Women hold only one in three U.S. tech jobs and less than one-third of technology roles globally, according to the Women in Tech Network and The World Bank.
Only one in ten women hold tech leadership positions, according to UNESCO.
Women's History Month in March created an opportunity to draw inspiration from pioneering female leaders so that today's professional women can chart the best path forward.
Expect detours along the way.
My journey to the C-suite was far from a straight line. Yet every fork in the road taught me volumes about leadership. Born in Spain but raised in the United States, I developed a strong internal drive and tireless work ethic at a young age thanks to my parents. My father relied on me for help with his various gadgets, which fostered an early curiosity about technology. A lack of confidence in technology as a viable career choice led me down a different professional path: executive assistant in an asset management firm, a position where I ended up assisting many analysts struggling with an array of manual tasks. Before long, I learned how to quickly automate their work, leading to a realization that an engineering career was both viable and rewarding.
After obtaining a graduate degree in computer science, my rebooted career began as a developer for a bulge bracket investment bank on Wall Street, where I was, to say the least, in the vast minority. I actually served as a software engineer for Lehman Brothers before their demise — a professional trial-by-fire that helped build the muscle memory and resilience I maintain today. Next, I built trading and risk management systems for different employers and progressed to senior leadership roles across several financial services companies. I started each new phase of my professional journey with curiosity, which evolved into capability and, eventually, leadership.
Advocate for women when and where possible.
Ultimately, my path led to insurtech and a valued role at TheZebra.com, where I've been entrusted with the responsibility of helping to modernize the historically slow-moving insurance industry. It's a challenge I embrace wholeheartedly, and an opportunity to leverage data and AI as augmentation tools that can empower both our customers and our team without replacing the important human connection needed in insurance.
Part of my job how involves nurturing an environment where everyone — regardless of gender, race or sexual orientation — can thrive. We emphasize inclusion through various employee resource groups, one of which is for women and allies on our team that we call "Shebras," as well as biweekly digital coffee chats across different departments. I push for the hiring of candidates with nontraditional backgrounds who bring with them empathetic traits and unique problem-solving skills. And I continue to stress the significance of mentorship: actively advocating for underrepresented talent and referring their names to decision-makers whenever I can.
Climb the ladder without losing your compass.
Truth is, across my two-decade career, I've worked almost exclusively in male-dominated fields. Getting a foot in the door of these spaces is hard enough for women, but climbing the ladder to leadership can be even tougher. Add to this difficulty the prospect of balancing a high-level career with a family. As a working mom, I find that this is a constant negotiation. The notion of "having it all" is a damaging myth. You simply cannot devote 100% to your career and personal life at the same time. Something's gotta give.
The same is true of building a high-performance team. Like a complex Lego set (a big hobby of mine), you can't try to force the pieces to fit where they just don't belong. Sometimes, as a woman in leadership, you have to take a few steps back to check that the foundation is robust enough to support the structure you're trying to create. We have to allow ourselves the grace to stop chasing perfection and turn our personal strength into leadership assets.
Three tips for success ahead
My advice for aspiring leaders? First, stay curious: Never be afraid to ask, "why." Your unique point of view is your greatest strength and the superpower that enables you to solve problems in ways others may not be able to. Second, embrace discomfort; be prepared to accept new challenges as they arise. Don't wait until you feel 100% ready before saying "yes." And third, build meaningful relationships: Find your circle of trusted mentors and peers who can push you further, hold you accountable, and have your back.
Given enough opportunities, and with the right training, commitment, and mutual support, we as women in insurance and technology can help collectively construct a giant Lego tower that breaks through the glass ceiling and serves as a lofty landmark on the business landscape.
Gemma Ros is Chief Technology Officer at The Zebra. In this role, Gemma leads the engineering, DevOps, and data teams, driving innovation and operational excellence. She is an excellent source on technology innovation in the insurtech space, what it means to be an impactful and effective leader, her journey to the CTO role and more.
Opinion expressed here are the author's own.
(Featured image credit: Shutterstock)
Read additional thought leadership from this contributor: When cars drive and think for themselves, insurance has to rethink everything
© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.