The 10 Most Impactful Women in Technology 2021

ISSN 2582-127X

August 2021

T H E

Women vis-à-vis Technology: Negotiating the Challenge of Disengagement

MOST IMPACTFUL

WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY

2021

SHANTHI CHANDRASEKAR Spearheading Teams to Facilitate Successful Digital Transformation with Innovation & Strategy

How to Support Women in Tech Industry?

EDITORIAL Revolution and Evolution: It's About Time Women Have Their Place in the Tech World

T

o people who are not into the technology sector,

women into tech and STEM fields is by hiring female

everyone in technology is a “techie”, but the

management who can set examples. Having women in

definition of this word for an insider is much

leadership and managerial roles doesn't just invite more

different. To them, a “techie” is a person who can write

workforce, but also puts a different viewpoint on the

code. What does this have to do with women in

table in crucial business discussions. Secondly, women

technology? While some rightfully argue that there

need to strengthen their corporate portfolios.

aren't many people in technology, the reality is, women are present in the tech world but not as techies. In

Let's be honest, no one is going to hand over the

contrast, all the top men in the tech world have software

opportunity for your dream job. So instead of worrying

engineering backgrounds, including Bill Gates, Mark

about the lack of chance, it's best to be a step ahead and

Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos and Robin Li.

create a voice that is heard far and wide. Do you want to code? Sure, go ahead and take up several projects that

This is where the difference lies. Employers are not as

will prove your coding skills. Why not write something

quick to hire female coders as male coders. Technology is

for yourself and display it to the world online? Do you

an interesting and rapidly growing sector. Gender aside,

want to become a data scientist? Make a strong portfolio

everyone wants to be a part of the tech community and

that will demonstrate your skills like data cleaning, data

contribute to innovations. Not just as coders, technology

visualizing and time efficiency. A part of the problem will

contains a lot of important tasks to be done and women

be solved if more women come forward to represent

should be given a fair chance to showcase their skills.

themselves to the world.

Expertise in online business models, digital marketing, ecommerce, new media, social media strategy, gadgets

This is a discussion that is taking place for a few years

and IT infrastructure are all essential functions of the

now. Organizations need to understand that hiring a

tech industry.

workforce which is a combination of men and women is not only ideal for publicity but it is also a way to lead and

Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg and HP's Meg Whitman are

shape the industry. Having more perspectives on the

inspiring women leaders of the tech world, but is that

table is good for overall innovation, timely decisions,

where the tech world draws the line? Sure there are

right insights and honest feedback.

other roles where women can have an opportunity to work, right? There are two possible solutions for a future that is inclusive of women in tech. First, the management.

An easy way for organizations to encourage more

Apoorva Komarraju Senior Analyst

CREDIT Ashish Sukhadeve

Adilin Beatrice

Apoorva Komarraju

Priya Dialani

Editor-in-Chief

Senior Editor

Senior Analyst

Senior Analyst

Monomita Chakraborty

Meenu EG

Satavisa Pati

Sayantani Sanyal

Content Analyst

Content Analyst

Content Analyst

Content Analyst

Nikita Das

Manasa Muthyala

Dharmendar Passi

Kushagra Gupta

Marke ng Manager

Research Analyst

Sales Manager

Crea ve Head

Anusha Polneni

Jyothi Pandey

Pravallika Thammana

Marke ng Analyst

SEO Analyst

Web Developer

August 2021

S

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ARTICLES

08

24 Women vis-à-vis Technology: Negotiating the Challenge

Shanthi Chandrasekar APAC BCT

of Disengagement

42 How to Support Women in Tech Industry?

28

18

Leanne Bonner-Cooke MBE

Cindy Nicholson serendipID

Mithila Holla Trinity Mobility

e-bate

44

34

50

56

Tika Sylvia

Virginia Liu

Joann O'Brien

Kata.ai

Agora

TM Forum

62

Alya J. Franklin Aleada Consulting

Spearheading Teams to Facilitate Successful Digital Transformation with Innovation & Strategy

I

n this technology-driven world, digital transformation is fuelling organizations with the power of disruptive technologies. Not only will

digital transformation help companies leverage modern techniques,

but will also elevate the market edge and give them a chance to innovate better and faster. To accelerate digital transformation initiatives, Bahwan CyberTek offers diverse powerful IP products and a gamut of digital solutions, ranging from cloud services, enterprise data services, integration services, UI/UX services, to digital apps and managed services.

The person heading the innovative team at BCT APAC is Shanthi Chandrasekar, an inspirational leader charging teams to achieve more.

COVER STORY

08

Shanthi Chandrasekar Executive Vice President APAC BCT

09

“ “Innovation is the key for value creation and realization. Digital disruptions are imminent and COVID has created a sense of urgency across organizations to transform, in order to compete in the digital era. AI would continue to be the main player in technological innovation in the foreseeable future.”

-Shanthi Chandrasekar Executive Vice President APAC BCT

www.bahwancybertek.com

10

Holistic Digital Transformation Services Bahwan CyberTek (BCT) is a multinational IT Technology

Bahwan CyberTek offers digital transformation

Group with 3000+ associates, serving 1000+ customers

solutions in the areas of predictive analytics, digital

(including Fortune 500 companies) across 20+ countries

experience, and digital supply chain management across

on 4 continents. It holds 9 subsidiaries, 3 joint ventures,

North America, the Middle East, Far East, Africa, and

and 20+ strategic partnerships worldwide.

Asia. Its flagship IP products include retina360 (an AI-

With strong capabilities in digital technologies, the

powered Predictive Analytics Platform); rt360 (a credit

company delivers innovation through outcome-based

risk management suite); dropthought (a Digital

business models, powerful IP solutions, and value-driven

Experience Management Platform); CueTrans (an

enterprise and digital services. BCT has created

Integrated Logistics Management Platform); FuelTrans

products and solutions that cater to the unique needs of

(an Integrated Secondary Supply Chain Tower for Fuel

targeted industry segments, such as Oil & Gas, Energy &

Marketing); and Geodatafy (a digital Exploration &

Utilities, BFSI, Government, SCM & Logistics, Telecom

Production Platform).

and Retail.

Creating a Mark for Herself Shanthi Chandrasekar is the Executive VP and Head of

been the trusted advisor to steering committees for

the Strategic Business Operations for BCT APAC. She's a

many large clients across different countries. She

Director, Board of Directors in Comquest and BCT

specializes in executing large-scale IT-enabled business

entities across Singapore, Qatar and Taiwan. Over the

transformation projects, with different degrees of

past 23+ years, her repertoire of skills has centered on

complexities for global clients. She is also actively

strategy, data analytics, artificial intelligence,

mentoring several tech start-ups and aspiring young

governance, program management and digital

female leaders.

transformation. Shanthi works closely with the Group

Shanthi is an engineer by qualification with certification

CEO on corporate strategy—acquisitions, new business

in PMP, CISA and CGEIT, to name a few. Having

l i n e s a n d q u a l i t y a s s u ra n c e o f l a r g e b u s i n e s s

witnessed the lack of equal representation in the

transformation programs.

workspace, one of her passions outside of her day job is

Prior to joining BCT, Shanthi worked in KPMG Advisory

to share her experiences at the intersection of

for nearly 14 years across the Middle East and Singapore

leadership, change management, and women's rights in

in the capacity of Director. She was the only woman

the workplace as a speaker at professional panels and

Director in KPMG IT advisory practice in Qatar and has

forums.

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Innovation First!

Any innovation should be focused on solving a serious

out with actionable insights on a real-time basis. The

customer problem or addressing a critical challenge.

company recently launched FanXP, a unique solution for

There is no point in innovating for the sake of innovation,

digitally gauging the experience of fans, right from the

in the business context. At BCT, all the innovations

time they book their tickets to a sporting event till the

address major industry challenges.

time they exit the stadium.

For instance, its latest innovation for the post-COVID

FuelTrans, another flagship product, helps fuel

scenario is dtSmartWorks360. It is an end-to-end digital

marketing companies automate their retail fuel outlets

technology suite that helps businesses manage and

and gives complete visibility over their secondary supply

monitor the workplace and workforce in real-time. The

chain operations.

suite comes with a control tower to monitor real-time

CueTrans, on the other hand, is a digital supply chain

safe distancing, contact tracing app, crowd management,

management product that emphasizes the concept of

helpline, feedback management, reporting of health

'Internet of Behaviours', leverages AI-powered Driver-

parameters and alerts for sanitization of the workplace

Assistance and In-Vehicle Monitoring Systems to

in case of a positive COVID-19 case. This is a much-

monitor, track and influence driver behaviours in real-

needed innovation for businesses looking to maintain

time, easing the burden of logistics companies and fleet

safety protocols in the new normal.

operators.

dropthought, BCT's flagship digital experience product,

As a company, BCT offers what they call 'Connected

helps businesses achieve the highest levels of customer

Innovation' with an outcome-focused approach. It

experience. Through its NLP analytics engine,

bundles the IP with partner solutions and its gamut of

dropthought is able to instantaneously identify the

services to provide a comprehensive suite of innovative

sentiment of a customer or employee pulse and comes

solutions.

Leveraging Technology's Might In the new normal, businesses are looking for a digital-

year-on-year in 2021. By 2024, the AI market will break

first, location-agnostic 'Anywhere Operations'. To

the US$500 billion mark and reach a record CAGR of

achieve this, they need to invest in AI/ML platforms,

17.5%.

advanced analytics, RPAs, blockchain and cloud

As an organization, BCT is far ahead in the disruptive

technologies and build a secure and accessible

technologies space. It has two award-winning flagship

ecosystem. Going by the stats, there will be a huge

products in the predictive analytics domain—retina360

demand for these disruptive technologies.

for the energy industry and rt360 for the fintech sector.

Every digital platform nowadays leverages AI/ML

Both the products use advanced AI and deep learning

models. IDC predicts that AI revenues will grow by 16.4%

models to analyse data in real-time and provide

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actionable decision intelligence. The company has

knowing what is happening within their own industry.

forged exclusive partnerships in the digital procurement

Today's leaders need to be on the watch out for new

space where it leverages AI-driven engines to help

trends and cross-cutting technologies to get the first-

companies gain complete visibility into their spend data.

mover advantage”, Shanthi adds.

