In celebration of International Women’s Day, we have gathered insights from inspiring women across various FunPlus offices and partners about their professional journeys. From General Counsel to Growth Manager, these women share their wisdom on navigating careers, promoting inclusion, diversity, and overcoming challenges in the gaming industry.
Their diverse perspectives offer valuable lessons and reflections that are sure to inspire and empower women in all stages of their careers. These women share advice on defining success, promoting diversity, and cultivating essential skills for success in the gaming industry. They also open up about memorable challenges they have faced and how they have overcome them with resilience and determination. From learning to embrace mistakes to stepping up as leaders in high-stakes projects, their stories serve as a source of motivation and encouragement. Let’s meet them!
Dianne Schepers, VP, General Counsel at FunPlus – Zug Office
What advice would you give to young women starting their careers
Define what success really means to you personally, and work tirelessly towards achieving it and always listen to that little voice inside of you when deciding what the right thing for you to do is. Never ever stop growing and continuously invest in your personal and professional development – whether it’s through education, mentorships, and self-reflection. And last but not least, be trustworthy and surround yourself with people who lift you higher.
How do you promote diversity and inclusion within your team or department?
The Legal department at FunPlus is blessed with a diverse group of team members. Among our 12 global team members, we count 6 nationalities, various spiritual and religious backgrounds and a high ratio of female talent. I foster an environment where team members feel safe and empowered to bring their authentic selves and talents to the table and where we actively listen to each other`s perspectives and create opportunities for open dialogue. This also includes featuring and celebrating team members` work and achievements, giving opportunities to lead projects, and providing platforms for them to share their experiences, learnings and insights.
What skills or qualities do you believe are essential for success in our industry?
Being adaptable and able to quickly pivot in response to new challenges or opportunities, resilience and perseverance I believe are essential qualities for overcoming obstacles and achieving long-term success in the video gaming industry. I also believe that open and effective communication is crucial for conveying ideas, providing feedback, and collaborating with team members, particularly with regular video meeting check-ins with remote and hybrid teams.
Can you share a memorable challenge you’ve overcome in your professional journey?
In another professional capacity prior to FunPlus, I worked on a marathon session of legal back and forth with the opposing team until literally at 4am to tirelessly negotiate an agreement. Huge adrenaline, pressure and multidisciplinary commitment and teamwork and collaboration brought the solution through boldly. Out of the box thinking and actions, and even simple fast typing skills mattered. We all left the room exhausted but with a great sense of fulfilment – we all won and lost some in the on-the-spot negotiation pressure, but we prevented huge losses for all.
Who’s your favorite video game hero?
As a teenager my son started playing League of Legends and I played together with him regularly to stay connected with him also in his virtual worlds. In the meantime my son is 25 and living abroad but we keep this fun tradition alive today. Ahri is one of my favorite female heroes in the game at the moment – mysterious, bold and changing and growing on her journeys all the time.
Lisha Chen, Senor Art Project Manager, DC: Dak Legion – Beijing Office
What advice would you give to young women starting their careers
Trust your instincts, don’t be afraid to try new things, don’t settle and figure out what excites you – don’t be stuck in a job you hate, cause life is short 😉
How do you promote diversity and inclusion within your team or department?
We don’t judge people based on their age, gender or ethnicity. The only thing that matters is merit.
What skills or qualities do you believe are essential for success in our industry?
Passion! (making a game is hard) and the ability to work in teams (cause making a game takes teamwork from various disciplines).
Can you share a memorable challenge you’ve overcome in your professional journey?
Some of the challenges I’ve faced are transferring from managing web development projects to gaming projects, and having to learn quicker and competing with talents that have been in the industry for way longer and finding the right opportunity to break through the experience barrier.
Who’s your favorite video game hero?
Nahida from Genshin Impact XD
Camila Crespo, Growth Manager – Barcelona Office
What advice would you give to young women starting their careers?
