The industry speaks: International Women’s Day

Today, 8 March, is International Women’s Day! A day to celebrate the achievements of women in every area of our work and lives and to promote more places for women in the workforce.

This year’s theme is a simple one – Invest in women: Accelerate progress.

To that end, we’ve asked members of the cyber security community to share their experiences, advice, and thoughts on women in cyber security and in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields in general.

Heidi Mejia, client executive at Tesserent
“The director who interviewed me could feel my passion.”

Cyber security seemed like an industry that could enable me to make a crucial life pivot. I spotted a vacancy at a cyber security company that I knew about as I had been using their product for a long time. I took a chance, submitted my application and, after four rounds of interviews, I was asked why I was interested as I had no qualifications or background experience in IT or cyber security at all.

The director who interviewed me could feel my passion and determination to learn and remarked it was better to hire someone who is hungry and willing to learn than to hire someone with experience who was less motivated to learn. So, I got my first important break in the industry. I’m incredibly grateful and have never looked back.

Louise Hanna, partner advisory ANZ at Tesserent
“I always had to work harder.”

To be noticed and recognised in such a male-dominated environment, I always had to work harder, go the extra mile, [and] do the extra hours just to get the same acknowledgement as my male colleagues.

VIEW ALL

Even after more than 15 years in cyber security and working hard to hone my skills, this lingering feeling persisted that I wasn’t an expert. This changed when I joined Tesserent almost four years ago. It was my first consulting role, and I was terrified on day one that I didn’t know what I was doing. But I gave it a go, and within six months, I was promoted from senior consultant to principal consultant, then six months after that to managing consultant.

I am now heading up the advisory practice for Tesserent Australia and New Zealand and managing a large team of consultants; 87 per cent of the team are male consultants, and the rest are highly skilled female consultants. The doubt vanished as I was recognised for my skills and abilities, and I finally felt full recognition for my knowledge and expertise.

Brigette McInnis-Day, chief people officer at UiPath
“We need to think and act differently.”

It’s no secret that diverse representation leads to better business outcomes. While companies have made steps to improve recruitment, the opportunities available for women throughout their careers are still met with challenges. Providing women with greater opportunities to start and expand their careers is vitally important, particularly with skills shortages in fields like AI and regions worldwide where ageing populations are shrinking the workforce. We need to think and act differently.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), countries can increase gross domestic product by as much as 8 per cent by raising the female labour force participation rate. Other studies show a correlation between increased gender diversity and higher market value for an organisation. Empowering women is possible by hiring from within, elevating more women to leadership positions, and providing equitable access to AI and automation solutions that are strategic differentiators in business.

Shirley Knowles, chief inclusion and diversity officer at Progress
“We should be willing to take risks.”

There are several ways that women can overcome barriers in the tech space. Women should continue to educate themselves and develop their skills in technology fields through formal education, online courses, workshops and certifications. Women can advocate for gender equality in the workplace by speaking up against harassment, inequality, and bias. They can support I&D initiatives and work towards creating a more inclusive and supportive work environment for women in tech.

Women should work on building their confidence, self-esteem, and assertiveness to overcome impostor syndrome and other barriers that may hold them back in the workplace. Finally, we should be willing to take risks, step out of our comfort zone, and seek new opportunities for growth and advancement in the tech industry.

Siroui Mushegian, chief information officer at Barracuda
Understanding the gender gap

The root causes of this gap go back to the fact that these industries have traditionally been occupied by men. As cyber and tech have grown over time, so has people’s understanding and interest in what the corresponding careers have to offer.

Fortunately, the number of women in technology and cyber security is growing by the day – the focus on STEM in our education system and the sheer volume of roles in this industry are creating entry points for women like never before. It is important that we continue to expose cyber and tech to boys and girls at an early age so their interest and excitement develop over [the] years, and the talent pool will naturally contain many qualified, strong women leaders.