“Gone are the days when a leader can be content with

Talking about the Future Shanthi believes digital is the way forward. As an

as well as the Americas have shown interest in strategic

organization providing digital transformation solutions,

partnerships and investments in its IP. The company

BCT is in high demand within the APAC, Americas, and

looks forward to leveraging this and leapfrog into the

MENA markets across clean energy, risk management,

next stage of evolution in the digital technology space.

supply chain, and digital experience management

BCT's strategy is to continue to invest and innovate using

domains.

its IP products, forge new relationships while

Being first-movers in most of its areas of operations, BCT

strengthening existing partnerships and to explore new

has deep domain knowledge and strong technical

markets.

expertise. Many industry leaders within the APAC region

Encouraging Women to Step Up “Work hard, keep upskilling yourself and cultivate a

the vision to steer the company ahead of its peers. Aspire

culture of diversity and inclusivity. Do not feel afraid to

to grow up the ladder and make your voice heard. Never

raise your hand when a suitable opportunity arises”, says

allow any conscious/unconscious biases to affect your

Shanthi. She urges women to believe in themselves.

leadership aspirations.

Surround yourself with a support system or community

And always remember that glass ceilings exist to be

that shares and supports your aspirations. Nurture

broken. Shanthi remembers this quote by Chris Bradford

teams that are highly motivated and have the openness

“Anyone can give up; it is the easiest thing in the world to

and integrity to adapt, learn from and embrace new ideas

do. But to hold it together when everyone would expect

from each other. Be a transformational leader who has

you to fall apart, now that is true strength.”

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Making Her Voice Heard Shanthi affirms that a woman needs to have grit and

personnel. To build on her technical knowledge, she

determination to climb up the corporate ladder.

recently completed the 'AI Strategies for Business

At KPMG, she was the only woman Director in IT

Transformation' Program offered by Kellogg School of

Advisory in Qatar. Managing large-scale global projects

Management.

among a bastion of male leaders is not an easy task, one

As far as achievements are concerned, Shanthi is proud

encounters challenges from every quarter. Sometimes,

t o h a v e n u r t u r e d t h e A PAC b u s i n e s s f r o m a

the opposition is authentic, but often it may just be to

representative office to full-fledged operations across

delay the progress. One should have the courage to stand

Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, and Taiwan. In a matter of

up against all such odds.

f e w ye a r s , t h e c o m p a ny h a s t ra n s f o r m e d t h e

According to Shanthi, regardless of the gender, hard

representative office in Singapore to a thriving regional

work and resilience are key to success. She is very detail-

headquarters, doubled revenue from the region, and

oriented in whatever she does. Shanthi chalks out a plan

increased staff count up to 300-plus in the region.

and makes sure to see it through the end. She ensures her

Shanthi also prides herself in the relationships she can

team works towards achieving the agreed-upon goal by

build, having helped acquire a number of marquee

cultivating a culture of collaboration. Ultimately, she

customers for the company—these include some of the

wants her team to have the tools to operate on their own

largest government bodies and agencies, ministries, port

while knowing that they can lean on her for major

operators and shipping corporations, drilling companies,

decisions.

contact centres and banks. BCT APAC currently

Innovation is another key ingredient for growth. Shanthi

supports mission-critical applications to ensure smooth

says that one must be a forward-looking thinker. She

delivery of essential services in Singapore and the APAC

recently spearheaded the development of the product

region.

dtSmartWorks360, an end-to-end suite of products for

In recognition of these efforts, Shanthi has been awarded

the monitoring and management of the workplace and

by several industry groups, and most recently received

workforce. Tailored to meet the needs of a post-COVID

the Stevie Gold and Bronze Awards for Women in

workplace, the product has gained a lot of traction.

Business as well as the Asia Pacific Enterprise Award

Upskilling oneself is also important in the technology

(APEA) for Corporate Excellence.

space. Shanthi consistently makes time to benefit from

She is also a strong advocate of women's rights and

new learning opportunities, particularly around cutting-

encourages women to take up leadership positions. Of

edge technologies. Currently, she is enrolled as a student

her 300-plus staff, 30% are women. She looks forward to

in the Stanford LEAD program, a highly selective one-

growing the number and building a culture of

year Executive Leadership Program for C-Suite

inclusiveness and equality.

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Climbing the Ladder of Obstacles “It has been a very interesting journey from where I

Management Consulting division at a time when many

started as a software quality analyst to the present

women did not opt for a consulting career due to work-

position of leadership that I am in”, said Shanthi. Despite

life imbalance and frequent need to travel overseas.

being a girl child in a conservative family, Shanthi

Managing the demands of consulting life coupled with

consistently challenged every social norm that was a

frequent travel was challenging, especially when her

hindrance to her progress. She fought to be an engineer

children were young. The fire to prove herself and razor-

and had to convince her family to pursue a career.

sharp focus to climb up the corporate ladder helped her

Her marriage took her overseas to Bahrain in the late

to adapt to the consulting career. Though she did face

nineties when it was extremely difficult for a woman to

some unconscious gender biases, Shanthi Chandrasekar

get a work permit. Instead of being pessimistic, Shanthi

was able to grow in her career, gain acceptance and

believed in her abilities and kept applying for IT jobs

respect due to her knowledge, hard work, resilience and

without losing hope in spite of the rejections due to her

assertiveness. “Obstacles are those frightful things you

gender. After about a year, she finally managed to get a

see when you take your eyes off your goal,” said Henry

job as a Software Quality Analyst and since then, there

Ford, and she strongly resonates with his view.

was no looking back. She joined KPMG Bahrain in their

What Makes a Good Leader?

Shanthi is a strong advocate of transformational

backgrounds and entertain new ideas and strategies.

leadership. While 'transactional' leaders get things done

Being a good communicator is another key trait. Most

faster, it is transformational leadership that helps

important of all, they should be inspiring and build a

companies grow big and excel in the long term.

motivational work environment, without any vested

According to Shanthi, transformational leaders should

interest.

be visionaries, ready to explore, take risks and innovate.

Transformational leaders are unimposing people who

They should have the curiosity to learn and adopt new

don the cloak of leadership only when necessary. Left

trends, technologies, and work cultures. They should be

alone, they are like any other employee, going about their

more inclusive and accept people from different

day-to-day work without much fanfare.

15

Shanthi Chandrasekar

Cindy Nicholson

Execu ve Vice President, APAC

Chief Execu ve Officer

Bahwan CyberTek (BCT)

serendipID

Shanthi Chandrasekar is the Execu ve Vice President and Head of the Strategic Business Opera ons for APAC at Bahwan CyberTek (BCT).

Over the past 23+ years, her repertoire of skills has centered on strategy, data analy cs, ar ficial intelligence, governance, program management, and digital transforma on. Shanthi works closely with the Group CEO on corporate strategies including acquisi ons, new business lines, and quality assurance of large business transforma on programs.

As the Chief Execu ve Officer of serendipID, Cindy Nicholson brings together the key elements of success for organisa ons including Emerging Technology and Human Transforma on. With a thirst for innova on, she remains abreast of digital trends, aligning technology with relevant business concepts and enabling organisa ons to remain compe ve and relevant.

Cindy is also a Fellow member of Blockchain Australia where she ac vely works within the commi ees.

www.bahwancybertek.com

www.serendipid.com

Leanne Bonner-Cooke MBE

Mithila Holla

Tika Sylvia

Virginia Liu

General Manager of Product Management & Marke ng

Vice President of marke ng & communica on

Senior Vice President of Marke ng & Ecosystems

Trinity Mobility Pvt.Ltd

Kata.ai

Agora

Mithila Holla is the General Manager of Product Management and Marke ng at Trinity Mobility Pvt.Ltd. In her role, she heads the product management, UX design, technical publica ons, and marke ng teams. Mithila is responsible for the products and solu ons that the company offers across six segments namely Smart Ci es, Safe Ci es, Emergency Response Management, Smart Communi es, U li es, Early Warning, and Disaster Management.

Tika Sylvia is the Vice President of marke ng and communica on at Kata.ai. She is a mission-oriented, technically sophis cated professional marketeer and an ecosystem-builder with over 10 years of background in various industries including prop-tech, logis c, hospitality, and food delivery in start-up companies.

Before Kata.ai, she worked as the CMO of RoomMe and Associate Vice President Marke ng of Ninja Xpress.

Virginia Liu is the Senior Vice President of Marke ng and Ecosystems at Agora. She met Tony Zhao, Agora’s founder and CEO in 2017 while working at Microso and quickly learned that the company was building APIs to ease developers’ burden. Extremely impressed by the product and Tony’svision, she decided to join the company with a mandate to grow the Agora developer community and build a partner ecosystem.

www.trinitymobility.com

www.kata.ai

Founder & CEO e-bate Leanne Bonner-Cooke MBE is the Founder and CEO of e-bate Limited.

With a passion for business transforma on using innova ve so ware, e-bate Limited came out as Leanne’s brainchild. Prior to launching e-bate, she was the founder and CEO of Evolve-IT Consul ng Ltd, a so ware development and consul ng business. Leanne was awarded an MBE for services to women in business in 2018 as part of the New Year Honours list. www.e-bate.io

T H E

MOST IMPACTFUL

WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY

2021

Joann O’Brien

Whitney Wolfe Herd

SVice President of Digital Ecosystems

Founder & CEO

Founder & Execu ve Chair

President & COO

Bumble

Socos Labs

SpaceX

Joann O’Brien is the Vice President of Digital Ecosystems at TM Forum.

Ini ally, she joined the company in 2007 as a part- me employee to help balance family commitments and later moved on to a full- me role. Her current posi on brings her back to her roots in leveraging technology to make a difference for lives and businesses, embarking on their digital transforma on journey.

As the Founder and CEO of Bumble, Whitney Wolfe Herd is the youngest self-made women billionaire in the world. She started the female-first da ng app in 2014 a er leaving an execu ve role at Tinder. Whitney launched Bumble, the only connec on pla orm where women make the first move and control interac on. As the company grew, Whitney achieved her dream of streamlining empowered connec ons across all areas of life.

