The technology industry is not historically associated with diversity. Despite women making up around 50% of the UK workforce, just 24% of tech roles are held by women. Globally, a report from The World Bank paints a similar picture, putting the proportion of women in the world’s workforce in technology-related fields at less than a third. But what those figures do not show or celebrate are the women pioneering change. At Proactive International PR, we are fortunate to see this shift first-hand and work with some of the amazing women responsible for it.
Today, we are celebrating International Women’s Day by shining a spotlight on these people advancing the industry and providing those all-important role models for little girls and women considering a career in technology.
Anita Döhler, CEO at NGMN
Before her appointment as NGMN CEO, Anita Döhler held a number of senior management positions with mobile network operators, vendors and consulting firms. In her role as NGMN’s CEO, Anita drives technology innovation to benefit individuals and societies, supporting leading operators, vendors and research institutes across the world.
Caroline De Vos, COO at neXat
As co-founder of neXat, Caroline De Vos is committed to making satellite communications more efficient and cost effective. The neXat virtualized platform is the first and only satellite-focused cloud-based OSS/BSS in the market, enabling teleport operators to simplify and enhance their offerings for enhanced cost-efficiency and productivity. This is critical in an increasingly complex and dynamic marketplace where teleport operators need to ensure their operations remain profitable and ahead of the curve.
Jo Gretton, CEO at Telent
At technology giant Telent, Jo Gretton leads the company to deliver excellent customer service and continued growth. She is also committed to ensuring that Telent is a great place to work.
Katherine Gizinski, CEO at River Advisers
Katherine Gizinski is the driving force behind the world’s largest commercial provider of satellite spectrum and exceptional bespoke consultancy services in spectrum regulatory and market access matters. She also serves as Chairwoman of Space & Satellite Professionals International (SSPI), is a mentor for the Techstars Starburst Space Accelerator and Space Generation Advisory Council, and supports the ITU’s Girls in ICT initiative.
Livia Rosu, President of HomeGrid Forum and prpl Foundation Marketing Co-Chair
Livia Rosu has been President of the HomeGrid Forum since April 2021, supporting the deployment and innovation of G.hn. Based on ITU-T standard and design, the Gigabit networking technology provides an essential backbone for smart home connectivity and bandwidth-intensive applications. Livia also serves as Marketing Co-Chair at the prpl Foundation which works to defragment the plethora of proprietary software platforms developed and deployed today.
Dr Martha Suarez, President of the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance (DSA)
With more than 15 years’ experience in the telecoms industry, Dr Martha Suarez is the DSA’s first female president. In this role, she advocates for laws and regulations for more efficient and effective utilisation of spectrum. This is crucial in addressing key worldwide social and economic challenges.