This diverse group of leading women in tech talk about building systems to empower women to drive the future of STEM.
Ada Lovelace imagined computers that would one day change the world. Every year, her vision is a reminder that innovation in STEM has always depended on women being a part of making change happen – and the work still ahead to even the playing field.
Today, women make up just 28pc of the global STEM workforce. In this piece, female leaders share what’s needed to truly break this glass ceiling in STEM. They highlight that progress doesn’t necessarily mean inclusion, but requires actively building systems where they are empowered to drive the future of STEM.
From tokenism to trust
For many, empowerment isn’t rooted in titles and token initiatives. Sarah Law, senior VP of Business Operations at Veracode, argues that true progress comes when women are provided opportunities for real responsibility.
“The most impactful thing an organisation can do to empower women in STEM is build a system that aligns capability with opportunity – and then hold leaders accountable for ensuring access and clarity,” Law says.
It’s not about special treatment – it’s about removing bias, ambiguity and friction from the system.”
Law’s own turning points came when leaders trusted her with complexity and uncertainty. That belief, she says, “cleared the way to lead and grow authentically”, a reminder that inclusion only matters when it opens space for genuine leadership.
But responsibility alone isn’t enough if women lack the opportunities to build the skills needed to drive the technologies of tomorrow.
Building the skills for women to succeed
For Kathrin Kind, chief data scientist and AI director at Cognizant, building skills in fields such as AI and quantum computing is key to enabling women to succeed in STEM.
“There’s an important distinction between a career in AI, and a career with AI,” she says.
“One is about creating the technology, the other about reimagining every profession with intelligent tools that enhance creativity, decision-making and leadership.”
Both paths require curiosity and boldness, and both depend on having women’s voices at the table.
Divya Gautam, head of AI at Dexory, makes a similar case for robotics.
Diversity, she says, isn’t just a nice-to-have in emerging sectors – it’s the fuel for innovation.
“True progress comes when women are not only part of these industries but shaping their direction.”
She sees progress for women as crucial to ensuring the technology created reflects the world it serves, which demands, “early encouragement, visible role models and workplaces that actively support growth and inclusion”.
Kind and Gautam highlight that equipping women with the right skills is vital, but so too is ensuring the industries they enter are built to welcome and progress them.
Mentorship matters, but is it enough to change the system?
For many, progress has hinged on the guidance of others. Lisa Topliss, director of Strategy and Operations at Ricoh Europe, highlights the importance of organisations that actively invest in female talent.
For women just starting their careers, she says, “Be bold in your capabilities, contribute with confidence and seek out mentors who can champion you” –whether those mentors are women or men.
Nikita Miller, CPO at TravelPerk, describes her mentors as a “personal board of directors” – people who have helped her navigate uncertainty both personally and professionally.
This philosophy has influenced the company’s own approach, too, with initiatives such as CodeCamp, a 14-week programme designed to open doors for new tech talent. Mentorship, in Miller’s view, is the infrastructure that encourages the next generation of leaders in the industry.
But while mentorship can help shape a career, can it transform the industry at large?
For Orange Business’ Nassima Auvray, director of Defence and Security, structural programmes are essential for change.
She points to the Women Up programme, which connects early-career women with mentors and networks to help them progress into leadership roles.
“Public commitments like this encourage reflection, challenge stereotypes and help improve retention,” she says.
“But meaningful change takes time, and it needs everyone’s involvement.”
This is echoed by Evrim Tekeşin, regional director at Dynatrace, who is straightforward about the risks when leadership defaults to a narrow mould.
“The next generation of female tech leaders needs to know that you do not have to become someone else to succeed in tech,” she says.
“There is immense power in authenticity.”
The real challenge is ensuring mentorship doesn’t stand alone, but is paired with the structural change necessary to transform the industry for good.
Redefining leadership
For Kat Judd, chief people officer at Lucid Software, the problem isn’t simply bringing women into senior roles, but the definition of leadership itself.
“When we provide opportunities for women to learn from one another, share experiences and build confidence in their abilities, we create the foundation for lasting success, not just for individuals, but for the industry as a whole,” she says.
She argues that teams grow stronger when they combine technical expertise with curiosity – qualities that can come from a wide range of backgrounds, not just traditional STEM routes.
And for Sarah Hoffman, director of Research, AI at AlphaSense, the progress feels personal. She recalls being mistaken for a child on a ‘Take Your Daughter to Work Day’ during her first internship. “That was the moment I realised how unusual it was to be a woman in technology.”
Today, women are leading groundbreaking work in AI, but representation still lags, as Hoffman adds, “We need them to know they belong and that their creativity and problem-solving skills are exactly what STEM needs.”
For Judd and Hoffman, inclusion cannot stop at access. It requires redefining the culture of leadership altogether.
From barriers to progress
To progress on Ada Lovelace’s legacy, the industry must equip women with the skills necessary to have a meaningful impact on the technologies shaping the next century.
Women’s voices from across the industry suggest key steps to progress include authenticity, strong mentor relationship, and redefining leadership to better reflect diverse perspectives.
For our technologies to better reflect society, it is crucial women are provided the tools to have a key part in reshaping the future of STEM.
This piece was written as a collaboration between all the industry experts quoted.
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