Vivienne Ming is the Founder and Execu ve Chair of Socos Labs. She is also a theore cal neuroscien st, entrepreneur, and author. Vivienne launched Socos Labs to combine her varied work with that of other crea ve experts and expand their impact on global policy issues, both inside companies and throughout the communi es. She sits on boards of numerous companies and nonprofits including StartOut, The Palm Center, Cornerstone Capital, Platypus Ins tute, etc.

As the President and COO of SpaceX, Gwynne Shotwell manages the opera ons of the commercial space explora on company. Gwynne joined SpaceX in 2002 as the Vice President of business development. Later, she climbed through the posi ons and is currently at the top. A er becoming the President and COO in 2008, Gwynne assumed responsibility for day-to-day opera ons and for managing the customer and strategic rela onships that support company growth.

www.tmforum.org

www.bumble.com

www.socos.org

www.spacex.com

TM Forum

Vivienne Ming

www.agora.io

Gwynne Shotwell

A Confident Innovator Entwining Business and Technology to Unravel Disruptive Solutions

s

erendipID is an Australian company specialising

the connection of identities safely and securely to

in Digital Identity, Data Privacy & Protection and

people, organizations, services and things (IOT) –

Cyber Security. The company aims to support its

across customer ecosystems. Our platform is

clients and communities in protecting Personal

designed to assist in validating that the real-world

Identifiable Information. This includes helping

identity exists, that the digital identity matches, and

organisations ensure they are following best practices

that the person making the identity claim also

when onboarding customers and employees, through

m a t c h e s . Fr o m t h e s i m p l e s t o f o n b o a r d i n g

automated secure applications, and educating their

requirements to a fully automated integration of

employees and contractors about potential threats, how

verified digital assets across multiple complex

to protect the organisation, and furthermore,

ecosystems, geographies, and identities. The

themselves.

company's platform is compatible with the TrustID

serendipID's consulting services draw on over 30 years

Frameworkin Australia.

of business experience, across the globe, specialising in

Ÿ

E-Learning platform – The company's E-Learning

Business Transformation, Cybersecurity, and Digital

platform is packaged to cover the basic needs of its

Identity. The company drives strategies to deliver

customers and provide interactive online training

results.

courses for educating employees, contractors, and individuals.

serendipID has three key modules as follows, Ÿ

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Digital Identity – serendipID's solution automates

Ÿ

Risk Assessment - The company's self-assessment tools align with its training and professional services,

Cindy Nicholson Chief Executive Officer (CEO) serendipID

19

“ “If you know your subject matter and you are confident, calm and collected, professional and ethical, you will succeed.”

- Cindy Nicholson Chief Executive Officer (CEO) serendipID

www.serendipid.com

20

enabling organisations of any size to benefit from

As a board member with the Australian Digital Currency

leading-edge tools relative to customer's business

Association (ADCA) during the merger to form the new

size and needs.

Blockchain Australia, Cindy helped shape the future of Australia with this emerging technology and remains a

A Trailblazing Leader

Fellow member of Blockchain Australia, actively working

Cindy Nicholson believes that Digital Transformation

within their committees.

encompasses Technology, Operational and Human

As CEO and Founder of serendipID, she helps shape the

transformations and as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of

technology of the future, and as CEO and Founder of

serendipID and CEO of Braintree, Cindy brings together

Braintree, she enables modern leadership to ensure

the key elements of success for organisations including

change is sustainable.

Emerging Technology and Human Transformation.

Moving to Australia from London where she worked for

Breaking the Odds in a Male-Dominated Industry

ten years in investment banking, Cindy has been

Cindy's career started in a leading Investment Bank in

instrumental in transforming businesses through

London. The financial services industry was renowned as

technology. Her career spans investment banking,

being a heavily male-dominated sector, so as a young

telecommunications, management consulting, and

woman, she found that quite intimidating. Cindy quickly

software solutions across the UK, USA, Japan, and Asia.

learned that in order to survive, she had to be amongst

Passionate about transformation, Cindy is an

the fittest, and she really needed to excel in everything

acknowledged thought leader with a track record of

she did to be recognised for her commitment, skills and

success in delivering sustainable transformation in large

experience.

corporations.

With a positive attitude, a hunger to learn and a drive to

Cindy turns ideas and concepts into reality. With a thirst

take on every opportunity that was presented, Cindy was

for innovation, Cindy remains abreast of emerging

awarded opportunities that would test her resilience and

technology, aligning technology with relevant business

stretch her way out of her comfort zone. She asserts that

concepts, enabling organisations to remain competitive

those experiences were life-changing, growing her

and relevant. Seizing the opportunity for a regional Telco

confidence to another level and giving her the strength to

to be first to market, she pioneered a Digital Identity

face any challenge. She also attributes these break-

Verification platform, driving the program from concept

through opportunities to others who saw the potential in

to productization and delivered a first to market solution

this young woman and were willing to provide an

for strategic partners.

opportunity for her to prove success.

She has worked with organisations, from start-ups to large enterprises, including leading a A$70 million

Conquering the Hierarchy Challenge with Confidence

transformation program with a tier one Australian bank,

Cindy recalls that one of the most challenging moments

to building international software companies from

she faced in her career as a woman was during an

Silicon Valley and Ireland, and was instrumental in taking

experience in India. She continues that she was leading a

these companies to acquisition and IPO.

presentation to the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of a

Bringing over 30 years of expertise into the business

large Indian bank. In India, it is customary to sit in order of

sphere, she knows that it is the journey of trust within

hierarchy, so naturally, as the CEO of the software

ecosystems of partners where transformation truly

company and as the presenter, Cindy sat at the head,

shines.

opposite to the CIO. That was clearly an uncomfortable

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situation for the CIO and during her presentation, his

organisation and its people to remain relevant, valuable,

attempts to sabotage the presentation and belittle her,

and grow in the fourth industrial revolution where it's

were nothing more than an embarrassment for everyone

never been a more competitive landscape, equally, the

in the room.

human transformation also plays an essential role.

Cindy says that she maintained her composure,

Cindy remarks that she understands that leadership is

addressed all the questions, and used both body

not just about technology, but it includes embracing the

language and verbal language to retain her power in the

culture and the change of mindset that enables an

room, and as a subject matter expert she maintained her

organisation and its people to remain relevant, valuable,

confidence and was able to secure the intentions of the

and grow in a landscape that's never been more

presentation with that organisation. In fact, so much so,

competitive. She adds that, now, she balances

that she was congratulated by the CIO on her

technology solutions with human growth and

presentation in a private meeting afterwards. She adds

development by empowering organisations and

that it was a moment in her life when she realised that

individuals, and as a Certified Executive Coach, she helps

gender was irrelevant. Cindy opines, “If you know your

organisations transform leaders into achieving their true

subject matter and you are confident, calm and collected,

potential as modern leaders in the digital age.

professional and ethical, you will succeed.”

(https://youtu.be/oVr3L_DV9uc)

Human Transformation, the Essential Trait of a Leader

Innovating from a Human-Centric View

Cindy announces that she has another business which

Cindy declares that she is very methodical and a data-

has been running since 1998. She adds that the company

driven person. Therefore, all her innovations come from

is called 'Braintree.' Braintree focuses on Human

a human-centred point of view. She adds that she doesn't

Transformation and Executive Coaching. Cindy

believe that people should develop technology solutions

remembers that in the earlier years, transformation

and then go looking for the problem, rather identify the

projects were predominantly technology-related and

problem, who it relates to, and what that problem is

she directed an A$70 million technology transformation

costing businesses, and then define the solution.

program for a tier 1 Australian bank. She continues that

Cindy states that she has worked in the digital identity

she has since come to realise that whilst emerging

space for almost a decade now and others would say that

technology is a crucial component that enables an

she is an acknowledged thought leader with a track

22

record of success, delivering sustainable transformation.

on unknown databases, with unknown access. It's a scary

With a deep understanding of the manual identification

situation and one that regulators are trying to keep up

process in banking, she seized the opportunity to be the

with, to provide rights to citizens about who uses their

first to market and developed a 'Digital Identity

data, and how their data is used. She adds that the

Verification' platform to service enterprises with

company looks at balancing the security of Personal

regulatory obligations. This was designed as an

Identifiable Information with user convenience.

omnichannel solution, including a mobile application,

According to Cindy, today's technology allows

and went on to work with blockchain-based solutions,

consumers to have full rights to their data and other

ultimately gaining a seat on the board with Blockchain

relative concepts like how and where it is stored, and who

Australia, and continue to be a fellow of Blockchain

it is shared with.

Australia, assisting with regulatory related use cases.

Cindy cites that as technology continues to evolve, the

Cindy remarks that the solution she has now taken to

consumer will be at the heart of all digital touchpoints

market provides a citizen-centric ID application to

including the people, enterprises and 'internet of things'

improve customer experience and security. This includes

that they interact with. She continues that Industry 5.0

the use of artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud

will see humans working alongside smart machines and

and managed services and goes beyond people to include

robots in a manner that helps humankind work more

'processes' and 'things' (IoT).

efficiently, bringing a more personal touch to the emergence of technology that people have seen come

A Rare Combo of Traditional Leadership and Modern

out of Industry 4.0. Cindy declares that the combination

Technologies

of human intuition and problem solving with technology

Cindy opines that Industry 4.0 has undoubtedly changed

will see the ever-increasing need for these two segments

the face of technology as everybody knows it. She adds

to integrate and work together.

that all emerging technology solutions are driven by the exponential increase in accessible data and this has

Encouraging Women Leaders to Change the Mindset of

changed people's lives. Cindy cites that as consumers,

the Society

people expect their experiences to be faster, quicker, and

Cindy states that she has a great deal of advice she would

more personalised, and as enterprises, they are forced to

like to share with budding and emerging female leaders.

embrace new technology in order to remain relevant. But

She continues that she works with female leaders

interestingly, industry leadership style has not increased

constantly and there is always a common theme. Cindy

at the same exponential rate. She continues that the

has created masterclasses for women to address the

traditional leadership styles and structures can still be

main concerns, which are often related to the imposter

seen in many organisations, so as much as the world has

syndrome and she works directly with women so they

had to metamorphosize into new age technologists,

break through barriers and realise their true potential.

leaders and individuals also need to do the same. She

She concludes by saying that women leaders still have a

ends with a note that despite the growth, there are still a

lot of work to do in changing mindsets across industries

lot of changes required in this area.

and this will accelerate with the increased confidence women can learn to hold and portray.

