Movers and Shakers: Karen Hughes, Vice President, Technology, American Express

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Karen Hughes, Vice President, Technology at American Express is passionate about ensuring that women feel comfortable taking a career break – whether taking leave to care for children or other family members, or taking time off to care for themselves.

She explained, “Perceptions around on-ramps and off-ramps are still causing women uncertainty around their careers. Things are getting better though.”

Hughes leads the New York chapter of American Express’s new global Women in Technology group – and is enthusiastic about how networking and career development can help women grow.

Building a Career in Technology

Hughes began her career at IBM in Australia, with various roles in Finance, Sales and eventually the outsourcing business in Financial services. Within a few years, her client American Express hired her to work in its Sydney office, and just a few months ago, Hughes transferred to New York.

She said, “I’m very proud of being hired by my client. It’s a privilege to be hired by a client, especially in the technology services industry.”

Hughes is responsible for a large part of the American Express production environment, managing systems that support merchants and card members, as well as supporting the systems that support North and South American based employees.

According to Hughes, the most exciting part of her job is working on career development with her team. “I have a large team running our production systems, and I want to make sure they develop and grow, and build their professional skills. It’s that time of the year when we are developing those plans, and right now, working with my team to make sure they have plans in place to make them successful, is the most exciting part of my role.

Currently, Hughes is also fascinated by the opportunities that could be afforded by social networking.

She explained, “We just don’t know the answer – what will the impact of social networking be on employees and cardmembers? What will the broader impact be on the marketplace? How can we collaborate with each other?”

On-Ramps and Off-Ramps

Hughes said a key issue women face in the workplace is the uncertainty that surrounds a career break. She explained, “Women are more prone to making decisions about leaving the workforce temporarily – but we’re learning to deal with it. The challenge is dealing with the perception of the break.”

Hughes continued, “There are many questions that women need to deal with. Will people think you’re not as committed to your career if you take time off? How do you make your re-entry? If you want to work part time, how does that reflect on you? It’s still a challenge for many women, and I know it was a challenge for me personally.”

American Express is well respected in the workforce for generous parental leave programs and support and I know many women whose careers have prospered on their return. What’s important is to pro-actively manage the re-entry process.

She explained, “I went on parental leave a few years ago and I was concerned about what I was going to come back to, how people perceived the break, whether the break would impact on my trajectory, and making sure my position would still be available.”

“And then you have to make sure those concerns don’t distract you from enjoying the time off with your family.”

Hughes had also taken time off for personal health reasons and says it is important not to super-impose those same questions on yourself. “I didn’t want to be known as ‘the sick person’, and was concerned about the same questions being applied to me. I did find that I should have been a lot easier on myself.”

Advice for Women in Technology in the Financial Services

Hughes said that she wishes she had known to ask for more feedback when she was firsts starting her career – not just asking if she was doing a good job, but asking what she could do better, and triangulating feedback.

She said, “I wish I had known to be more strategic and pro-active in asking for feedback. Seek out people you admire, and ask for constructive, actionable feedback. You need to be more pointed in the questions you ask. ‘What do I need to work on?’ ‘What do I need to do to get to the next level?’”

She advised young women not to rush to the next level too fast, though. “Many young people are in such a rush to get ahead. Young, talented people should focus on their personal brand and building a solid depth of knowledge in their field, rather than rushing ahead without having the foundations in place.”

She continued, “Build strong foundations and your network first.”

Women who are advancing in their careers should be sure to keep their skills current and market relevant. Hughes advised. “Make sure your skills remain competitive, and seek constructive feedback. Seek out people you admire. And don’t over-look reverse mentoring and learning from people with maybe less experience but different perspectives”.

Women at American Express

Hughes is leading the New York chapter of American Express’s new global Women in Technology Council. “Our goal is to improve and increase the profile of women in technology, focusing on development and ensuring we have an ample slate of women in the right roles,” she explained.

Hughes was the leader of the Sydney office’s successful Women in Technology group, and when she moved to New York a few months ago, she was asked to get involved with the new New York branch. She explained, “I’m really proud of Women in Technology Sydney, and it’s still going now, a few year later.”

In Her Personal Time

Outside of work, Hughes said she enjoys spending time with her husband and son, and exploring what Manhattan has to offer. She said, “We moved here right before Thanksgiving and the holiday season, which was absolutely magical.”

She continued, “Then we had the blizzards and the snow in Central Park – it’s really worth writing home about!”