AN INTERVIEW WITH
Ana Bertuzi
VP, International Law & Global WIN Chair, joined NCR in 2016
AN INTERVIEW WITH
Ana Bertuzzi
VP, International Law & Global WIN Chair, joined NCR in 2016
Tell us a little about your career journey. What is your role at NCR and what led you here?
I have always said yes to a challenge. And saying yes is what led me to NCR!
After law school, I passed the legal bar exam and immediately worked for a law firm doing contracts. After only one year at that law firm, one of my clients, an IT company, asked if I wanted to start their internal law department. This was unheard of for someone with my experience, so I had to say yes!
Since working at that IT company, I have worked at different technology companies in Brazil, leading legal teams in Brazil and Latin America (LATAM) and working more and more with international clients, cases and opportunities. This is what led me to NCR. NCR approached me and asked if I was interested in helping run the legal operations in LATAM. While this was a lateral move from my previous company, I knew it was actually a challenge – so as you can guess, I had to say yes!
I had the opportunity to work closely with a manufacturing plant in Manaus, Brazil — more LATAM countries than I had worked with before, and different products and industries, which allowed me to learn a lot. From being the chief counsel of LATAM, over the years my role expanded to chief counsel for all legal affairs outside of the United States of America, for the businesses I support. I now lead a multi-cultural, diverse team across Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific regions.
I can’t talk about my role at NCR without sharing about our Women in NCR (WIN) business resource group! My career at NCR has been shaped and supported by the women in this group. A few years ago, I found information about WIN on our intranet and thought, we need a chapter in Brazil! I had contributed to groups like this in prior jobs, so I knew there was more than WIN could do in the region I’m based. I connected with the WIN Board at the time and worked with my Brazilian women colleagues to start a Brazil chapter, and then helped expand the idea to our LATAM women colleagues, who launched our incredible LATAM WIN chapter.
Now, I am the chair of the WIN global board and have the opportunity to see so many good things happen with our NCR women colleagues around the world. We are able to highlight and encourage community impact, employee engagement and professional development among our colleagues. I am very proud of this!
“I can’t talk about my role at NCR without sharing about our Women in NCR (WIN) business resource group! My career at NCR has been shaped and supported by the women in this group.”
What is one of the most memorable experiences you’ve had while working at NCR?
I'm very lucky to have been involved in many memorable projects here at NCR. In my role, I get to learn about different cultures, languages, laws and businesses and think about how we can best support our customers and employees in different circumstances.
I also know that it’s not just luck to be part of so many unique, memorable experiences — we need to always be ready to seize opportunities as they come, as well as to create our own opportunities. On top of that, we need to be ready to work as hard as necessary to achieve our goals. It’s not always easy, and more often than not, we have to find ways to overcome difficulties on our way up. Sometimes our goals may seem impossible, but if we focus only on the odds of getting something, we may never get it. So when I decide to go for something, I never look at the odds. I go for it, knowing that with hard work, I’ll find a way to beat the odds anyway! And that has happened over and over in my career.
For example, in a previous company, when I returned from maternity leave, I went up for a promotion against all males who had been there longer – because I had a plan in place, I got the job. Through another job, when a position to cover LATAM came up, I ignored the fact that I was still learning Spanish and applied for it – and because I had a vision, I got the job. NCR has a presence in so many countries around the world, some may not think the leader of international law could be based in Brazil – but I’m here!
My memorable experiences, both at NCR and prior, happened because I didn’t box myself into a certain definition, scenario or title. I work to get where I want to go, I spare no effort, and I do it because I know I am able to make a difference for our customers and teams around the world. I am able to continue to develop my career every day and invest back in my team, my international colleagues and my WIN community.
“I get to learn about different cultures, languages, laws and businesses and think about how we can best support our customers and employees in different circumstances. My memorable experiences, both at NCR and prior, happened because I didn’t box myself into a certain definition, scenario or title.”
What made you want to join WIN? How does this organization make you feel empowered to show up to work as your most authentic self?
The more you hear different women share their stories, the more you understand that the challenges you face are relevant to everyone. WIN meetings, volunteer sessions and gatherings give all of us an opportunity to discuss and hear things that we may not have access to during our daily jobs – for example, international speakers, mentors/mentees, cross-functional and global connections. WIN gives a safe space for authenticity and learning experiences that carries into the workplace.
WIN also sets a level playing field for leadership. When you organize women for WIN events, you have various roles, ages, locations and career points. Our members can be leaders regardless of where they are or what role they currently have at NCR. You don't have to be a VP or based at a big NCR office to exercise leadership in WIN — you can learn and grow by simply being engaged.
“You don't have to be a VP or based at a big NCR office to exercise leadership in WIN — you can learn and grow by simply being engaged.”
What inspires you to come to work every day?
Making a difference inspires me to come to work every day. Law is a support function within NCR, and I truly believe what I do makes a difference. If I do a good job, we'll sign better deals. We'll make happier customers. We'll make happier employees.
I am also confident I will learn something new every day. And every day, I do! Whether it's a new expression, a new customer or a new law. Continuous learning and being able to share what I have learned gets me excited to come to work.
“Continuous learning and being able to share what I have learned gets me excited to come to work.”
How are you helping NCR to transform, connect and run the business in your role?
Part of my role in the law department is to make sure we are mindful of the risks we choose to take. It allows us to be more flexible and creative in the way we design deals, whilst protecting NCR. When we look at our customers holistically and help their businesses, we can make sure we have a strong partnership. Every chance I get, I remind stakeholders that we have a global footprint, with customers and employees all around the world, and we have to keep a global perspective in how we shape our business.
By getting to know our customers and the markets we operate in, I get to help to shape our deals to best fit the environment our customers are in – and when we sign a deal that protects NCR’s interests and best supports our customer, I know we will successfully transform, connect and run their technology platform.