As VP of EAM Strategy & Innovation at Ultimo, Candi shares her approach to success, the role of women professionals in asset management, and how leadership and cutting-edge technologies are shaping the business.
How can you advance and stand out in a field as complex, changing, and competitive as asset management, especially if you are a woman? Knowledge and all your cultural capital are undoubtedly crucial to your career, but other aspects, such as maintaining curiosity and the desire to continue learning, or knowing how to defend your points of view, are also some of the strategies that every professional must master to be successful in any profession. Candi Robison, VP of EAM Strategy & Innovation at Ultimo, shares some of her experience, her approach to success, and information about what we should expect from the asset management industry in the coming years in this interview for our Profiles section.
Likewise, working for people and knowing that your work is linked to the progress of organizations and companies can also be very inspiring, especially in an industry where advances occur exponentially but the levels of maturity for adopting new technologies vary from one organization to another. For Candi, technology is valuable, but people are even more so. Learning a little about Candi’s career is part of what we want to share with our community in Profiles, hoping that this information will enrich conversations about asset management and all that professional women bring to the business.
1. Candi, you are VP EAM Strategy & Innovation at Ultimo. Tell us a little about your current job and the main challenges of your position.
As VP of EAM Strategy & Innovation at Ultimo, I help shape our strategy and innovation roadmap by connecting what customers and partners need with the solutions that deliver real outcomes—better asset performance, improved safety, higher reliability, and a stronger day-to-day experience for the teams doing the work. The biggest challenge—and the most rewarding part—is helping customers navigate rapidly evolving technology, including AI, in a way that fits where they are today and where they want to go next. Every organization is on a different maturity journey, so my focus is making innovation practical, approachable, and valuable—meeting customers where they are and guiding them toward measurable progress.
2. We are conducting this interview to highlight the role of professional women in our industry and their contributions to asset management. In your case, what made you interested in asset management? Tell us a little about your beginnings in the sector.
My path into asset management has always been rooted in people. I’ve had the honor to work for companies that deliver world class EAM solutions that led me to customers and partners across industries and geographies, learn what matters most to them, and help solve real operational challenges. Many of those relationships grew into friendships—and into trusted advisor partnerships built on mutual respect. Over time, I realized the technology is important, but it’s never the whole story. The most meaningful work happens when you understand the people behind the process: the technicians, planners, reliability leaders, and operations teams who carry the responsibility of keeping things running safely and efficiently. That’s what has kept me inspired all these years. The purpose has stayed constant for me—supporting the people who maintain the world, and helping organizations create safer, more reliable, higher-performing operations.
3. How do you think our industry will continue to evolve in the coming years? What can we expect in the future within the business?
I’m optimistic about the future. We’ll continue moving toward more proactive and predictive maintenance, powered by better data, smarter planning, and AI-assisted decision support. But the real progress will come from adoption—making tools easier to use, data more reliable, and change simpler to manage. We’ll also see asset management become even more strategic, with growing emphasis on sustainability, compliance, safety, and workforce enablement.
Visibility, sponsorship, and opportunities
Ultimo (an IFS Company) specializes in creating EAM software for monitoring, maintaining, and optimizing industrial assets, improving their performance and efficiency. Ultimo is also a valuable advocate for Women in Reliability and Asset Management (WIRAM), the organization that, under the umbrella of the Association of Asset Management Professionals (AMP), works to elevate and highlight the role and contributions of women to reliability and the asset management industry. Candi, who has had a brilliant and renowned career in this field, says that companies and organizations can offer various alternatives for women to express their leadership through actions that benefit the business and also help them achieve their own professional spaces and successes.
4. Based on your experience, what changes or alternatives do you consider essential for women to advance professionally within asset management?
Access, visibility, and sponsorship are critical. Mentorship matters, but sponsorship—leaders actively advocating for women and opening doors to key opportunities—changes careers. Organizations can accelerate progress with transparent promotion paths, inclusive leadership development, and cultures where different perspectives are valued and heard. When that foundation is in place, women advance—and the industry becomes stronger.
5. Ultimo is one of the Advocates of Women in Reliability and Asset Management (WIRAM), which is very important to us because it helps us expand our work. Based on your experience, how do you think companies should approach social investment and support organizations such as WIRAM?
The best support is long-term and genuine. Social investment works when it’s aligned to company values and backed by real participation—not only funding, but also time, expertise, mentoring, and leadership engagement. Organizations like WIRAM strengthen the entire talent pipeline. Supporting them is an investment in the future of our industry.
6. You are a professional woman who has been very successful in an industry that remains predominantly male. What advice would you give to young women who want to pursue a career in asset management?
You belong in this field, and your perspective matters. Build a strong foundation in maintenance and reliability, stay curious, and don’t hesitate to ask questions. Seek mentors and sponsors, take on stretch opportunities, and keep learning—especially as technology and data reshape the work. Be clear about your goals, advocate for yourself, and trust that progress comes from consistency and courage.