Future: Consumers at the Heart of Digital Touchpoints

As a final note, Cindy says, “Always know that you have

Cindy conveys that serendipID constantly strives to

the right to a seat at the table and trust your instincts.”

protect citizens' data that is sitting in unknown locations,

23

Women vis-à-vis Technology: Negotiating the Challenge of Disengagement

W

hat is the position and status of women vis-

dominated profession because it is an unconscious bias

à-vis technology in general and new

that women are inferior and cannot understand

technology in particular? The vital but

technical issues or possess better technical skills than

sensitive question demands a closer scrutiny. Studies

men. Thus, women in technology receive fewer work

have found that in terms of enlistment in various courses

opportunities and promotions due to inequality.

and classes relating to cutting-edge technology or in terms of employment in high-tech firms, the percentage

Maternal Leave: The tech-driven world still considers

of women is very low. In fact, it is considered quite

women as child-bearing machines who cannot work due

impressive if women come to constitute only one-fourth

to household chores and child management. Women in

of the total number. If that is not enough, it is also a fact

technology field lack that confidence because they know

that women earn much less than their male

maternal leave can hamper their job opportunities and

counterparts. This scenario holds true despite a

may not be encouraged to join an office after completing

substantial increase in the enrolment of women in

maternal leave. Women have to hold back from

schools and higher academic institutions.

successful careers and focus on motherhood due to lack of sufficient support--- mental and physical.

A persistent trend that one finds is that much fewer

Discriminations at Every Stage: Receiving constant

numbers of women opt for the STEM disciplines in their

insults in a work environment creates a negative impact

pre-professional days. This is one though not the only

on the women in technology field--- being talked over,

cause of the reflection of lesser women in a workforce

being ignored, giving more opportunities to men-

involved in scientific, industrial, and technological fields.

counterpart, being left out of group events, and the list

A world in which half of the human population is

goes on. If any woman stands up for herself and her

supposed to be women this is a major cause for concern.

rights, she is considered to be bold and male employees

It does not augur well when the amazing progress in

view her negatively. Women have to continuously fight

technology takes place without much involvement of

for their rights and stand up against these daily insults at

women. The following points expose some of the daily

every stage possible.

challenges experienced by women in technology to climb up the success ladder:

Women in technology need to negotiate the challenges of disengagement through the following ways:

Unequal Opportunities: The mindset of society is still

Overturning Gender Stereotypes: Women need to stand

engaged with gender bias across the world, even in the

up and speak for themselves to overturn the gender

21st century. The tech world is known as the male-

stereotypes such as women cannot be in the technology

24

field, possess less IQ, do not have sufficient technical knowledge, being a woman getting a promotion, and many more. Joining a male-dominated workforce and focusing on strengths with confidently contributing innovative ideas for a business can be a challenging task to survive. But it is one of the major ways to overturn gender stereotypes in a workplace and change the mindset of other employees.

Breaking Psychological Thoughts: Gender discriminations and stereotypes can break down selfconfidence and the ability to stand up for oneself.

Women need to form focus groups and fight together for breaking psychological thoughts to gain more confidence in the workplace, coming back from maternity leave or doing successful self-marketing to get recruited in reputed companies.

Seek Role Models: Women need to seek role models to gain confidence and feel proud of being women in technology field. There are multiple femtech start-ups booming in the tech-driven market with specializations in female products and services as well as female CEOs and top executives in popular companies. Female entrepreneurs and executives are perfect role models to feel confident, break everyday barriers, and ambitious to inspire the future generations.

Equality, inclusion, and diversity being the three main preconditions to the Tech Revolution exclusion of women tend to have much adverse impact. The solution to this problem does not only involve the gender issue. It involves a multidimensional strategy involving a change in societal perception, reorientation of education, and promotion of women role models for generating inspiration.

25

The Smart Tech Entrepreneur Innovating Rebate Management Solutions

A

rebate is a retrospective financial payment

e-bate is an end-to-end ROI-driven SaaS solution for

which is used as an incentive to drive sales

'Intelligent Rebate Management'. e-bate enables

growth without reducing the quoted price by

customers to improve their rebate process and make

offering a discount. Rebate management is the process of

informed commercial decisions, which in turn optimize

recording the rebate rules, and analysing the results, that

profit margins and improve supply chain relationships.

are applied to a customer or product (usually called a trade agreement). Each purchase or sale is then tracked

Meet The Successful Entrepreneur

against the trade agreement so an accrual can be made,

Leanne Bonner-Cooke MBE is the Founder and CEO of e-

which then gets claimed or paid. Proper rebate

bate Limited. With a passion for business transformation

management can be a headache for any business,

using innovative software, e-bate Limited was Leanne's

regardless of the scale of their rebate programs. Rebates

brainchild after seeing the potential for the solution

can be prone to high-value errors creating unnecessary

across multiple industries globally.

risks to the business and the customers. Transparency

Prior to launching e-bate, Leanne was the founder and

and trackability of the end-to-end rebate process and

CEO for Evolve-IT Consulting Ltd, a software

historical data are required.

development and consulting business. With a strong and

e-bate, one such software solutions led by Leanne

determined drive for business improvements through

Bonner-Cooke MBE, Founder and CEO makes this

technology, Leanne was awarded an MBE for services to

complex task of rebate management safe, simple, and

women in business in 2018 as part of the New Year

responsible by providing a platform that enables

Honours list. With over 20 years of experience in senior

customers to easily manage and control multiple rebate

roles in the technology sector, Leanne has also been

agreements more efficiently.

awarded the title of Businesswoman of the Year, in 2015

28

Leanne Bonner-Cooke MBE Founder and CEO e-bate

29

“ “Over 95% of organizations are planning to increase their cloud technology in the coming 12 months. The extreme agility and accessibility of cloud software are becoming vital and they have matured significantly in recent years.”

- Leanne Bonner-Cooke MBE Founder and CEO e-bate

www.e-bate.io

30

and 2017 and has successfully brought business

micromanaged and stifled her creativity which only

software and services to corporate customers on a global

made her lose her mojo and move on.

scale.

Ÿ

Leanne is not the only leader in her business, she gives her leadership team the ability to lead and have the

Diversity, Inclusion, and Resilience

autonomy to do it 'their way'. As long as they all have a

Leanne started her career as an accountant and then

clear objective and are on the same trajectory, how

moved into technology in the '90s. She had a corporate

everyone gets there is up to the individual.

career holding various senior positions until 2007 when

Ÿ

We are all human and will naturally make mistakes. It

she established her first business. The following

is important to support those that make mistakes,

experiences triggered her journey as a leader.

help them understand the lessons that can be learned,

Ÿ

Leanne's accountancy background was a great

and move forward. Leanne says, “If we didn't make

foundation for becoming a successful leader because

mistakes we wouldn't learn”.

through this background she became very aware of

It is important to respect individuals who are

financial planning and management. This has helped

different. Leanne expressed that people should trust

her to run successful businesses and create a strategy

and respect their team. Individually we are people,

that is achievable and sustainable to deliver financial

together we are a strong team, said Leanne.

plans. This also meant that when seeking investment

Ÿ

Ÿ

Ÿ

She built up a lot of resilience in her corporate career,

for e-bate, Leanne was confident in presenting and

having worked in male-dominated sectors and

understanding the numbers.

functions. This has allowed her to continue when the

From a young age and also in her corporate career,

going gets tough both professionally and personally.

Leanne could spot a good leader from a bad one;

Ÿ

Diversity and Inclusion is an important aspect. She

Leaders that set clear objectives, gave relevant

has seen too many times the same stereotype

training, and supported career succession were the

thinking that has continued in the business world for

good ones, that those to which she gave her best

decades, with little or no innovation. But employing a

performance. However, there were people who

good cross-section of people, this changes the team

31

dynamics for the better. Leanne says, “I am not

transformational leader. “My mantra is fair, firm, and

detailed and make quick decisions; therefore, I need

demanding”, she said.

my team to be more considered and analytical”.

Having a diverse team helps the company to be more

Leveraging Market Research for Innovation

innovative and subjective in its approach.

I n n ov a t i ve p r o d u c t s a r e t h e r e s u l t o f a c l e a r understanding of the market, with insights gained from

Challenges in a Male Dominated Society

good market research. It is important to ensure and

A major challenge for Leanne was believing in her own

identify pain points and key benefits of the innovative

self when others around her were not supportive. She

product or service for prospects and customers.

said that when she first set up her own business she had lots of doubters, however, this just made her even more

Driving Change with Disruptive Technologies

determined. “I believe it's important to put one's stake in

Leanne believes that disruptive technologies are doing

the sand and take her own journey, navigating the

two things:

obstacles along the way for herself”, she expressed. At

Ÿ

Improving the process for efficiency gains

some points, she also experienced line managers trying

Ÿ

Using data to drive quicker and more intelligent

to hold her back as they didn't want her to progress faster

decisions.

than them. In those cases, she took another path. There

Leanne says, “|The role of a leader has changed in the

came a time when she hit the glass ceiling in her

transformational world, it is now about inspiring workers

corporate career, and both inside and outside the

to embrace change at a fast pace while remaining agile in

organization she struggled to get the functional head

the approach.”

role that she wanted. This motivated her to start her first

Further, on advising emerging leaders, she says, “You

business. Raising investment was also a challenge. Only

have got this! Play to your strengths, be creative,

8% of all VC money goes to female founders, and on top

continue to listen and learn and find yourself a good

of that, the majority are based in the city of London.

mentor.”

