'From administration to delivery, leadership, advertising and promotions, I've done a little bit of everything in my career'
When global computer services giant IBM decided to spin off one of its divisions, they tapped a veteran executive to lead the new company’s culture.
Kyndryl launched in November 2021 and is the world’s largest IT infrastructure services provider, doing business in over 60 countries. The company designs, builds, manages and modernizes enterprises’ complex information systems.
They asked Carol Simic-Marotta to head up the department atthe new 90,000-person company.
“We want to make it an amazing place to work for our people… it almost gives me a little bit of an unbiased view to what’s going on in the organization, and I can pull in the necessary parts of the organization, as programs are put together to focus on our people,” says Simic-Marotta, senior partner, culture and development at Kyndryl Canada in Markham, Ont.
This move represents a career highlight for the veteran IBMer.
“Having an opportunity to really create something unique and special, taking the best of what I had experienced for the last 35 years — that sense of pride, that dedication, devotion — and then trying to transform and create something really unique and special for Kyndryl, that’s been my high point,” says Simic-Marotta.
Familiar territory
While it’s a new role for Simic-Marotta, she is more than familiar with the territory, having begun her career back in 1986 when she joined IBM Canada as an information specialist. Over the years, she progressed through various management positions.
“From administration to delivery, leadership, advertising and promotions, I’ve done a little bit of everything in my career at IBM,” she says.
“It was interesting, a lot of the roles that I held inspired me to lean towards people and supporting people and putting things in place to keep people engaged and inspired and opportunities to get involved.”
With her brand new role, though it is a very personal voyage, says Simic-Marotta.
“It is a journey. It’s not something that ‘Hey, one year we’re done’ and check the box. It’s ongoing [with] lots of challenges.”
One particular challenge? Kyndryl’s early days began during the height of the pandemic, “so trying to keep employees engaged, motivated and inspired, trying to transform and basically building a brand new culture while people were remote was a huge challenge,” she says.
“But I’m really happy to say that I think we did OK, I think we did a good job.”
According to a new McLean & Company survey, HR is truly being thought of as a strategic partner.
