In January 2025, US President Donald Trump signed executive orders dismantling DEI programs within the federal government. This prompted giant tech corporations such as Google and Amazon to follow suit and roll back their own DEI policies. While this obviously impacts far more than just women in isolation, it does exacerbate challenges for a group who have traditionally struggled to enter and advance within the tech industry.
For International Women’s Day 2025, we spoke with three women working in tech today—a Chief Information Officer (CIO) leading a global team; a Program Manager navigating the complexities of enterprise technology; and a Major Incident Manager who transitioned into tech from engineering. Their voices tell a story of resilience, advocacy, and change—and what still needs to happen to make the industry truly inclusive.
Existing hurdles for women in tech today
According to a 2023 study conducted by ‘Women in Tech’, women made up around 26% of the population working within the IT sector. While significantly higher than 20 years’ previously where it is estimated that 9% were female, this stat still represents an industry dominated by men. The CIO we spoke to highlighted how, at her current level, she is often the only woman in the room. She has also faced gender bias firsthand—with multiple assumptions throughout her career that she’d be the one making tea.
The program manager echoed this, pointing out that while entry-level opportunities for women in tech are improving, middle management remains a bottleneck. The CIO adds to this from her experience: “Up to a certain mid-level career, there was an even distribution of men and women. But in the higher levels, it was a much lower percentage. The assumption that everyone went off to have families was completely untrue. [I attended a diversity and inclusion event where it became clear that] many women left at this stage because of the lack of promotion opportunities at senior levels”.
The major incident manager described her experience in male-dominated meetings, where women’s perspectives can sometimes be dismissed or overlooked. The challenge, she noted, isn’t just about getting a seat at the table, it’s about ensuring that voice is heard and valued.
And of course, we’re still struggling with the gender pay gap. The program manager suggests that women are often paid less in her experience, than their male counterparts due to a lack of transparency in salary structures.
Workplace culture: Moving beyond performative inclusion
Diversity initiatives have become a focus for many organisations over the past few years, but the women we spoke to emphasised the need for authentic inclusion rather than box-ticking exercises.
The major incident manager shared how some diversity programs can unintentionally create fatigue and resentment if they are not integrated into the company’s core culture. Inclusion isn’t about positive discrimination—it’s about ensuring merit, opportunity, and fairness for all employees.
The CIO stressed that flexible working policies, support for working parents, and leadership training on unconscious bias are not just “nice-to-have” policies—they are business imperatives. Companies that embed these into their DNA will not only attract and retain top talent but will also build more innovative, successful teams.
The power of representation and sponsorship
One of the strongest themes that emerged in our discussions was the need for mentorship and particularly, sponsorship in order to support women in the tech field. Mentorship provides guidance and support on the job, but sponsorship is critical to actively opens doors for career progression. The CIO pointed out that her career growth was significantly influenced by sponsors—senior leaders who advocated for her, recommended her for leadership roles, and helped her navigate workplace politics:
The program manager believes that having women in leadership roles creates a ripple effect, encouraging more women to push forward in their careers. But she still sees middle management as very male-dominated with many women operating in junior entry level positions, and a few who’ve made it to the C-suite. And according to a 2022 report from McKinsey, just 52 women in tech are promoted to managerial positions for every 100 men. Plenty more can be done to support women in technology with furthering their careers, and it starts with representation.
But beyond just having female representation at the top, companies need to actively invest in development programs, mentorship initiatives, and sponsorship structures that help women advance into senior positions.
Looking ahead: A future built by women in tech
Despite the challenges, all three women we spoke to are optimistic about the future. There is a growing number of women entering cybersecurity, AI, and data science, and companies are beginning to recognize the value of diverse teams in driving better business outcomes.
There is plenty more which can be done by corporations and governments alike. Tech Education in schools should receive greater funding, as well as additional emphasis on apprenticeships and more advanced opportunities.
And their advice for women entering the industry?
Be vocal about your ambitions, build strong networks, and don’t be afraid to push yourself outside of your comfort zone.
This International Women’s Day, let’s celebrate not only the achievements of women in tech but also their role in driving meaningful change.
Methodology: We conducted in-depth interviews with three members of the Vanson Bourne Community, our expert network of IT and business professionals in the UK – the humans at the heart of tech. All three participants were female, and all IT decision makers.