Darren McKellin, Director of Sales
and Marketing at Technovox
Courtesy of Darren McKellin
Matt Wilce talks to Darren McKellin, Director
of Sales and Marketing about networking your way to the top of the tech pile.
Please tell us a little
about your company?
Technovox is a leader in network technology in Japan. Currently, we are focusing on our
new data center business, which is at the forefront of the technological curve. We offer
high-end data storage, data management and ASP services to financial and multinational
companies in Japan and soon throughout greater Asia. Our state-of-the-art data center
facilities offer the highest level of security with complete back-up generators, UPS, fire
suppression, earthquake resistance features and live monitoring, seven days a week, 24
hours a day. We are also involved with the distribution of imported technologies, systems
integration, wireless technologies and other high-growth IT-related businesses.
When did your company open in Japan?
Technovox opened in 1996 with only one employee, the founder and current president and
CEO, Palitha Thenuwara. He has done an excellent job in recognizing business opportunities
in the IT field in Japan. In a little more than four years, we have grown to over 50
employees and by the end of the year will need to add an additional 20.
What positions are you looking to fill?
We are looking for account executives, sales engineers and both junior and senior network
and software engineers. On the sales side, we have more clients and leads than our current
staff can handle, and we are expecting more rapid growth in the near future.
Who would be the ideal candidate for these positions?
We are looking for people who can learn new technologies quickly, work well with others in
a team environment and most importantly, people who have a good attitude. On the sales
side, people with a strong hunger to succeed are also desired.
What is it like working at Technovox?
Our staff is a mix of Japanese and foreigners mostly in their 20' and 30's. We give our
employees much responsibility and often they act as their own managers. While we have a
hands-off management approach, our people work hard and get a lot done. From a sales point
of view, Technovox is a great place to work because our president understands the
importance of sales and marketing, and we do a lot of promotions and advertising. From
late September, we will start running TV commercials on CNN.
Are there any perks to working in your company?
Technovox is a pre-IPO company, and we have a stock option program for employees that
kicks in after one year. Another perk is that we provide our people the chance to work in
a challenging work environment with key technologies for the future. People who succeed
here grow quickly, both as human beings and professionals. It's also a fun place to work,
and we have company-sponsored parties about once a month.