Shira Bar Yosef, chief customer officer at Claroty
“We still have a way to go.”

Early in my career in the cyber security domain, I recognised I wanted to align my professional journey with my passions.

This led me to transition from software coding to focus on customer engagement, a field I find deeply fulfilling. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of leading global organisations with a primary focus on crafting exceptional customer experiences. My guiding principle is: when you do what you love, you approach it with passion. And when you approach things with passion, you inspire others to follow, creating a collaborative environment where everyone can soar. Success is never a solo act. Collaboration is at the heart of everything I do, and I am incredibly fortunate to have a talented and dedicated team by my side. Together, we consistently conquer every challenge and objective we set for ourselves.

In light of International Women’s Day, I can tell that being a woman has never shaped my career goals or impacted the selections I have made throughout my professional journey. However, the more I have been in this field, it became evident to me that despite the growing numbers of women that we see today, we still have a way to go, and our landscape is missing more women.

John Penn, senior security propositions manager and Lucy Mentoring Program lead at BT
On the Lucy Mentoring program

At BT, we are learning so much through our engagement in the Lucy Mentoring Program, a partnership with the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), supporting female STEM students with access to mentors in the industry. The Lucy Mentoring Program, which began in 2010, has since supported 890 mentees championed by 912 industry-expert mentors. The year-on-year results are promising, with the 128 mentees in 2023 reporting that:

• Seventy-five per cent felt they had relatable mentors in their field after completing the program, compared with only 26 per cent feeling this way prior.
• Eighty-five per cent felt confident enough to put their hand up for opportunities in their field after taking the mentoring program, compared to only 49 per cent prior.
• Seventy-one per cent felt confident about building their professional network in STEM as a result of the program, compared to only 21 per cent prior.
• Additionally, a substantial number received job interviews and continued their mentoring relationships post-program.

At BT, our senior cyber security sales specialist, Venessa Smith, who’s been both a mentee in STEM and now a mentor, said: “The mentorship experience has provided me with confidence, guidance, and encouragement to navigate the complexities of a career
in STEM. It’s played a vital role and given me a foundation for personal and professional growth, alongside invaluable resources and support.”

Karen Vincent, New Zealand country manager at Orange Business
“... in our local New Zealand team, women represent 50 per cent.”

The contribution of women in tech has really gained traction in recent years based on my experience from years ago. When I first started working in the technology industry in New Zealand, I was one of the only women in my team. Now, in our local New Zealand team, women represent 50 per cent, which is something I’m incredibly passionate about and proud to see. This transformation has created more opportunities for women and seen an increasingly positive shift for women in the sector and higher numbers in leadership roles.

The digital technology sector is one of the fastest-growing parts of the New Zealand economy and that the success of this sector is critical for the country. Underpinning this economic contributor and growth are people with digital skills that call for a diverse and vibrant workforce, which also explains why increasing the participation rate of women is important.

Within Orange Business, we have currently 29.7 per cent women in the workplace, and this is something that the organisation aims to improve by achieving a target of 33 per cent women in our workforce, with a 20 per cent increase in the number of tech roles to be filled by women by 2025. I’m proud that our commitment to promoting gender diversity is more than just a tick-box exercise. It is embedded within our data-driven recruitment process because we work on the principle of “what gets measured, gets done.” Our recruiters and managers have made a conscious effort to increase the number of women interviewed for technical roles by approximately 150 per cent.

The industry is gradually becoming more inclusive, but a collective effort is still needed to ensure women are receiving the education and training required for them to get careers in the industry and unlock their potential to grow into leadership roles. The growing awareness of gender diversity is an encouraging sign of change, and I’m optimistic that the tech sector will continue to evolve positively for women.

For me, the representation of women in tech matters. As an enthusiast of technology and people, I simply love my job. Since joining the company, Orange Business’ inclusive values are something I appreciate as I can truly be myself and thrive in a diverse culture and safe environment, being treated as an equal and focus on my job every single day and having the opportunity to curiously explore new things.

