From vision to impact: How women are transforming the technology industry for International Women in Engineering Day

This year’s theme, ‘Together We Engineer,’ emphasises the value of collaboration across STEM sectors. While progress continues, leading female figures in tech and engineering remind us that sustained commitment remains crucial. 

At a pivotal moment for innovation, we asked some of the most prominent female voices in the industry to share their experiences, explore why representation still matters and consider how we can ensure women continue to thrive in engineering.

There is no one size fits all for leadership styles in tech and engineering

In a world where good leaders are often perceived to have one type of ‘alpha’ leadership style, several industry leaders emphasised the need to rethink how to lead with collaboration, compassion and inclusivity in mind. In doing so, they explain how the leaders of today can actively inspire and encourage women in tech for generations to come.

Evrim Tekeşin, Regional Director at software company Dynatrace shares her thoughts: “International Women in Engineering Day is a time to celebrate the achievements of female engineers, but also to reflect on the urgent need to encourage more women to enter the field. My experience has taught me that leadership does not have to fit the traditional ‘alpha male’ archetype. Early in my career, female mentors were scarce. While I was fortunate to find guidance from male mentors, the lack of visible female leaders made it harder to see alternative paths of leadership. That’s why I’m so passionate about representation for the next generation of women in STEM. So, they know that there are many ways to lead and many ways to succeed. “

Clara Loveridge, Vice President and General Manager EMEA at Arctic Wolf echoes these sentiments: “Women still only account for a quarter of the UK’s STEM workforce and are significantly underrepresented in cybersecurity. International Women in Engineering Day serves as an important reminder of the need to tackle this gender imbalance and improve female representation. Moreover, creating an environment that encourages diverse thinking within the companies that operate in these industries will help leaders attract and retain the best talent from current and future generations.”

Susanne Nördinger, Head of Ecosystem success EMEA at Universal Robotics emphasises the importance of visibility and believes that stimulating collaboration across the sector is key to finding solutions: “Growing up, I never felt that being a girl interested in engineering was unusual. But as my career progressed, I started to understand the power of visibility. When young women see someone like them working in robotics, it matters. It creates possibilities. I believe in being visible, mentoring others, and creating a space where people feel they belong.  

“To me, diversity isn’t just about gender. That’s why Women in Engineering Day is so important – it’s a reminder of the need to bring together different mindsets, disciplines, and backgrounds. You don’t need to be an engineer to make an impact in robotics. Marketers, designers, strategists, and project managers all bring something valuable to the table. That’s where innovation really thrives – when we solve problems together in new and unexpected ways.” 

Sarah Law, Senior Vice President of Business Operations at Veracode believes strongly in the impact of positive leadership, having benefitted firsthand from this type of management: “The most impactful thing an organisation can do to empower women in engineering is build a system that aligns capability with opportunity – and then hold leaders accountable for ensuring access and clarity. It’s not about special treatment - it’s about removing bias, ambiguity, and friction from the system. When organisations do that, women - and everyone else - can thrive. 

The turning points in my career weren’t promotions or titles, but moments when I was trusted to solve complex problems or lead through uncertainty. I’ve been fortunate to work with leaders who cleared the way for me to lead and grow authentically. Their trust, not control, was critical. It taught me that the path to leadership isn’t about fitting in or looking good on paper, it’s about building meaningful solutions and bringing others along.

The most effective leaders I’ve worked with are the ones who turn ambiguity into clarity and friction into progress.”

The business-benefits of inclusion

In what is a hugely fast-paced era for innovation across all STEM industries,  promoting diversity and inclusivity is key for decision-makers to enable growth, and get the best out of their business. 

Catherine Ramsdale, SVP Technology, Pragmatic Semiconductor believes that thoughtful inclusion practices are key to stimulating growth, and tackling the problems that businesses may face: “International Women in Engineering Day is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women in STEM – and it’s also a powerful reminder that diversity drives innovation.  

“It’s well-proven that diverse teams perform better, solve problems more creatively, and deliver stronger results. Inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s also smart business. At Pragmatic Semiconductor, we’re proud to have a significantly higher percentage of female employees than the industry average, and our Women in Leadership programme is part of a range of initiatives that supports talent at every stage of the journey.  

“We also know how vital visible role models are to cultivating a more diverse and highly skilled workforce. Seeing the success of people with whom we identify builds confidence and helps unlock ambition, especially for students deciding which path to take. Inspiring a love of STEM subjects from a young age is key to building a stronger, more diverse engineering pipeline for the future.”  

