"Deloitte is committed to paving the way for more women in tech"

What do you believe are the reasons behind the low interest among women to work in tech?

I think there are two reasons. We know statistically that the number of women choosing to study STEM and start their careers in tech is low. There is also the issue that a large portion of women in tech decide to leave the industry in their thirties. It’s sort of a double-edged sword.

There are two reasons why they leave. These reasons are not unique to the tech industry but rather a general challenge for all industries. One is the lack of female role models. I know personally from growing up in tech that there was a huge lack of female leaders and role models for me to look up to. This makes it hard to see what your path and future in the field could look like. The second reason is that many of us choose to become mothers and there is a general feeling that you can’t do both. You can’t progress in your career, become a mother and be successful in both. Those are two myths we need to dispel to encourage more women to enter and stay within tech.

Getting more female representation in firms and in tech will help improve that. Also, there needs to be an understanding in the organization of the challenges involved in juggling work and parenthood. This is in fact true for both males and females. Even for those who choose not to have children, it is often important to see that you can have a successful career while also achieving work-life-balance. You need to feel that there is support for this from the organization, and that you are given the freedom to be successful in other roles you play outside of work.

Why is it so important to have an equal female representation in tech and is it more important in tech than in other industries?

I personally don’t think it’s more important in tech, but it is equally important. Female voices are important in society in general, in product development and in tech. Especially if you consider AI and GenAI. The data that AI is based on is human data. If you don’t have a female voice in it, you risk having future decision making based on data with lack of female representation.

I will give you an example. A lot of the technology that was developed for women, like the mammogram machines, were developed by men who did not have intimate knowledge of female anatomy. Women have intimate knowledge of female anatomy, right? The more female representation you have in tech, the more tech will be developed for and tailored to women. That’s one aspect of it all. Another is that if we represent 50 % of the population, shouldn’t our voice be represented equally in tech?

You are a female leader working in tech – what made you choose the path that you’re on? Why was it appealing to you?

First and foremost, I have always been interested in technology and at a young age I used to take our television apart. I was really good at physics and maths and becoming an electrical engineer was a natural extension of those skills. I loved problem solving so that also made it a natural choice.

Why I chose to stay was because of those few and far between female leaders that I did encounter who really showed that it was possible for me. Had I not met them, had their encouragement and seen them as role models, I don’t know that I would have stayed. That’s my short and truthful answer.

You are the Deloitte sponsor for the Women in Tech event, coming up in April. Women in Tech is a non-profit organization with the mission to inspire more women to choose and stay in tech. What impact are you hoping this event will have on young women?

This is an opportunity for women across technology sectors in Sweden to meet and socialize and to build their network, to share stories, get advice and learn from one another. It is so important for women to feel like they are part of a community where they feel seen, recognized, and understood. I think that’s what’s important about this event. Especially for the younger women who attend this conference, seeing the magnitude of strong, successful female leaders in tech in Sweden. It is inspirational and gives them the hope and the belief that they too can achieve great things in tech.