Through the experiences faced by her throughout her career and as a business owner, she is passionate about

Number One Global SaaS Solution

gaining parity in the regions and is incredibly supportive

Leanne says, “I see e-bate being a key player in achieving

of female entrepreneurs and aspiring leaders.

its vision of being the number one global SaaS solution for intelligent rebate management, through assisting our

Fair, Firm, and Insightful: Vital Attributes for Every

customers on their digital transformation journey”. The

Leader

software industry will continue to grow as we change the

According to Leanne; qualities like vision, determination,

way we work and continue to adopt disruptive

resilience, coaching and encouraging the team, passion,

technologies, She adds.

commitment, decisiveness must be possessed by every 32

Building IoT and AI-Based Digital Platforms and Solutions

T

rinity Mobility is a leading provider of IoT and AI-

the adoption of the services and enable various

based smart city digital platforms and

stakeholders, Trinity has developed applications such as

applications. The company was founded in 2010

city web portals for the city authorities to stay connected

with the mission to develop IP-led unique solutions and

with the citizens, a workforce mobile app to empower

transform the way we LIVE and WORK. Trinity's smart

the city workforce, a citizen engagement app to

city software suite, based on IoT and AI technology,

aggregate and digitally deliver all city services. Trinity

enables cities to build a city-level digital platform that

has also developed Open Data Portal for cities to enable

seamlessly connects to various urban systems,

community led innovation. These compelling solutions

automates core processes of various in-line departments

have equipped the city authorities to transform the

and uses advanced analytics to drive the efficiency of the

delivery of citizen services, enabled citizens to spend less

city operations. The smart city solution adds digital

time commuting, and equipped public safety authorities

intelligence to urban systems and helps authorities to

to quickly respond to emergencies.

make intelligent decisions and deliver better outcomes, thereby increasing the liveability index of cities.

A Leader with passion

Smartness is achieved using best-of-breed technologies

Mithila Holla is the General Manager who takes care of

such as IoT, AI, Big Data, Mobile, GIS and Cloud.

the product management and marketing at Trinity

The applications of the company cover public safety

Mobility. With a strong educational background, she

service delivery for emergency services, intelligent

holds a Master's degree in VLSI from Manipal University

public transportation, solid waste management, smart

and a Master's degree in Business Management from

street lighting, smart parking, smart utilities such as

European School of Technology, Berlin. In the initial years

electricity, water management and distribution,

of her career, she worked in the semiconductor domain.

environment and disaster management, public health

With the hype over IoT and Industry 4.0 in 2015, she

management and more. These applications can empower

turned towards IoT fascinated with the latest technology

departments to deliver civic services digitally. To drive

and possibilities in the IoT and AI sector. After which she

34

Mithila Holla General Manager, Product Management and Marketing Trinity Mobility Pvt.Ltd

35

“ “The cities of the future will need to do more with less. Technologies like IoT and AI will enable that. Cities generate oceans of data, and finding insights in that data will help governments plan better, optimize resources, respond to situations and deliver world-class citizen living experience”.

- Mithila Holla General Manager, Product Management and Marketing, Trinity Mobility Pvt.Ltd

www.trinitymobility.com

36

joined ABB as an Innovation Catalyst, there Mithila had

she asserts that the growth from an Engineer to a

the opportunity to develop a 'Global Customer

General Manager came with a lot of learning and

Experience and Innovation Program' for Africa, Middle

unlearning of things. Mithila's wide-ranging experiences

East, and the Asia Pacific regions from scratch to enable

in large global companies to the dynamic fast-paced

and accelerate digital transformation for ABB's clients in

start-up, working with clients across the globe have

various domains such as F&B, utilities, mining, textiles,

helped shape her career. Today, she takes pride in being

metals, pharmaceuticals, oil & gas, etc. This was ABB's

able to develop teams and initiatives from scratch,

coveted program which enhanced the customer pre-

streamline processes, establish new market and product

sales experience through problem-solving, value

segments and deliver customer success.

discovery and co-creation by applying principles of design thinking, Ux Design, lean start-up, and agile

Overcoming the Challenges

working across business lines and functions.

Mithila always worked as part of teams in most of the

At Trinity she now heads the product management, Ux

companies that had just one or two women and

design, technical publications and marketing teams.

significantly lower numbers of women in leadership

Mithila is responsible for the products and solutions that

positions. Thus, it was hard for her to find role models or

the company offers across six segments – Smart Cities,

mentors who could understand and appreciate her

Safe Cities, Emergency Response Management, Smart

challenges helping in her journey. Mithila says that she

Communities, Utilities, Early Warning and Disaster

would also be one of the youngest people in the room so

Management. She interfaces with key partners such as

many times. In such instances, she was clouded with self-

Honeywell, Motorola, HPE, Avaya and Microsoft and

doubt too. Being the only female Engineer in her family,

consults city authorities to co-create solutions that truly

she struggled with the career and life choices that she

solve the city's challenges and improve the city liveability

made without having to feel apologetic for them. She

index. Apart from the functional requirements, she also

explains that living abroad for 2 years has helped in

oversees the user experience and user interface design

changing her mindset and carving her professional path.

of all products for better usability. Mithila's background

It's when she actively networked with people who helped

in product management and user experience design

in shaping her perspective and approach. Mithila

combined with business learnings, has immensely helped

regularly seeks feedback from her teammates, bosses,

her in creating solutions that address customer's pain

and peers to overcome her shortcomings.

areas. At Trinity, she learned to create products that impact the society at large. “Social innovation that

Necessary Attributes to Excel

provides a smart and safe environment for citizens to

Mithila explains three key attributes that every

dwell in, adds meaning and purpose to my job” , Mithila

transformational leader should possess. One is the

adds.

ability to take calculated risks. She explains that while bringing a transformation in the way things are done

Experiences of Value

traditionally, there is some element of risk involved. If

A couple of experiences have shaped Mithila's journey,

one does not take that leap, then the organization loses

for which she is grateful. Shifting domains from her core

its ability to adapt and evolve.

area of specialization in semiconductors to software was

Second, according to her, is identifying champions.

not easy for her. She had to reskill and upskill quite a bit to

Building a team to champion the cause and persistently

appreciate and apply technology in greater depths. Also,

drive that message is vital to success. So, she says

37

encouraging a fail fast and failing early culture is

fatalities, plan and prepare for disasters and more. AI can

important for innovation.

truly impact lives by reducing the stress on authorities

Thirdly, she stresses influence without authority to bring

and help them plan and manage city operations

transformation that can transcend many boundaries.

effectively.

Mithila says that the support of different functions and

“The cities of the future will soon account for 90% of the

departments is detrimental for any transformation to be

global population. As per IDC worldwide, the global

successful. So, identifying the influencing levers is vital to

spending on smart cities will reach $189.5 billion in 2023.

advocate collaboration.

Trinity's solutions are cutting edge and with over 50 deployments in India and globally, we are well-

Balancing Technological Challenges

positioned to drive thought leadership for the next-gen

One of the biggest challenges for leaders today is to keep

cities”, Mithila adds.

pace with emerging technology. Mithila thus asserts that the decisions and implementation times have to be

Advice for Budding Leaders

shortened, else you could be too late to enter the market.

Mithila believes that self-belief is very important.

She says that a huge shift in mindset is required so that

Women need to believe that they can change the world if

one can no longer be resistant to change, as change is the

they aspire to. They need to tell themselves that they

only constant in today's fast-paced tech world. The

deserve better and take charge of their professional

second challenge she believes in is creating products that

path. She says one must be willing to take that leap of

are tailored to address customer pain points. As most

faith and challenge their comfort zone. As women try too

people now have access to digital applications,

hard to be perfect at everything - being a perfect student,

c o n s u m e r s ex p e c t p e r s o n a l i z a t i o n . B a l a n c i n g

perfect wife, perfect mother, perfect boss. But many

personalization, while trying to achieve scale in business

times, by aiming for perfection you set unrealistic and

is something that most leaders are grappling with today.

unattainable goals. Mithila instead says striving for excellence and creating a healthy support ecosystem

Future of Opportunities

through your colleagues, family and friends can

Mithila believes that IoT and AI can have a significant

empower women.

impact on all city operations. With almost 55% of the

Mithila then stresses not to compromise one's value

world's population now living in urban areas, there is

system. She says having the courage to stand up for what

enormous stress on the city's political, economic, and

you believe is right, no matter the consequences is

social infrastructure. Adding digital intelligence to urban

important.

systems and equipping the workforce with technology

“There are a lot of young women out there looking for

helps city authorities to reduce commute time for

direction and opportunities to excel. Grow your tribe, by

citizens, reduce energy consumption, effectively manage

helping and guiding them”, says Mithila, encouraging

waste, provide faster response to emergencies and avert

other leaders.

38

HOW TO SUPPORT WOMEN IN TECH INDUSTRY?

42

A

ccording to data from the Center for Talent

development opportunities for women leaders

Innovation, more than 75% of young women

focused on building the leadership competencies

engineers, computer scientists and other

needed to thrive in your organization.

technologists describe themselves as “very ambitious,” with 85% gunning for a promotion in the next 3 years and

Research has found that men are likely to say they're

62% aspiring to one day reach the C-suite. Just 25% of

ready to take on a new challenge when they feel they

young women in the tech industry say they get the career

have about 60% of the knowledge and skills they need.

support they've been promised. Despite the young

Women, by contrast, are more likely to wait until they

women's commitment and enthusiasm, about 2/3 of

feel they are 90% there. To advance, women need to say

women engineers leave the profession within 15 years,

“Yes” more often and more quickly. Top women tech

and that statistic is even more pronounced for women on

leaders are passionate about what their companies do,

the technical track.

what their teams are doing, and what they do. Women in leadership roles in the tech industry should understand

What's particularly important about that 80:20 male-to-

their value and know what they want.

female ratio in the tech industry is that the research consistently shows a widespread desire to be

Women generally get markedly easier stretch

surrounded by male engineers or computer scientists,

assignments. But senior tech leaders need business

and the consequent rejection or minimization of the

acumen, negotiation skills and political savvy.

contributions of minority groups who are seen as

Challenging stretch assignments provide better

different or “diverse”. This leads to exclusion from

opportunities to develop those skills. Women in the

informal networks that enhance skills and provide useful

industry must receive more opportunities with a focus

insights into organizational politics. These biases shape

on these hard leadership skills. Growth opportunities

assumptions, perception of leadership skills and

can include “extra” responsibilities, such as presenting on

advancement. When a woman's excellence at a “soft”

behalf of the company at a conference or serving on an

task is seen as “natural,” it's less valued and not

industry technical standards committee. Women

considered a noteworthy achievement. In contrast, an

engineers need to also make sure that they're successful

adequate performance by men in stereotypically

with these opportunities and that they get credit for

“feminine” or “soft” skills like nurturing, emotional

them.

expressiveness and communication is considered exceptional — leading to better ratings, faster promotions, and higher pay for them.

