Kerry Scott – business leader par excellence
Published:Friday | March 22, 2019 | 12:00 AMKeisha Hill/Senior Gleaner Writer
Globally, women have become engines for economic growth. Achieving gender diversity in enterprises is of critical importance to improving business outcomes.
Kerry Scott is an experienced and motivated business leader who oversees human resources and communications as chief people officer at Liberty Latin America (LLA).
Liberty Latin America is a telecommunications company with more than 10,000 employees across the Caribbean and Latin America and operations in 21 consumer markets, and more than 30 business-to business markets.
Throughout her career, she has always been focused on the direct connection between the individuals who lead and perform the day-to-day operations of a company and the ultimate performance of that business.
“At the end of the day, people drive business performance. My motivation has always been to do the very best job I can and to get the most out of others. I am motivated to inspire and engage an employee base in a way that fosters a positive culture that drives business performance and create moments that matter for our customers,” Scott said.
Scott, who grew up in Oxford in the United Kingdom, is from a large family. She competed in gymnastics for 15 years, and this instilled in her a sense of commitment and discipline, which she still has today.
Starting with a career in health and fitness, her move into human resources came by chance. “I raised my hand for an opportunity, and someone took a chance on me. Often, particularly early in one’s career, others can spot potential in you before you really see it for yourself or before you know what type of career you want to have,” she said.
“I am always a big advocate of people who raise their hand for projects or opt to take on new opportunities. Sometimes you have to put yourself out there. I have always been motivated and ambitious to be the best I can be,” she added.
As Scott progressed in her career, she became more savvy, and she was able to target different types of opportunities and garner the experiences she needed to get into the role she is in today.
“I hold the view that if you set goals, work hard, and have great mentors, nothing is impossible. Determination is critical, as is flexibility to change course if you need to,” Scott said.
Prior to her role at Liberty Latin America as chief people officer, Scott was the vice-president of talent and people development for Liberty Global. She also spent a large part of her career with Vodafone.
“I am fortunate that I have had some amazing opportunities in my career to work with great organisations and leaders that have helped me grow. I have also had some bad ones – those I learned the most from,” Scott said.
Some key principles Scott said she follows in her daily life are working hard, taking the time to build relationships, and being unafraid to take risks.
“Sometimes it’s hard to grow your career in one place. I took the opportunity to live and work internationally. I have worked in the United Kingdom and across Europe, and I have lived in Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Amsterdam, and now in Denver, Colorado,” she said.
“These valuable experiences stretch you outside of your comfort zone. You learn to adapt, work with different cultures, and figure things out. For me, it has made me much more resilient. I also have a very supportive husband who gives me confidence and pushes me to be the best I can be,” she added.
Scott said that it is very easy to become consumed by one thing or another, but she always seeks a balance. “It is not easy, and I don’t always succeed, but it is a constant effort and something I focus on,” she said.