Oana Jinga, COO and Co-Founder at Dexory similarly reflects on why International Women in Engineering Day is as important as ever in tackling new challenges: “This Women in Engineering Day feels especially significant as we reflect on a year marked by extraordinary advances in AI and automation. These technologies are not only transforming industries, they’re making environments like warehouses more adaptive and intelligent than ever before and, with interest, investment and real-world adoption accelerating, there has never been a better time to bring more women into STEM.” 

“We know diversity drives better outcomes, but conversation must shift to action if we’re to make this male-dominated industry appealing to women and girls. We need to see women leaders being more visible, the female workforce being celebrated, and barriers regularly being broken if we’re to encourage better diversity. Inclusion isn’t optional.” 

Faye Ellis, Principal Cloud Training Architect at Plurasight, acknowledges that recent advancements in technology aren’t without their dangers, emphasising the importance of representation and continuously learning to overcome these challenges: “When I began my career as a junior SysOps Engineer, I was thrown into a male-dominated industry where a lack of female role models made me doubt my own ability. While progress has been made on this front, women are still underrepresented in engineering, especially in AI-focused roles like data science and machine learning.”  

“The rapid rise of AI and GenAI is leaving many engineers, especially women, feeling left behind. Women are also adopting AI at lower rates than their male counterparts and are more likely to be wary of AI. But AI tools need diverse perspectives to avoid biased outcomes, so all of us must be a part of shaping how technology is designed, implemented and governed.”  

Sonia Hernandez, Chief Commercial Officer at Vantage Towers, comments on the need for diverse talent to achieve ongoing missions in engineering and technology: “Equipping businesses and communities with high-speed connectivity has never been more important, I would say it has even become a human right. Diverse talent that reflects the pool of end users is central to enabling this connectivity. Empowering women in engineering is essential for driving innovation and strengthening the talent we bring to engineering and telecommunications. 

For women looking to start their career in engineering, the shared stories of senior female executives serve as a testimony to its importance. But, it is also about the positive influence that we can bring to young girls still at school, where our guidance could play a significant role on shaping their future selves. Progress is being made, but much more work needs to be done to make sure that women are empowered in their engineering roles, have opportunities to learn, lead and inspire within the industry.”

How meaningful action and inclusion can drive change

One thing which all prominent female leaders in tech will agree on is that action beyond words is critical to enact meaningful and lasting change.

Evrim Tekeşin further elaborates: “To achieve real change in overcoming the persistent STEM gender divide, we need to invest in mentoring, creating supporting environments and actively encouraging women into STEM.” 

Clare Loveridge agrees and told us how she’s creating these environments at Arctic Wolf: “[Tackling gender imbalance] starts with equipping girls with the skills needed to excel in STEM careers, including teamwork, problem solving and critical thinking. Increasing the number of female role models in the sector will also inspire more women and girls to pursue a career in STEM.”

“An example of this (creating an environment which will help attract and retain the best talent) is the introduction of our maternity policy at Arctic Wolf, which significantly enhances the support available to women working within the business. Initiatives such as these will foster a more inclusive workplace culture and ultimately allow women to thrive in their chosen STEM careers.” 

Ellis adds to this, exploring how the rapid rise of AI can provide a powerful platform to build skills and empower integration in the future: “The good news is there’s plenty women in engineering can do to protect and advance their careers. Online resources and flexible learning have made upskilling more accessible than ever. We don’t need to be a master at everything, but women in the industry must stay curious and experiment with AI to build skills for the future. This mindset helped me quiet my inner critic.” 

Oana Jinga is well aware of the need to promote inclusivity to run a business successfully and has a call to action for the industry at large: “We know diversity drives better outcomes, but conversation must shift to action if we’re to make this male-dominated industry appealing to women and girls. We need to see women leaders being more visible, the female workforce being celebrated, and barriers regularly being broken if we’re to encourage better diversity. Inclusion isn’t optional.” 

Sarah Law similarly puts forward advice for the next generation of women in engineering: “My advice is to focus on creating value, especially where others don’t. This is particularly true with how AI and system integration are breaking down silos between engineering and business. Success now demands cross-functional thinking, collaboration, and adaptability - skills that diverse leaders often excel at. Companies leading this shift are rethinking both their tech and decision-making models, valuing leaders who bridge complexity with clarity. “

Focusing on the bigger picture

Awareness days like International Women in Engineering Day spotlight and champion the brilliant and innovative ways in which women are shaping the future across the industry. This day serves not only as a powerful reminder of the need for continued advocacy and recognition of female leaders and executives, but as an essential tool to encourage action. 

Companies and individuals that embrace inclusive practices can drive bigger and better outcomes. This leadership is key to ensure the future of engineering and technology, so that it can evolve to meet the increasing demands of the world for generations to come.