As part of Ennis & Co’s explorative series this International Women’s Day of influential figures in automotive and beyond, we caught up with Ilona Simpson, Chief Information Officer for EMEA at Netskope, a recognised leader in enterprise cyber security, to talk everything “tech” – and to find out more about her advocacy for women in the industry…
How do you feel about the gender balance in the tech world?
“I really appreciate the progress we have made to attract girls and young women into STEM education, and into entering the world of technology. Where I see potential for meaningful changes now is in female progression from middle management to executive roles, and ultimately into the boardroom. My personal observation is that the technology sector is further ahead than others such as manufacturing or engineering, being relatively young. With industry champions like Salesforce and Microsoft at the forefront, as authentic promoters of gender balance (and balance beyond gender for that matter), and with genuine efforts of innovators like Netskope, the tech sector is hugely attractive to women right now. And with flatter structures, lots of opportunities to shape and grow beyond the original role scope, there are plenty of opportunities. I also see efforts in the automotive industry. Porsche for example has ranked second in the most recent Women’s Career Index in Germany. Audi and VW are amongst others honoured on the same index. And I am confident that we will be seeing organisations whose leadership is authentically committed standing out and becoming role models for those that are at the beginning of their equality journey
Are you involved in any women’s networks?
“I believe that driving positive change in a society is never a task of some superhero or superheroine, instead it is about giving each other that nudge when we need it. Our peers help us with a different perspective, and give us a hand when we face adversity. Maintaining connections with fellow female leaders – current and aspiring – is essential to me, and networks are a great platform for this. I highly recommend We Are Tech Women in the UK and FiDAR (translated Women into Supervisory Boards) in Germany. Both offer fantastic opportunities to connect, learn, share and grow. And both are active advocates for diversity.
Who are your female role models?
I have two women who I look up to: Sigrid Nikutta and Melissa di Donato. (by the way, if you had asked me “who are your role models”, it would be Sigrid, Melissa and Satja Nadella, CEO of Microsoft – I see them as leaders and role models first.)
What makes them stand out to you?
I believe in choosing courage over comfort, and both Melissa and Sigrid are outstanding leaders who have shown remarkable courage and grit, turning adversity into opportunities to grow. They both are publicly sharing their lessons, allowing their hindsight to be anyone’s foresight.
Today, Melissa is the CEO of SUSE. But her professional career started in the space of SAP implementations – just like me. And no, she was not a STEM graduate (just like me). She is notable for always having an inexhaustible curiosity, courage, and determination to “leave a mark”. Her turnaround of SUSE is breathtaking by all accounts, and yet if she did it again, in her words she would “go faster”.
Sigrid is Member of the Management Board of Deutsche Bahn AG, responsible for freight transport. Like Melissa, she did not take a STEM path during her education, yet her professional path has led her to solve toughest challenges in the transport sector. After becoming Chairperson and Chief Operating Officer at Germany’s largest public transport company (BVG) in 2010, she made the company operate profitably for the first time. And the little girl in me loved it as she called out “no fight without me”.
