Doreen Sim

Graduated from the University of Otago with a Political Studies major, Doreen Sim unconventionally chose a career in the local Information Technology industry. Doreen is one of the founding partners and Sales Director for MediaWeb – a Singapore-based IT company specialising in high-tech expertise in Network Infrastructure, Internet Security and Business Continuity solutions. The company has grown dynamically, to become one of the leading providers of high-level Internet Security services, and spans a reputable line of Internet Security-related products under its regional representation and distribution.

Despite a non-IT background, Doreen has welcomed the challenge of learning a new industry. Her aptitude and adaptability to a technology-evolving and intellectually competitive frontier have contributed to her achievements today. Now, Doreen is enjoying a new ambition; to scale the company for a formidable regional Internet Security presence by year’s end.

Success in the current business environment demands both strategic thinking and flexibility in order to meet challenges boldly. These are skills that Doreen attributes to her New Zealand education. “My training programme at Otago developed my ability to think critically and make me nimble enough to adapt effectively to changing circumstances.”

More importantly, “my education in New Zealand wasn't just about getting a paper qualification from the university. It was about enhancing and maturing my personal mindset and development. This transformation started the day I landed in New Zealand, a country that is socially, culturally and economically different from where I come from.” The New Zealand environment offered Doreen the valuable opportunity to grow and learn, beyond a normal undergraduate experience. “I believe it cultivates independence in character, a sense of adventure, and challenges the individual’s intellectual and cultural threshold to accept varied exposure.”

The “Kiwi Experience” has become an integral part of Doreen and is inevitably responsible for creating her entrepreneurial spirit, making her a rare breed of contemporary ‘Female Technopreneur ‘!