These 3 steps will help improve the retention of talented women leaders: Ÿ Challenge them with assignments that require them to learn and practice new skills. Ÿ Connect them with potential mentors and sponsors who will provide feedback and support. Ÿ Invest in them by offering formalized leadership

43

The Art of Conversational AI, Humanizing Technology to Transforming Customer Experience for Business Growth

T

ika Sylvia is the Vice President of marketing and

way humans collaborate with machines. It is believed

communication at Kata.ai. She is mission-

that AI technology and language are humanity's most

oriented and a technically sophisticated

incredible creations. Combining their powers will unlock

professional with over 10 years of background in various

new possibilities, enabling better interaction between

industries which include prop-tech, logistic, hospitality

humans and machines to create a limitless future.

and food delivery in start-up companies. She has

Established in 2015, Kata.ai has become a trusted

excellent communication skills, a strong background in

partner for major corporations in Indonesia across

data-driven marketing, analytical and detail-oriented

various industries such as FMCG, telco, fintech, e-

mindset, with a proven track record in productivity &

Commerce, news, banking industry and many more. The

efficiency.

company helps hundreds of brands and partners to optimize customer engagement by leveraging the power

Enhanced Collaboration Between Humans and

of conversational AI technology, bringing the brands to

Machines

achieve their business goals by improving customer

Kata.ai is an Indonesian conversational artificial

experience with smart chatbots, automated support on

intelligence company with a focus on enhancing the

any channels to improve customer satisfaction, until

understanding of human conversations, improving the

improving marketing engagement through website or

44

Tika Sylvia VP Marketing & Communication Kata.ai

45

“ “Humanizing Technology Through Emotional Aspects in Brand Strategy. Don't just digitize, yet humanize! Because people do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, emotions & stories. It is really about people.

People buy technology from people.”

- Tika Sylvia VP Marketing & Communications Kata.ai

www.kata.ai

46

chat apps. The company unlocks the value of data with its

It is important to make the team understand that every

technology through billions of processed conversations.

single task they do, always has a purpose, value and meaning for themselves and the company.

A Technically Sophisticated and Professional Marketeer

Inclusivity into the Working Environment

Tika Sylvia is a mission-oriented, technically

For Tika, bringing inclusivity into the working

sophisticated professional marketeer and an ecosystem-

environment became the most challenging part. Though

builder with over 10 years of background in various

it looks like a game, being in the tech-start-up company

industries. Before Kata.ai, she was the CMO (Chief

requires to be ready with the changes.

Marketing Officer) at RoomMe (Indonesia's First Virtual

She says, “there is no shortcut to being what you want to

Kost Operator) and Associate Vice President Marketing

be right now, or to be one of the leaders in the start-up

at Ninja Xpress (Indonesia's Logistic Company).

company”. Tika started her career as a specialist

She is voted as one of the top Indonesian Women Leaders

marketer before, now she chose to become 'A Jack of

2021 recognized by CMO Asia & World Women

Trade,' with an understanding of a wide range of things,

Leadership Congress by 2021, in recognition of her

across a variety of integrated marketing techniques with

experience, expertise and ongoing commitment to

360 marketing growth to drive the future success of

keeping at the cutting-edge of the marketing profession

organizations. At the end of the day, whether specialist or

in various industries.

generalist, the fundamental thing is a curiosity to fully

Besides that, last May 2021, she was honoured to receive

understand an integrated marketing strategy which

an award as The Most Innovative Women in Prop-Tech

makes everyone need to have both a broad and depth of

Company by National Award Foundation, Mediatama

skills to be able to give an edge in one particular area, but

Management by 2021.

also keep other options open for the future.

Winning Mentality for an Individual

Team Involvement and Engagement

Tika Sylvia said that adopting the winning mentality in

The challenge Tika experienced as the marketing leader

working spirit is something that she has learned from her

in a start-up company is to get her team members

former leader, a mentality for an individual who achieves

involved and engaged. Translating the company's goals

greatness consistently. She believes that “No one can

into the team's focus and taking the pressure from group

whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.

strategy and making it fit locally was also a challenge. “It

She has tons of weaknesses, and she always welcomes

is important to make the team members feel they're in

someone who can complete me, playing the other

control and they're empowered to run their job. The

musical instruments to create harmony together.”

critical attribute every leader should possess is how we

Making the team involved and valued is beyond the

can get people to do things because they are part of it,

definition of the cliche company culture. It is a must to

also because they think that it's a good idea and

make the team be a part of something innovative.

beneficial for them”, said Tika.

Everyone can help learn something, no matter who they are, no matter what their level positions are. Tika

Humanizing Technology Through Emotional Aspects

believes that the more people learn from the experiences

Tika believes, “Marketing is not something we do at

of others (good or bad), the more they can learn when

people, its something we do for people.” For her, the

they are positioned to make decisions.

secret sauce of innovating products to market in this

47

digital era is by humanizing technology, through

to cater to the right potential audiences from around our

emotional aspects in brand strategy. She mentions,

company's brand.”

doesn't just digitize, yet humanize. People do not buy products and services. They buy relations, emotions and

Views on Disruptive Technology

stories. It is really about people. People buy technology

Tika says, “let's think back to the last time when we tried

from people, says Tika.

to order a taxi with just a tap from a simple application.

At the end of the day, people can see how AI technology

Do we still search the taxi's phone numbers via google or

can be the most effective way to bring 'Humanity Back to

yellow pages, and order it via phone call? I do not think

Our Marketing.' According to Tika, these secret sauces

that people are still doing that anymore, since we are

reflecting into 4 things:

already familiar with the brands like uber, grab, and gojek

Emphasize the Human Side in Conversational Marketing

(from Indonesia).” According to her, digital disruptions

“Whatever the brand she manages, she always starts to

are very real, dynamic and rapidly changing at this

talk about her customer's yard, not about her grass seed.”

moment. All businesses need to capture it and also need

In other words, she starts an honest conversation about

to stay proactive to keep up-to-date on any upcoming

what became the value for a customer's business, instead

technology trends in this industry.

of touching customers with statistics about the stellar

In various businesses from e-commerce, fintech,

company.

logistics or retail that are currently enjoying rapid

Provide Personalized Approach

growth, people might not realize that they have been

Tika believes that marketing is about starting a

staying in a price war ecosystem where brands compete

conversation, it makes her always encourage the team

with each other to deliver the best products and lowest

approach to speak to the customer as an individual

price. But things have changed. The latest trends show

through technology and make their own 'voice' appealing

that it's not only product quality that has the biggest

to the customers.

impact on sales conversion especially, instead it's also

Talk with Customer Languages

about the seamless and positive customer experiences a

By understanding who the customers are, one should be

brand delivers, says Tika.

able to talk, connect and engage using their languages.

A Walker study found that at the end of 2020, customer

Engage with The Right Communities

experience will overtake price and product as the key

Tika says, as we connect individuals to our brand, they

brand. Over 80% of customers are willing to pay more for

will seek out others with which our brand aligns. She

a better experience. Bringing the technology to achieve

always remembers that all are social. What all are

better customer engagement that contributes to the

thinking, what all are doing, sometimes it can be

company's revenue goals is very possible with AI

influenced by what all we see on social platforms. She

technology.

says, “It makes me always put 'Community Engagement'

48

Route to the Future

experience that she had, other external factors also

For every industry, staying ahead of the most recent

contribute to driving her to achieve great performance

trends is the only way to survive, excel and thrive in our

and success in her career. That is an inspiring leader. She

ever-changing world. Expectations for business have

met a few inspiring leaders on her path, who spread his

changed already. From using social interaction and

leader's passion in a way that enabled her to feel

messaging apps for chat activities only, until now it can be

passionate about what she is doing. This shared passion

used to sell products and services with a personable

is a critical condition that makes her feel as if her work

touch that is growing exponentially.

has a purpose and meaning beyond the daily task. It

Here is the rise of conversational commerce, where the

makes her get a big picture in a very helicopter view on

heart of this is in human interaction. With an increasing

how we grow together in an organization.

number of brands and retailers adopting this tech,

F u r t h e r, s h e s a y s , “ w h e n I f a c e c h a l l e n g i n g

consumers are beginning to use it greater than ever

circumstances, I take a few minutes to remember some

before.

inspirational leaders. Two of my favourites are a former

“69% of US consumers, 76% of Brazil consumers say that

Managing Director of foodpanda Indonesia (Rocket

being able to message a business helps them feel more

Internet) and another one is someone behind a

confident about the brand. And this confidence is

successful prop-tech company in Indonesia”. She is

translating to sales with businesses enjoying huge

inspired by individuals who make the decisions with their

upsurges in their profits as a result of using

high standards of ethics and integrity, even though it may

conversational technology.

not be popular and hard to be received at that time, a type

Tike believes conversational commerce offers a broad

of person that inspired her to achieve things beyond that

range of benefits for businesses, providing a superior

which they thought she could accomplish.

experience to customers they had been providing

“I am always concerned about the team's bandwidth and

without having to massively increase staffing levels or

capacity”. Hence, encouraging the team to know about

budgets. Enabling personalized recommendation via

focus & priorities will encourage them to work smart,

text, picture, or video on chat feature, whatsApp or other

instead of only work hard.”

messengers' apps.

She advised bringing the team to macro thinking by highlighting the top agreed with metrics, instead of

Select an Inspiring Leader

monitoring their micro activities and defining clear OKRs

Tika says, “Choose appropriate leaders, find the leaders

to maximize the team's effort and achieve it together.

who inspire a lot & learn from their perspective”. The

This macro thinking will bring them into a result-oriented

main reason for Tika to stay at one company is because of

mindset. She also appreciates the process indirectly with

the leader. On top of the ability, knowledge and

the daily team's assistance.

