Lydia Vo-Cottin joined Gameloft Vietnam, Saigon Studio on Valentine's Day ten years ago and has grown from game product manager to our Southeast Asian communications director!
Check out the interviews below to find out why Lydia believes her time at Gameloft has been nothing less than a love story!
What are your responsibilities as the SEA Communications Director?
I’m responsible for the internal and external communications for Vietnam and Indonesia. It covers a wide range of activities but all related to employer branding and talent retention and attraction.
How did you come to be at Gameloft?
I have a Master in Management from the Skema Business School in Lille, France, where I graduated in 2008.
Originally, I studied Hypokhâgne and Khâgne (preparatory classes), and I didn’t really know what I wanted to do afterwards. I was actually pursuing a professional career in ballet at the time, so the question about another career came pretty late. But I’m lucky because my parents always pushed me to continue my studies no matter what.
After getting a Master in History at the Pantheon-Sorbonne University, I finally made the choice to go to Business school because it was the best way to keep a wide range of opportunities open to me. I joined Skema directly in second year and spent one year on campus before opting for a one-year internship, followed by a work-study training program in my final year.
I had the chance to work in renowned media and entertainment companies, like Lagardère Active, 21st Century Fox, Isobar, and e-TF1, and realized I enjoyed working in this industry. I really favored hands-on experience, and I naturally started to specialize in marketing and communications.
In 2010, after traveling a bit, I decided with my husband to go abroad. It led us to Vietnam, where it was (for both of us actually) the beginning of our experience at Gameloft!
How have you grown professionally and personally over the years at Gameloft?
A lot! I can say that the ride here in SEA has been both a life training and a training for life!
I’ve encountered so many people, situations, and challenges at Gameloft, which has tested my limits and motivation. And it’s been great: I’ve learned a lot about myself when working with others, how to adapt, understand people’s expectations, anticipate their needs, and stand up for a vision or a belief... But mostly, I’m proud to be one of the many working moms who manages to handle (and struggle with, let’s be honest!) both a career and motherhood.
Gameloft has helped me build a strong professional career that I’m proud of. But moving to Vietnam and working at Gamelot SEA has especially helped me grow. I was given bigger responsibilities and more chances to prove myself, which has allowed me to evolve way faster than if I had stayed in France. I’ve learned how to evolve in a fast-paced environment, challenge myself and go out of my comfort zone, and embrace new business models, objectives, and directions.
What does an average day look like?
My day starts at home first! I wake up around 6 AM to enjoy some me-time before my husband and daughter wake up. From that moment, it’s a bit of race against the clock with breakfast, preparing for school, preparing for work, and playing with my daughter in between!
When I arrive at work, I feel like I’m ready to take on the new day! I start by kissing hello (the French way, of course!) to my colleagues before checking my emails, to-do list, and reminders for the day. The rest of the day depends on the meetings or calls I have and if there are any last-minute topics or new incoming projects!
Two things never change though: I always put my headset on whenever I need some peace and quiet, and I love eating lunch at my desk to continue working, read, or just watch Netflix to recharge!
What was one of your favorite projects?
It was for the 2018 and 2019 editions of the Vivendi Learning Expedition program, which gathered about forty top Vivendi group managers from all over the world in order to network, inspire, and share.
There were four sessions, and one of them was held in Ho Chi Minh City with a full day at Gameloft. My mission was to organize and host this day in our Saigon studio.
I love any opportunity to host, to make people feel at home and welcome, and the chance to exchange with talents outside my usual environment.
I was allowed to be creative, and I wanted to introduce the company and Gameloft SEA’s activities in a fun and entertaining way, so I created a quiz! It was easy to say, not to do, and even less to host!
What do you enjoy most about working at Gameloft?
The people: my colleagues and my team come first. I’m the kind of person who needs to build personal relationships at work and the strength and quality of these connections motivate me to go to work.
It’s also not unreasonable to say that many of us at Gameloft SEA have become very close over the years and are like family.
What advice do you have for those wanting to grow and succeed in a similar role?
Make sure you feed your creativity and curiosity. Never get bored and always find ways to renew how you’re doing things. Be empathetic and open-minded. And value quality over quantity.
I personally believe if passion presides over everything you do, you’ll be able to achieve anything. Passion is the key to growth and will lead to new opportunities.
How has the company evolved, and what do you hope to achieve in the future with Gameloft?
I think Gameloft has taken a big step forward by making communications one of its strategic pillars and moving forward with global communications topics, which connect communications experts from all our studios.
The SEA Communications team has also recently been entrusted with employer branding at a global level, and I hope to get more and more studio managers on board the communications boat to enhance our employer brand around the world together!
What would you like to say to the community for the new year?
Happy Holidays from Southeast Asia! I hope you and your loved ones enjoy the holidays wherever you are. Stay positive, patient, and above all, safe. And to my fellow travelers, I hope we’ll all be allowed to discover the world again soon!
You can apply to be part of the SEA family, but also our other studios around the world, here! See you tomorrow for another edition of The Vault!
