://twitter.com/inayulo
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Gwendolyn Ang is a 17-year old high school student from Jubilee Christian Academy. Driven by passion and fueled by grace, she is a lifelong learner dedicated to self-improvement both in and out of the classroom.
Cebo Cruz is a Grade 11 Student in Philippine Science High School – Main Campus, with a passion for Chemistry, History, and Geography. Aside from his school duties, he enjoys playing volleyball and badminton. Moreover, WiTech has been an outlet to express his advocacy of maximizing women’s potential to promote equality among all.
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