49

Leading a Real-Time Revolution

A

gora is a leading video, voice and live

the Agora developer community and build a partner

interactive streaming platform, helping

ecosystem. Fast forward to today and Agora has grown

developers deliver rich in-app experiences

its active developer base by more than 50X and became a

through real-time messaging. Traditionally, real-time

public traded company in 2020.

video and voice interaction would happen standalone in dedicated applications such as WebEx or Zoom. But

Career Shifts that Paved New Ways

increasingly, people want to engage directly in

Virginia had several big career shifts that led her to

applications they're already using or designed for their

believe that anyone can grow and learn a new skill if you

specific use cases.

put your mind to it. Growing up in a foreign country and

Agora's 'Real-Time Engagement Platform' provides

having a finance background, Virginia never imagined

developers with simple-to-use, customizable and widely

that she could have a successful career in marketing in

compatible APIs to embed real-time video and voice into

the United States.

their applications without the need to build the

“I also did not know anything about high-tech until I

infrastructure themselves. Today, Agora powers more

started working at Microsoft. We are living in an ever-

than 50 billion minutes of human connections each

changing world and being a life-long learner is essential

month in a wide variety of use cases including social,

to the success of any leader,” she said.

gaming, online education, telehealth, virtual events and

Turning Challenges into Opportunities

many more.

Virginia says there are many stereotypes about women, particularly Asian women, who are often perceived as

A Passionate Leader Driven to Success

hard workers but not great people leaders. Sse remains

Virginia Liu is the Senior Vice President of Marketing and

forever grateful to the first manager who believed in

Ecosystems at Agora. She met Tony Zhao, Agora's

Virginia's ability to lead, allowing her to prove herself as a

founder and CEO in 2017 whwhile working at Microsoft

leader. “Everyone needs a sponsor who sees your

and quickly learned that Agora was building APIs to

potential without bias and champions for you”, she said.

enable developers to easily add real-time voice and video to their apps. Later, Tony would describe the company to

Traits of a Leader

her as a provider of real-time internet since the public

According to Virginia, a leader needs to encourage

internet is not designed and built for real-time.

creativity and innovation within any organization and

Extremely impressed by the product and Tony'svision,

empower employees working at the frontlines. She feels

she decided to join the company with a mandate to grow

that this quality is important for a leader to exemplify the

50

Virginia Liu Senior Vice President of Marketing and Ecosystems at Agora, Management team

51

“ Real-Time Engagement platforms like Agora unbundled real-time voice and video, and enabled ANYONE to be a creator, to build immersive and engaging experiences that connect people together.”

- Virginia Liu Senior Vice President of Marketing and Ecosystems at Agora, Management team

www.agora.io

52

highest moral standards and a strong work ethic that in

Recognizing the Role of Disruptive Technologies

turn encourages others to do the same. Virginia stresses

Virginia says AI is widely being used in the real-time

that having an open mindset and the ability to foster an

engagement for enhancing video and audio. In fact,

authentic communication style is vital to succeed.

Agora's technology uses AI to deliver many features such as noise cancelation, facial filters and content

Looking Proactively for Solutions

moderation among others. These help increase user

The biggest challenge potential Agora customers have

experience by making it more engaging andfun

faced is that the public Internet is not designed for real-

With the growing popularity of live engagement features

time voice and video traffic. And so, she says, the

g i v i n g c o m p a n i e s a n d i n d i v i d u a l s a l i ke m o r e

company has been dedicated to providing a real-time

opportunities to interact with each other, the real-time

internet since 2014. To solve this problem, Agora built a

nature of live video also presents its fair share of issues

virtual network on top of the public internet which they

that can be both ethical and tech-related, she says.

call Software Defined-Real-Time Network (SD-RTN).

“As more videos are recorded and broadcasted live, AI

Anintelligent routing algorithm developed by Agora

will play an increasingly crucial role in monitoring,

engineers ensures voice andvideo traffic is transported

improving, and personalizing interactive streams,

with the lowest latency, which is critical for all real-time

detecting harmful content and personalizing the user

applications.

experience”, Virginia adds.

Virginia describes SD-RTN as the “HOV” lane of the

This, in turn, will make it a safter experience for everyone.

public internet, saying it to be on average about twice the speed of the public internet. And, she says that Agora has

A Vision of the Future

never had system-wide downtime in the company's

Agora has constantly driven towards innovations; the

history. It's a prideful record that none of Agora's

channel size is getting bigger as use cases are expanded

competitors can match, according to Virginia.

into e-commerce and entertainment. Virginia recounts

Of course, Agora is a platform created by and for

the Grammy Premiere ceremony that was watched by 12

developers. While often compared to Zoom's video

million people online and was powered by Agora's

conferencing software, Virginia says,

customer TVU network. Agora has also been developing

Agora offers much more than one-to-one

solutions for the next generation of user interface such

communicationThe company's offering of highly

as VR/AR devices, IoT devices and smart appliances. The

customizable APIs can be used by developers working

future ahead will see more innovations coming with the

across the gamut of industries. She considers Zoom a

latest technologies.

“one-size-fits-all” solution, while Agora's technology allows developers to create their unique vision for an app

An Inspiring Note to Budding Women Leaders

or platform.

Virginia says that life is too short to waste on people who

“We made it easy for any developer leveraging any

doubt your abilities and potential. She asks the upcoming

language platform and targeting any device to use Agora.

women leaders to believe in themselves, working with

In order to appeal to creators with no coding

and for people who believe in them.

background, we also developed a no-code solution that

“It is certainly noble to strive to be a great leader, but it is

allows anyone to build a video application with a drag-

important to remember that your day-to-day actions is

and-drop wizard,” she said.

what truly inspires others to succeed.”

53

An Innovative Women Tech Leader Accelerating Digital Transformation Across Industries

D

igital transformation plays a major role in

helps communications service providers (CSPs) and their

allowing organizations to enhance and

suppliers to digitally transform and thrive in the digital

intensify their performance, customer

era.

experience, brand image and employee engagement. It has become unavoidable for all enterprises and

Driving Digital Transformation Globally

businesses to digitally transform their operations

TM Forum is an association of over 850 member

because it enables them to remain competitive and adapt

companies, which include 10 of the world's top 10

to changing customer expectations, particularly in the

network and communications providers and stretch

pandemic era and beyond.

across 180 countries. Its members tap into each other's

Joann O'Brien is a digital transformation leader with

collective experiences and abilities to collaboratively

over 30+ years experience in driving large-scale change

solve complex industry-wide challenges, deploy new

initiatives. Today, Joann leads TM Forum's Beyond

services, and create technology breakthroughs to

Connectivity Initiative which develops the industry

accelerate change.

strategies and blueprints for growing

The organisation helps communications service

telecommunication businesses leveraging the core

providers (CSPs) and its suppliers to digitally transform

capability of connectivity and building new business

and thrive in the digital era. This is done by providing an

opportunities with high growth potential. Joann also

open, collaborative environment and practical support

leads the Business Architecture initiative which

which enables CSPs and suppliers to rapidly transform

identifies the key capabilities of Telco to enable

their business operations, IT systems, and ecosystems to

transformative growth. Joann is the Vice President of

capitalize on the opportunities presented in a rapidly

Digital Ecosystems at TM Forum, the organisation which

evolving digital world.

56

Joann O'Brien VP Digital Ecosystems TM Forum

57

“ “Each step and each challenge eventually turn into a positive outcome through persistence, intuition, and enjoyment of the journey”.

- Joann O'Brien VP Digital Ecosystems TM Forum

www.tmforum.org

58

An Effective Technology Leader

In 2007, she joined TM Forum, the opportunity to work

Joann's technical career started back in 1995 when she

and influence at an industry level is what attracted her to

worked as a Systems Analyst for a US Health Insurance

working at the Forum. I have had the opportunity to lead

company, redesigning the claims processing capability to

some of the most exciting and most impactful initiatives,

significantly improve the processing time of complex

from Director of Frameworx, being the one of the key

claims, and developing the training to be deployed across

founders and lead of the Open API initiative which has

all US sites.

transformed interoperability and scalability across the

Later, she moved to Apple and worked on the first iMac

telecommunications industry and beyond, and today to

product as a lead engineer, where she gained experience

the Beyond Connectivity Initiative with the potential to

from both technical and a business perspective and

simplify the consumption of connectivity by every

learned about the importance of market trade-offs and

product, service and application on the planet. She says,

timing. This experience was invaluable for her as it took

“I feel this role is taking my career full circle to the

her beyond the technical aspects and helped realise the

application layer, leveraging technology such as 5G in the

importance of synchronicity between business and

transformation of business and improving the lives of

technical. She has traversed this boundary since,

millions through the effective application to sectors such

through her career.

as health care, manufacturing, automotive and cities”.

Then she became inspired by telecommunications. The

The most interesting thing for Joann is the mix of

potential to play a role in connecting every person and

business and technology. While there needs to be strong

thing on the planet was exciting. The difference this could

technology, it must be complemented with innovation on

make to the lives and businesses everywhere has been

the business side, in particular business model

the cornerstone of her career over the past 20 years.

innovation, evolving from supplier to partner relations,

Initially, she worked on network infrastructure, mobile

creating win-win-win across ecosystems, and finding the

exchanges, and subsequently, the management

right business models for all partners in the ecosystems

platforms in telecoms.

to grow. “Given changes that are occurring across many

59

industries at present, this new area will be the

along the journey, is a key to the pursuit of success in a

cornerstone of success for our members to thrive in the

chosen field.

era of digital business, focused on platforms,

In technology, however, there are some additional

partnerships and ecosystems”, said Joann.

attributes that will serve a leader well, one is collaboration, said Joann. Technology is very

Every Setback is an Opportunity

collaborative. Rarely, one person has all the answers,

Joann believes that with every experience and setback,

therefore, people must work together to achieve

there is learning, and we should take what we can from it

significant goals. Successful teams will have a diverse set

and move on. It's good to have a clear vision to aim for

of skills and success is achieved through teams. Having a

and then to focus on the micro successes to achieving

collaborative style and helping teams to achieve their

your goal. If you are very focused on a single mission, do

success by helping each person to be successful in their

also take time to keep a broader eye on the market to

own right, will breathe success.

make sure you are not missing new opportunities.