Wendy Komadina, APJC Head of Channel and Interim Head of ASEAN at Cloudflare
"... we need diverse perspectives of evidence collected."

There are multiple avenues for women to make an impact in the world of cyber security and add value to the way we protect businesses and individuals online. Threat intelligence, for example, plays a critical role in collecting, processing and analysing data to understand motives, targets, and behaviours. A core skill is having strong emotional intelligence when reviewing the data to interpret the threat actors’ motives. This is a space where women can excel as we need diverse perspectives of evidence collected. Women apply our emotional intelligence to investigate threats paired with data-backed findings we have heightened results in detecting and responding to threats and have the ability to sort and filter through the data to find the problem.

Prayna Prasad, Country Manager for Marketing ANZ at Cloudflare and Global Lead at Womenflare, APJC
"Starting at a grassroots level is essential to promote female engagement."

When women are represented in cybersecurity, it fosters a diversity of perspectives, varied approaches to problem-solving, and ultimately leads to innovative strategies for tackling challenges. Starting at a grassroots level is essential to promote female engagement in traditionally male-dominated fields like STEM. Alongside this, it's vital to demonstrate that cybersecurity encompasses diverse roles, including sales, marketing, and human resources. Many young women lack sufficient exposure to the industry and often associate it solely with coding or software development. The aim is to E-cube: educate, enable, and empower young females to grasp the array of opportunities within this dynamic field.

Nataly Kremer, Chief Product Officer at Check Point Software Technologies
"You can’t be what you can’t see."

Why should including more women in the cyber workforce be such a pressing imperative, you may ask?

First and foremost, because diversity fosters innovation. In a field as ultra-dynamic as cyber security, the more creativity and innovation we have, the better. Fresh perspectives and problem-solving approaches are essential if we are to stay a step or several ahead of cyber adversaries, whose adaptability and ingenuity are almost boundless.

Secondly, because the industry can only close the talent shortage by actively attracting and training more women to these jobs.

And thirdly, because too few girls and young women are opting to pursue careers in STEM related fields. There is an oft-quoted saying that ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’ and in my experience, it holds true. Seeing women succeeding in cyber security and holding senior positions in the sector sets a powerful example; showing the next generation what’s possible and inspiring them to set their sights high.

Sarah Cleveland, Senior Strategic Advisor – Public Sector at ExtraHop
"Give opportunity to the quiet one, the small one, the goofy one..."

Inclusion is understanding that all individuals have value and gifts to bring to the problem set. Teams are richer if those gifts are diverse coming from people with different experiences. It’s critical to not judge a book by its cover. Give opportunity to the quiet one, the small one, the goofy one – if you don’t you may miss the chance to put together the “Dream Team”. Sometimes potential is not immediately obvious and it requires you to put aside your first impression.

Within the complex landscape of implementing cyber security and creating innovative technology, diverse and inclusive teams will provide you with the solution. My career in the military benefited from multi-disciplinary teams with multiple skill sets and it translates easily to industry. Investing in great people is more important than investing in great technology. Always be on the lookout, because you may find those great people in surprising places. People first - mission always.

Laura Thomson, Senior Vice President of Engineering at Fastly
"Women need to be part of that process."

What’s good for women employees is also good for organisations, and the IT sector at large.

Difficult problems are solved best when smart people from a broad spectrum of backgrounds come together to do the best work of their lives. Women need to be part of that process.

I’m also a firm believer in sponsorship: bringing motivated, high-performing individuals together with senior executives who can connect them with opportunities to stretch themselves on career-advancing projects and tasks.

Having been the beneficiary of that sort of targeted support myself at various stages in my career – I actually obtained my first board role via a sponsor who put my name forward – I know how powerful it can be.

That’s why I’ll continue to pay it forward; helping a handful of up-and-coming women become better versions of themselves professionally.

