Employer Spotlight: Athena Dynamics
Providing cybersecurity solutions through award-winning technologies
Founded in 2014 by Mr Ken Soh, the Group Chief Information Officer and the Chief Executive Officer, Athena Dynamics provides proven technological solutions outside the usual paradigm to clients in Singapore and the Asia Pacific region.
Backed by Singapore SGX main-board listed company – BH Global Corporation Ltd, Athena Dynamics proved its expertise in the cybersecurity areas, namely Critical Information Infrastructure Protection and Enterprise IT Operation Management.
Athena Dynamics has helped over 150 enterprises strengthen their cyber security posture, bagged eight significant awards, and established strong partnerships with the five largest systems integrators.
The Athena Dynamics team is comprised of experts with rich experience in cybersecurity
Creating safe space for growth
With a firm belief that failure is unavoidable, the company provides an environment for young talents to fail fast and learn faster. Adaptability is a highly sought after characteristic in the cyber security industry due to its fast-paced nature.
Ms Jocasta Heng, a Business Development intern at Athena Dynamics, described that the company provided a learning environment where interns could freely ask questions. This working environment promotes open communication, a foundation that was built for every team member.
Working and growing with a close-knit team
Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) might not come naturally as the first choice for most young talents upon graduation. But, Mr Soh shares the same perspective as Mr Jack Ma, who once famously mentioned that "when you are 20 to 30 years old, you should follow a good boss (and) join a good company to learn how to do things properly". Mr Soh believes that it is achievable in a SME, where young talents get the opportunity to work directly with senior management and learn to view things with a broader lens. Interns are given exposure and guidance on how the business operates and gain hands-on experiences by getting involved in real-world projects.
Mr Bryan Lim, a Business Development intern, described how his mentor, the vice-president of business development, patiently coached him and shared knowledge of how the cybersecurity industry functions. Another Business Development intern, Mr Toh Woei Yih, shared his experience, "From being mentored by an experienced professional, I had the chance to learn more about the business’ in’s and out’s."
Interns receive guidance and mentorship from industry professionals,
even when working from home
Gaining hands-on experience
Mr Soh believes that interns onboard shall be involved in different projects to get the broadest exposure possible, which helps them build portfolios to demonstrate their competencies. For example, the company encourages interns to practice their writing skills by contributing to the Young Writer Series content published on the Athena Dynamics website. Interns are also involved in client-facing projects to develop their communication and interpersonal skills. Being a part of the Business Development team has given Mr Toh opportunities to interact with multiple clients.
"I learnt from client-facing scenarios many things which cannot be found in the school context. Moreover, I acquired soft skills, such as time management and interpersonal skills," said Mr Toh Woei Yih.
Mr Glenn Soh, a Business Development intern, took on different roles and responsibilities beyond his sales-related job scope. He also helped the company with web development and represented the team in a webinar.
Athena Dynamics entrusts young talents with broad responsibilities and provides them the needed guidance and environment to thrive in their developmental stage.
Welcoming bright talents onboard
After receiving the IDG ASEAN CIO 75 award 2021 and IDG Startup Innovation Award 2021, Athena Dynamics aims to achieve bigger milestones and are looking forward to having more interns on board through the Global Ready Talent Programme (GRT). They welcome interns who are keen to shape the future of the cybersecurity industry in a time of disruption through technology innovation.