When tech firms champion women, everybody wins

Nasuni’s Kenz Mroue on why channel firms benefit from hiring women across all levels and the value of a career in tech

Ada Lovelace’s example is inspiring women to achieve their ambitions and make an even greater contribution to the world with STEM/computing skills – knowledge that is delivering transformational results across Europe’s tech industry.

We’ve seen headlines that only around one quarter of UK tech industry jobs go to women but I’m constantly excited to see how women in the channel are making huge contributions to our industry. They’re helping partner companies establish exciting new opportunities – and customers to solve critical business problems. Successive research has proven that diverse, equitable and inclusive companies are more innovative, take better decisions and deliver higher performance outcomes.

Ada blazed a trail for women, not only through her prescient intellect but also her willingness to collaborate with others to create new opportunities. As well as working with Charles Babbage on early calculating machines, she envisioned possibilities for computing beyond mathematical calculations.

I take inspiration from her ability from a young age to work with those around her: that’s why I believe when tech companies champion women, everybody wins.

Development and disruption

I was drawn to tech because of its constant development and disruption. With new innovations and products every year, no two days are the same. The way software firms disrupt markets and deliver game-changing possibilities and efficiencies always fascinates and energises me.

My channel experience is that tech companies that inspire and support women in developing their leadership and commercial insights with open, inclusive, and innovative environments, will ensure success for all.

My passion for the channel is rooted in driving high-growth organisations, entering new markets and territories, and shaping strategy. When we recently launched in France, it gave me the opportunity to help foster our partner network and key relationships from the ground up.

Nasuni’s supportive culture has helped me quickly assume a strategic leadership role in partner management. Our leaders equipped me with the advice and best practices to help me manage teams, support colleagues and enhance our work. As a result, I have guided our partner team to closer collaboration across departments on marketing, sales development, and account management, to realise shared goals.

After eight years in tech, I am developing my leadership capabilities and realising new industry strategies in my current role managing EMEA partners to build strong business pipelines and mutual success. I’m excited to be guiding a team that can build individual strategies with different integrators, resellers, and ISVs – constantly activating, connecting and leveraging new partner initiatives.

Continual support

While tech firms are undoubtedly supporting women, the wider industry must champion them all the way, reversing the fall-off in girls taking STEM subjects in higher education and inspiring more women candidates to seek a career in our industry.

Employers need to cast off their unconscious bias, hire more women and give them a full grounding in the industry and requisite commercial skills.

And tech firms should value women as they acquire new skills and progress to senior management and specialist jobs, creating role models to inspire school-leavers, undergraduates, and new joiners, and deliver the women leaders our industry needs.

Nasuni backed me and my female colleagues stage by stage: it’s gratifying to be ‘promoted from within’ rather than management looking elsewhere.

Win-win

Ada Lovelace’s stellar work in early computing continues to inspire women. And it’s exciting that women like me in the channel have been inspired by open and inclusive-minded people in smart companies. As women tech specialists and channel executives fulfill our ambitions and ability to collaborate, we can accelerate our industry’s progress and benefit the wider world. Everyone can win.