Sarah Cunningham

VP Technology Operations Services Group and Cambridge Site Lead

Arm is the leading technology provider of processor IP, offering the widest range of cores to address the performance, power, and cost requirements of every device.

I have two main hats , I own Enterprise and Engineering technology. This means i have a large global team (over 800 people) who support and maintain the technology that is needed for arm to operate. I have also recently become the Cambridge site lead and part of the UK leadership team, this means i am accountable for ensuring that Cambridge (our largest campus with over 3000 people) has all the correct mechanisms, teams , planning on communication to operate effectivly.

So much ! I love the people and the challenges and opertunities that come from being in an operational role (no two days are the same) i love seeing how technology enables so much for our organisation and how that is constantly evolving Being Global, we learn so much from each other and have to grow to support and understand diffrent culters and requirments, this helps everyone be a better person.

this has changed so much over the years, but being predominately operational means no two days are the same. I love it when I get my hands dirty and lay cable or test new hardware, but at the same time, where i am running a large organisation i spend a lot of time working with different groups to make strategic decisions, supporting my organisation and others in moving forward with any problem areas. Managing budgets and forecasting spend., planning for service improvements etc., But i think if i could summarise its alot of talking to brillaint people.

I had a very none traditional route I think I didnt go to university, i am dsylexic so didnt knock it out of the park at school, i did ok but not brillaintly. For 6th form i swapped around alot about what i wanted to study and in the end landed with Film and Theatre studies, which had a very practical aspect around acting which I loved (but don’t actually have any talent in). After leaving i went to work in London starting on reception and working my way up and found very early on i loved technology and IT, so i talked my way into a role on a helpdesk for stock market trading and i guess it went from there ! I was lucky at 21 to join Reuters and stay for 17 years, with such a large global organisation i lived in UK, France and USA , travelled all over the world, worked at many large events such as the Oscars and Olympics, but more imporatnly had many great managers who gave me opertunities to love and grow into and supported me along the way.

as i get older i have a lot of focus on accepting who i am, i cant spell and i may post things with Typos, but who cares ! I am dyslexic and i am now happy to be open about that and how it makes me i better at so many things. I constantly want to learn more and do more, so i think the future is just a continuous evolution, i always say there is no wrong choice in a career and its a series of defining moments that more often than not take you on an exciting journey filled with meeting lots of wonderful people.

I love my family, i spend every spare minute with my husband and son and our 3 cats. I go out with friends (more 121 than in big groups as i enjoy that more) and i spend way too much time watching any TV show or Film that is shot in Washington DC !!

Katy Perry Quote: “I'm every woman. It takes a village to make me who I am" Remeber we are not alone, and to be who we are takes a whole lot of other people, mentors, friends, family, childcare, home help etc, be humble and know who it is that makes you who you are xxx