Being able to communicate the vision and bring people

“For me a great part of the journey has been, meeting

along, is another important attribute. Aiming to do

like-minded people, building great relationships, and

something fundamentally different requires a mindset

knowing that the work we are doing is making a

and cultural shift in an organization, having the

difference right across the industry and ultimately to

communication skills to bring key stakeholders and then

lives of millions of people.” She adds.

being able to build a team to help realize success, is

Joann further said, “We should seek out opportunities

invaluable, said Joann.

that have a broad impact, particularly early in our

Additionally, being a good listener, listening to team

careers. In this way, we will gain vast experience and a

members, to the industry, understanding the landscape,

broader perspective. Opportunities that help us to open

and adapting can make a significant difference in

our eyes a little bit wider are incredibly useful”.

achieving the goal, she mentioned.

Making a Significant Difference in Achieving Goals

The Fundamentals to Future Success

Combining a vision for the future with a meticulous

Joann was appreciative of early training she received

dedication to the millions of steps at any given moment

which had instilled in her the importance of divergent

60

thinking and considering things from many different

seamlessly, building trust with customers ensuring the

perspectives. This became part of her DNA and approach

effectiveness of the service being delivered to them.

to her work. This has helped with product design but also understanding stakeholder perspectives.

Road to the Future

These concepts, plus collaboration, iteration, and co-

The realization of ubiquitous connectivity will be a

creation between development teams and the customer

cornerstone of the future of the telecommunications

and product teams are fundamental to future success.

industry which will in turn be an enabler to the digital

Continuous validation that one is driving in the right

transformation of many industries. Hence, a strategic

direction, involving the customer at every stage of the

focus for TM Forum is 'connectivity as a service,' the

journey will increase the likelihood of success and breath

ability to manage and optimize the right connectivity for

a sense of trust with the customer.

the right service everywhere, every time. Joann expresses, “I am delighted to be leading this initiative”.

AI, ML and Automation, Creating New Levels of

When I consider the fundamentals of the digital

Efficiency

revolution, the connectedness of everything on the

Joann believes, “We are on the cusp of a step-change in

planet is one of the most important aspects. From fridges

the digital revolution, one which will dwarf the dot com

and TVs in the home to MRI and CT machines in the

era”. The radical transformation of business and life

hospital to streetlights and traffic lights in the city to

including the adoption of global platforms across the

connected machines on the factory floor, we are

industry will transform many different vertical

undoubtedly evolving to an era of ubiquitous

businesses. Global platforms, combined with localization

connectivity as a fundamental to the next phase of the

capabilities and disruptive technologies such as 5G, AI,

digital revolution”, she added.

ML, DL, automation, cloud, and big data will transform

This is an immensely exciting phase, helping to design,

every industry, creating new levels of efficiency and

develop and deliver consistent connectivity as a service,

simplicity. The one constant is the customer, ensuring

with all of our telecommunications service provider

that customer needs are met, breaking down silos across

members across the globe to reduce the friction of

industries, and creating a ubiquitous experience across

embedding connectivity in every product, service, and

traditional boundaries will make common data models

application in the future, will exponentially accelerate

and open APIs even more fundamentally important.

digital transformation in every sector.

Joann said, as one of the founders and lead for the TM Forum Open APIs, it was critical for the long-term vision

Pointers For Emerging Women Leaders

to ensure the technology was completely service and

Joann suggested certain pointers for the budding and

technology-neutral, meaning that the APIs could be used

emerging women leaders to become successful:

on operationalizing any service. “As we continue to see a

Ÿ

Search for your passion

further blurring of industry boundaries and the growing

Ÿ

Total ownership for your career

expectations of customers for the ubiquitous experience

Ÿ

Initially seek simply to get involved and add value to the team

across different sectors, these APIs and data models can play a critically important role in helping to create that

Ÿ

in lifelong learning

experience”. There will be a growing need for partnerships between industries and across industries.

Learn from opportunities and challenges and believe

Ÿ

Enjoy the journey!

Hence a focus on the ability to partner effectively and

61

The Fearless Leader Making Strong Grounds for Women

K

indly brief us about the company, its

external Privacy Lead and Data Protection Officer role for

specialization and the services that your

global organizations. I also manage company finance and

company offers.

supporting operations, human resources; performance

Aleada aims to educate and advise its clients to incorporate

management and business development.

the important concept of privacy into all aspects of its

I've always had an interest in technology, learning to code at

business. This creates a culture personal data protection that

age 8. I have a Master's of Science in Decision and

will build consumer trust, comply with privacy laws, and

Information Science from the University of Florida. I started

create a stronger competitive advantage in the market.

my career in external and internal technology auditing, risk

We want our clients to understand the value of using their

management and project management. I transitioned into

data in responsible ways, not just to achieve compliance with

privacy and information security consulting about 7 years

privacy laws, but also to demonstrate to consumers and

ago.

customers they can be trusted to protect personal data.

What were the past experiences, achievement or Give a brief overview of your background and your role

lessons that shaped your journey as a successful women

in the company.

leader?

Aleada Partner and Co-Founder responsible for leading a

Ÿ

Challenging myself outside of my normal role by taking on

variety of advisory projects in privacy compliance and

more responsibility or taking on projects with which I had

information security governance. Alya also serves as an

no previous experience.

62

Alya J. Franklin Aleada Partner and Co-Founder Aleada Consulting

63

“ Quantum computing could dramatically shift the ways we use and protect data. As the power and speed of quantum computing rapidly increases, companies should continuously assess their information security risks and impacts to their organization. They need to consider what appropriate measures and compensating actions are needed to proactively prepare for the future power of quantum computers, which threaten the security of public-key cryptography.

- Alya J. Franklin Aleada Partner and Co-Founder Aleada Consulting

www.aleada.co

64

Ÿ

Ÿ

Ÿ

Ÿ

Ÿ

Not making excuses for my lack of experience and getting

focused on external IT auditing, risk and compliance. I worked

the work done by being resourceful as well as utilizing the

endlessly on audit reports which informed our clients issues

strength of team members and relationships to

that were identified and recommended solutions, but

accomplish my goals.

unfortunately could not help them implement the

Operating outside of my comfort zone and asking for

recommendations we provided due to audit independence

promotions

requirements. I recognized that it was time to pivot my career.

Networking often, having great mentors to help me along

Now that I have my own company, I can focus on the clients

the professional journey. And now passing on my

and projects that where I feel I can add more value. I am

experience and knowledge by mentoring the next

honored to work with a diverse group of tech companies and

generation of leaders in my field.

their cross functional teams to build efficient operational

Helping start a non-profit organization called Women in

processes to mitigate privacy and information security risks. I

Security and Privacy (WISP). Seven years ago, I

now spend more time in learning my client's business

recognized along with six other women that there was a

operations and understanding the ever-changing challenges

need to support our female peers and provide mentorship

they are facing. This knowledge helps me to innovate and

in the security and privacy field. Our mission is to advance

change their company culture so they can build consumer

women as well as minorities to become leaders in the

trust, increase transparency, and operate in a more privacy-

converging fields of information security and privacy.

aware environment.

I started a business with two amazing business partners who are also WISP board members, and close friends at a

Describe some of the vital attributes that every

time when I had nothing to lose. We all came together

transformational leader should possess.

desiring a professional change and were ready to take a

Lead with empathy and compassion; have confidence and

risk to start a business without looking back. Our initial

take risks; treat others with respect; and take time to mentor

investment started with a ripped $20 bill we used to open

the future leaders.

up the business bank account. Ÿ

We built Aleada with a goal to build a culture and flexible

How do you innovate your products/solutions that

work environment based on our values and a passion for

appeal to your target audience?

privacy and technology while promoting diversity,

At Aleada we anticipate how rapid changes to technology

entrepreneurship, and inspiring the next generation of

and innovation impact how companies may adapt and evolve

leaders in privacy and data protection.

their culture to weave in privacy and data protection as their products and services change.

Kindly mention some of the primal challenges that you faced during the initial phase of your journey.

How are disruptive technologies like Artificial

I started my career at a “big four” accounting firm primarily

Intelligence/Machine Learning/Deep Learning/

65

Automation/Cloud Computing/Big Data impacting

Optional - Cloud computing has been around for some time.

today's innovation and how has the role of a leader has

This has allowed smaller companies to scale quicker and use

changed over the years?

available technology resources without having a large IT

There is a lot to cover on each topic; however, leaders must

department. However, it does introduce many risks

think strategically about the longer-term risks and benefits of

concerning information security that may not be recognized

emerging technologies.

without the right expertise and experience.

One of the biggest risks being discussed is related to quantum computing. The increasing power of quantum computers will

How do you see the company and the industry in the

have significant advantages and risks to how we use and

future ahead?

protect data. Although different quantum machines will

Aleada's platform includes people, processes, and technology

solve problems faster and make predictions differently that

that will continue to evolve as privacy laws change and as

will benefit many industries, it is expected that quantum

companies continue to innovate. Companies will rely on us

computers could break public-key cryptography in this

more to navigate them through and manage the complex

decade. This may not happen for several years but this will

regulatory privacy landscape so they can focus on their

impact the companies who rely on this widely used

business.

encryption approach to protect their data. As the power and speed of quantum computing rapidly increases, companies

What is your advice for budding or emerging women

should continuously assess their information security risks

leaders?

and impacts to their organization. They need to consider

Take proactive steps to lead initiatives at your company,

what appropriate measures and compensating actions are

know current and emerging trends in your industry,

needed to proactively prepare for the power of quantum

contribute to thought leadership, and make time to mentor

computers, which could threaten public-key cryptography.

and support other women in their career development. Take

On a positive note, the National Institute of Standards and

risks when you know you do not have anything to lose and do

Technology (NIST) is already developing post-quantum

not get discouraged when things do not work out as your

cryptography and a standard is expected by 2023. Other

planned in the beginning. A professional career will always

companies are also researching quantum-safe cryptography

have many course corrections along the way.

alternatives.

Organizations should conduct ongoing

research on advantages and implications before adopting new approaches to data protection.

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