Your job will take up a significant portion of your time, so when starting your career, it’s important to consider the lifestyle that comes with different job paths. Think about whether you would enjoy traveling for work or would actually prefer a more stable routine, whether you feel you would thrive in a dynamic environment, or if a desk/office job actually sounds really appealing. It’s important that these aspects are also considered in whether you apply and then accept a position.
How do you promote diversity and inclusion within your team or department?
Our department is all minorities with a female leader. We know the value of diversity and inclusion because we see the benefits firsthand every single day. Different backgrounds allow for different points of view, and in the end, that adds value.
What skills or qualities do you believe are essential for success in our industry?
Keeping up with trends and the market is key to success. That means reading the articles, doing your own research, and asking colleagues.
Can you share a memorable challenge you’ve overcome in your professional journey?
I used to think that I had to be an expert in every aspect of my role, but I’ve come to realize that it’s okay not to have all the answers immediately. While having a solid foundation of knowledge is important, it’s also valuable to take time for research, seek input from others, and allow yourself space to think things through. Phrases like “Let me look into that further” or “I’m not certain, but I’ll find out” can help you tackle obstacles with confidence.
Who’s your favorite video game hero?
I like Kirby, because, at first glance, he appears cute and harmless, which masks the true extent of his power.
Natalie Adame, Associate Account Executive -42West Fandom & Franchises
What advice would you give to young women starting their careers?
Set goals for yourself , don’t get discouraged, when met with a challenge, embrace it and If needed, stand up for yourself
How do you promote diversity and inclusion within your team or department?
In my current role, I do my best to make sure new hires always feel welcome and encouraged. I try to engage with them and make them know they are a part of the team. Starting a new job no matter ethnicity or background is challenging and it is always refreshing to know that someone supports you and is encouraging you. I try to be that person for them.
What skills or qualities do you believe are essential for success in our industry?
Attention to detail, being a team player, willingness to learn and never being afraid to ask questions!
Can you share a memorable challenge you’ve overcome in your professional journey?
When I first started my career within the world of PR, I was ecstatic and ready to dive in to learn all that I could about the clients I would support and the company. Transitioning from the world of the service industry to PR was a bit of a challenge at first. There were so many things I needed to learn and accomplish to get my bearings to begin moving forward in my new career. I made a lot of mistakes, but I didn’t give up and I took every mistake as a learning opportunity. I had great support from my team that were willing to ask any and all questions that I had and when I learned to give myself grace and relax, I was able to begin setting goals for myself, finding my footing and become a top performing member of the team.
Who’s your favorite video game hero?
Ori from Blind Forest / Will of the Wisps; Strong, gentle, encouraging and too cute to not love
BONUS – Mental Health
5-by-5 Rule – If it doesn’t matter in 5 years it’s not worth spending 5 minutes worrying about
Boting Gao, User Researcher – Shanghai Office
What advice would you give to young women starting their careers
Be fearless, find something that you actually enjoy doing. It’s okay to start over.
How do you promote diversity and inclusion within your team or department?
Always actively involve and encourage myself and my colleagues in discussions to address and resolve issues collaboratively.
What skills or qualities do you believe are essential for success in our industry?
Strength, Confidence, and Professionalism
Can you share a memorable challenge you’ve overcome in your professional journey?
I was tasked with leading a team on a high-stakes project with a tight deadline. At that point, I stepped up as a leader, addressed these issues head-on, and found ways to motivate and empower my team to work together towards solving the issues.
Who’s your favorite videogame hero?
Kara in Detroit: Becoming Human
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2023 Recap & cheers to an exhilarating 2024! – with Chris Petrovic, CBO
FunPlus welcomes new Narrative Director Cross Media – with Guillaume Colomb
Breaking Barriers: Tina’s empowering journey! – with Tina Chan
Behind the music! Inside the creative mind of a renowned Game Music Composer – with Zhang Zhiwei