In the bustling realm of Ireland's technology sector, there's a notable narrative often overshadowed by the industry's advancements: the underrepresentation of women. According to the Central Statistics Office, less than 25% of STEM jobs in Ireland are filled by women. This statistic not only reflects a significant gender gap but also underscores the pressing need to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of women in technology across the nation. In this blog post, we shine a spotlight on 25 extraordinary women who are defying stereotypes, breaking barriers, and driving innovation in Ireland's tech landscape.
Anne Carrigy, Chief Information Officer at Logitech
Anne is a visionary leader with 30+ years in consumer tech. As Logitech's CIO, she oversees 350+ team members globally, fostering collaboration and innovation. With a background in Supply Chain, she prioritizes business alignment and values diversity, advocating for gender equality. Anne is a mother of three and a trailblazer, exemplifying excellence in leadership.
Brona Kernan, IT Director at Zurich Ireland
Brona is a seasoned tech leader renowned for spearheading transformations in startups and global giants. Brona thrives on innovation, fostering agile teams, and achieving stellar customer satisfaction. Recognized for excellence, she balances operational needs with business acumen, excelling in regulated environments and cybersecurity. A lifelong learner, she's driven by tech's potential to enrich lives.
Burcu Demircan, Head of Analytics & Reporting at SUSE
Burcu drives business performance through data-driven insights. With a vision for a data-centric culture, she collaborates with senior leaders, develops analytics strategies, and mentors teams. A tech and analytics expert, she excels in translating complex concepts for executive audiences, possessing strong leadership, problem-solving, and project delivery skills. Passionate about AI and efficient data use, she's dedicated to shaping the future of analytics in business.
Catherine Doyle, Managing Director at Dell Technologies Ireland
Catherine Doyle is a seasoned tech leader with over 20 years at Dell, progressing from sales roles to Managing Director of Dell Technologies Ireland. Advocating diversity, she champions inclusion in tech. With a wealth of experience, she's poised to excel as the General Manager for Microsoft Ireland from July 2024.
Emma Redmond, Associate General Counsel, Privacy and Data Protection at OpenAI
Emma Redmond is an accomplished legal professional specializing in privacy, data protection, and AI. With extensive experience across various sectors, including tech giants like OpenAI, Stripe, and LinkedIn, she's a trusted advisor and leader in global privacy and security initiatives. Emma's dedication to building trust and promoting person-centered AI is evident through her role on Ireland's AI Advisory Council.
Fiona Carney, Chief Marketing Officer at Microsoft EMEA
Fiona is the CMO for Microsoft EMEA, leading teams across 28 markets to drive digital transformation. With 25 years of experience spanning consulting and technology, she's passionate about diversity, inclusion, and coaching. Fiona holds degrees in Business, Marketing, and Coaching, advocating for inclusive leadership and supporting startups and NGOs.
Furkan Karayel, Founder & CEO at DiverseIn
Furkan Karayel, author of "Inclusive Intelligence," is a renowned diversity speaker and founder of Diversein.com. With over a decade of tech experience and a background in software engineering, she champions women in tech leadership globally. Furkan mentors startups, leveraging her software engineering expertise, and serves on advisory boards. Featured in top media outlets, she shares insights on inclusive leadership and empowers diverse teams worldwide through workshops and mentorship.
Galina Voloshyna, Consumer Data Activation Sr. Director at The Coca-Cola Company
Galina is a seasoned IT leader with 20 years in Business Intelligence, Data Management, and AI/ML, primarily in the FMCG sector. With global experience, she excels in strategic consultancy, Data Dev/Ops, and scaling AI/ML solutions. Galina's achievements include revenue management suites, sales forecasting, and optimization systems.
Gillian O'Sullivan, Partner, Country Leader at BearingPoint Ireland
Gillian leads BearingPoint Ireland, leveraging her 17 years of experience. Starting as a software developer, she progressed to Partner, spearheading technology delivery and driving digital transformations. Passionate about diversity and inclusion, Gillian champions CSR initiatives and female empowerment, earning recognition for her exceptional leadership.
Grace Hayes, Technology Executive Vice President at MasterCard
With a diverse background in operations and technology, Grace excels in product strategy and implementation. She values active listening, empathy, and embracing change as essential leadership qualities. She advocates for courage, curiosity, and self-belief in the fast-evolving technology industry.
Helene (Giraudeau) Dingreville, Head of Data and Insight at Carelon Global Solutions Ireland
Helene is a seasoned leader in data and analytics, adept at motivating teams and fostering communication. Her dynamic and open-minded approach drives organizations to embrace change. With strong analytical skills, she leads data science, mathematical modeling, and AI projects, bridging IT and business stakeholders seamlessly.
Jean O'Donnell, Global Data & Analytics Capability Development & Change at Kellanova
Jean is a seasoned Technology Capability & Change Leader with a focus on Employee Experience & Talent Development. Her forte lies in crafting innovative strategies for people development, engagement, and change implementation. She prioritizes nurturing a positive organizational culture, promoting behavioral shifts, and improving employee welfare. Her coaching prowess empowers teams for high performance and growth.
Jennifer Cox, Security Engineering Manager | CSM, Emerging Enterprise & Global Architect at Tenable
Jennifer Cox is a seasoned tech professional with 16+ years in Cyber Security. As a leader, she champions best practices and cyber exposure prevention across EMEA. Jennifer actively promotes diversity and inclusion in tech through various roles and engagements, including mentoring and speaking at industry events globally like WITS Ireland and WomenTech Network.
