To celebrate the Thailand office nearing 50 staff, we caught up with Kunyaporn Lilavivat (Un), Director of ZILO's Thailand Office.
Having started her career at CSI Group as a system programmer, she has built up 20 years of experience and completed a Master’s in Web Application and Services at the University of Leicester.
Un discusses the process of setting up the Thailand office over the past year, supporting the growth of a positive culture, and how she is always keen to hear from talent looking to join the team.
Tell us a bit about your journey before starting at ZILO™.
I started my career back in 2004, after graduating from the Kasetsart University as a Java developer with CSI Group. I spent a few years there as a programmer and then left to complete a Masters at the University of Leicester. While I was there an old colleague got in touch looking for someone who could work in the UK, so I started my role as an analyst programmer for a year or two.
After my time in the UK, I moved back to Thailand and worked in multiple software roles—Development Team Leader, Senior Technical Lead, and Senior Development and Build Manager. My last role I spent about four years in, as the Head of Build.
What attracted you to ZILO™?
I was familiar with many of the names working at ZILO™, and they all had a good reputation in the market with a strong track record. It impressed me that so many good people had joined the company and how they had worked together to create such an exciting product. The systems that ZILO™ have built are huge. This was something new to me, and I wanted to be a part of it, a part of making this new technology.
What does your role entail?
I joined ZILO™ to set up and build a great development team in Thailand. I wear lots of different hats, not just focusing on one team, but instead making sure the wider team delivers.
My role involves building and supporting an organisation with a diverse range of skills that complement one another, creating an environment where collective strengths are maximised but also optimising the unique contributions of each team member.
So how has the process of building the team gone over the last 12 months?
To be honest, it was a struggle at first. In Thai culture, if you are a small and new company, it is hard to gain trust and appeal to people the way larger companies can. That said, I think we’ve done well. We started with just me in March last year and have reached nearly 50 people now.
I’m not sure if you’re aware of Thai culture, but we’re cautious people. In the beginning, I spent so much time talking to people, trying to earn their trust and really establish ZILO's reputation.
Some people in the market already knew our team and that helped. But for those who didn’t know, we would invite them in for interviews and spend time connecting with them and let them experience the culture in our offices for themselves. At ZILO™, we don’t just look for the technical ability of a person, but also their attitude and passion. We are passionate about what we do and want people to join that will continue to build on it.
The market is very competitive in Thailand. We attract people in with our culture and everyone that joins us always ends up appreciating how nice the environment is.
Our main purpose is delivering results for our clients, while working within a company that encourages people to feel comfortable to speak up, input their ideas and push boundaries. I feel that every member of the team has positively impacted the culture we have managed to create.
What do you feel like it takes to be successful at ZILO™?
Out the box thinking and a positive attitude while embracing change. Most things we are creating and doing are new to the market, so people need to always be alert. People don’t need to know everything, but they need to be willing to develop and learn new things, ready to move fast, and be part of the fantastic culture that we are building.
What does the next 12–18 months look like?
The first couple of years are key, both in the UK and Thailand. We need to prove our systems can scale and deliver the transformation that so many businesses require. These next two years are important for all of us. We need to stay on top of these challenges and keep evolving.
And finally, what have your highlights been during your time so far?
Probably the way we built the team and the culture we have created together.
More than that, the trust that our clients and investors put in ZILO™. They want to be on the journey and push for change with us. This drives us to deliver on all aspects of our job and to keep pushing people to be their best. It’s exciting and inspiring, and it’s our time to prove ourselves.