Joanne Wong, Interim Chief Marketing Officer at LogRhythm
"Achieving true inclusivity extends beyond merely meeting diversity quotas."

I firmly believe that in cyber security and technology, where innovation and problem-solving are at the forefront, the inclusion of diverse perspectives is essential to effectively navigate complex challenges. Historically, these fields have predominantly been occupied by specific demographics, which has posed significant barriers for women and other underrepresented groups. By embracing inclusion, we not only dismantle these disparities but also unleash the immense potential of diverse talent, resulting in the development of more innovative solutions and robust cyber security measures.

In recent years, I've observed a notable evolution in the tech industry towards recognising the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Companies are more aware of the significant impact that diverse perspectives can have on innovation and decision-making processes. However, achieving true inclusivity extends beyond merely meeting diversity quotas; it requires a comprehensive commitment to addressing systemic barriers and biases.

One concrete step that companies can take is implementing inclusive leadership development programs. These programs should provide training and resources to equip leaders with the skills necessary to foster inclusive environments, recognise unconscious biases, and promote diversity within their teams. Furthermore, companies can establish mentorship and sponsorship programs aimed at supporting underrepresented employees. Pairing junior employees with senior mentors or sponsors who can provide guidance, advocacy, and opportunities for advancement can help break down barriers and facilitate career progression.

Ultimately, it's about creating an ecosystem where diversity thrives, and every individual has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Jayne Lewis, Senior Director Marketing – Asia Pacific and Japan at Ping Identity
"Your efforts won’t just help yourself."

Workplace cultures rarely change overnight. Typically, it’s a matter of chipping away, making small inroads that, over time, add up to significant progress. If you’d like your workplace to be more inclusive towards women, then help drive that change. Raise awareness of diversity and inclusion programs if there are any in place, advocate for them if they’re not yet a thing, participate in them and encourage your colleagues, both female and male, to do likewise. Your efforts won’t just help yourself – you’ll be doing all the women following in your footsteps a favour too.

Vanessa Spendlove, HR Business Partner at Tecala Group
"My focus shifts beyond gender binaries."

In envisioning a more inclusive Australia, my focus shifts beyond gender binaries, acknowledging and including non-binary and gender-non-conforming individuals. The goal is to increase the representation of women in leadership roles across diverse sectors, with a specific spotlight on STEM fields. This involves implementing concrete measures such as quotas, mentorship opportunities, and support programs for women entrepreneurs – emphasising a holistic approach to gender inclusion.

Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) published base salary and total remuneration median gender pay gaps for private sector employers in Australia with 100 or more employees on 27 February 2024. Amidst over 5000 firms, our commitment to equality is a shining example as Tecala achieved a neutral gender pay gap well below the benchmark target. Recognising the role of the Australian government, I commend initiatives like Women in STEM and stress the need for continuous support. Interventions addressing gender pay gaps, equal pay for equal work, and incentives for women in traditionally male-dominated fields like STEM are crucial steps forward.

Michelle Liao, Channel and Distribution Manager at WatchGuard Technologies
"Our industry offers an abundance of opportunities for women."

There’s an oft-quoted saying that ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’. In industries like IT that are heavily male-dominated – women hold less than a third of the jobs in the Australian IT sector, according to 2021 research by the Australian Computer Society – early career women aren’t always spoilt for female role models.

The dearth of women in more senior roles can make it difficult for new starters to see career paths for themselves, or to envisage themselves taking on positions that entail greater responsibility and challenge.

Actually seeing women taking centre stage, giving presentations and representing their organisations, as I now do whenever I get the chance, shows those coming up behind what’s possible.

Our industry offers an abundance of opportunities for women who want to build rewarding, well-paid careers.

Being publicly visible and making our voices heard is a great way for those of us who’ve enjoyed the benefits to inspire others to explore the possibilities.

David Hollingworth

David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.