Joanne Fanning, Group Head of Information Technology & CEO at Jones Engineering
Joanne Fanning is a seasoned tech leader with over 20 years of experience. Before joining Jones Engineering, she served as the Chief Information Officer of UPMC Ireland and as the group head of information technology at Centric Health in Dublin. In this role, she effectively delivered IT solutions and services across various business units in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the UAE.
Louise Dennehy, Chief Information Officer & CEO at Central Bank of Ireland
Louise Dennehy is the Chief Information Officer at the Central Bank of Ireland, bringing over 25 years of experience in IT and Change within the financial sector. A strategic thinker, she excels in shaping business transformation and IT application development. Louise holds degrees from University College Dublin and Trinity College Dublin.
Lynne Clegg, EMEA CIO at MetLife
Lynne Clegg brings a wealth of experience in strategic business and IT transformation. Passionate about leveraging technology to exceed client expectations, she navigates complex challenges with a focus on results. Lynne champions diversity and inclusion in STEM, breaking barriers and empowering others to succeed in the tech industry. Her leadership shines through authenticity, empathy, and collaboration, driving positive change in the workplace and beyond.
Maria Jose Lloret Crespo, Vice President, Global Application Services & CEO at Aptiv
Maria is a dynamic Technology Leader with 23 years' experience in spearheading diverse, high-performance teams to deliver innovative digital solutions globally. With expertise in diverse sectors and international leadership, she drives impactful transformations and fosters inclusive collaboration. Maria's competencies span from manufacturing automation to ERP deployments, financial management, and team transformation, driving measurable business value and outcomes.
Marie Wallace, Managing Director, Digital Identity Lead at Accenture
Marie Wallace, a Technologist, Data Scientist, and Managing Director, is fueled by a commitment to the ethical application of identity, data, and AI. Flourishing in dynamic, innovative environments, she directs both technical and business strategies to create impactful solutions. Previously, she held the role of Distinguished Engineer at Merative and IBM before joining Accenture.
Nadia Alramli, Vice President of Engineering at HubSpot
Nadia is a seasoned tech leader driving innovation in marketing technology at HubSpot. With a track record of revenue growth and exceptional execution, she's responsible for the long-term strategy and execution of the Marketing Hub product line, overseeing a team of over 120 engineers. Nadia also leads engineering recruitment efforts at HubSpot, building and maintaining an efficient, scalable, and high-quality recruitment engine.
Nikita Jalodia, Vice President — Data Science & Analytics at Citi
Nikita is a data scientist driving proactive, data-driven solutions across finance, telecoms, and health sectors. With a PhD in machine learning, Nikita leads innovative projects at Citi, enhancing SLA management and production resiliency. A pragmatic thought leader, efficient communicator, and persistent learner, Nikita excels in cross-functional collaboration and driving impactful solutions.
Onur Korucu, Managing Partner at GovernID
Onur is a Managing Partner specializing in Cybersecurity, Data Protection, and AI Governance. With extensive experience, she drives digital trust and resilience, serving as an IAPP Knowledgenet Chapter Chair. She advocates diversity in tech as a WomenTech Global Ambassador. Onur excels in strategic leadership, project management, and optimizing data protection operations for global clients, ensuring compliance and security best practices.
Petra Augustinović, Engineering Manager at Meta
Petra Augustinović is an experienced Engineering Manager at Meta, leading teams in Dublin, Ireland. With over a decade in tech, she's driven innovation at Datalex, FINEOS, and Infoart. Petra holds an MS in Computing from the University of Zagreb, Croatia, specializing in relational databases.
Richa Pathak, Director, Product Management at Workday
Richa is a seasoned product strategy and transformation leader with extensive experience in SaaS and Financial Services. Richa drives globalisation and localisation efforts while spearheading customer deployment tools to ensure seamless product adoption. Passionate about innovation and sustainability, she actively supports the startup ecosystem and hosts a podcast featuring founders of early-stage startups in cleantech.
Sana Khan, DPO & Head of Data Governance Affairs at National Broadband Ireland
Sana is a seasoned lawyer with expertise in Legal, Regulatory, Data Protection, and RegTech. With a vast array of qualifications and experience, including roles as Data Protection Officer and Compliance Officer, she excels in risk management, financial services, corporate governance, and privacy law. Sana is also an esteemed educator, developing modules for Griffith College Dublin and teaching various AML, CTF, Risk, and Compliance courses with ACAMS.
Sue Liderth, Group Head of Data and Analytics at Compass Group
Sue embarked on her professional journey as a teacher in Sri Lanka before transitioning into the field of IT over two decades ago, starting as a graduate at Procter & Gamble. Prior to joining Compass Group, she has made significant contributions to renowned organizations such as P&G, Unilever, adidas, the Coca-Cola Company. Her focus has been on enhancing both technological infrastructure and human capital to drive sustainable transformation.
As we wrap up our journey through the stories of these remarkable women in tech, it's clear that their contributions are invaluable to Ireland's technological advancement and global competitiveness. By recognizing and amplifying their voices, we take a crucial step towards building a more inclusive and diverse tech community in Ireland. Let's continue to champion gender diversity and empower women to thrive in the tech industry, ensuring a brighter and more equitable future for all.
