What is International Women's Day 2025?
International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Held annually on 8th March, IWD is also a call to action for accelerating gender equality—particularly in industries like technology, where women remain underrepresented.
At Women in Tech, we’re marking International Women’s Day 2025 by shining a spotlight on the incredible women who are driving innovation and change in tech. In collaboration with our employer partners, we’ve gathered stories from their teams – highlighting the women who are leading projects, pioneering new ideas, and making workplaces more inclusive.
From breaking down barriers to shaping the future of tech, these women are proving that innovation thrives when diverse voices are heard. Read on to discover how they’re making a lasting impact in their organisations and the wider industry.
Experian: Creating Inclusive Tech Cultures
Kirsty Begbie & Sarah Redman, WiE Co-Leads, Experian
"WiE fosters an inclusive community that celebrates achievements and provides support, driving career growth and industry-wide change."
We run the Women in Experian (WiE) network, empowering women and allies in technology through career advancement, personal development, and community engagement. In a male-dominated industry, WiE creates a supportive space for women to thrive, promoting gender diversity at all levels within Experian.
WiE focuses on four pillars: Career Focus, Personal Focus, Community Focus, and Company Culture Focus. These pillars enhance confidence, skill development, and networking through events, podcasts, and mentorship. We also partner with charities like Women’s Aid and Smart Works. The Company Culture pillar encourages feedback to address systemic cultural challenges, including unconscious bias.
Led by a diverse team of 11 inspiring women, WiE fosters an inclusive community that celebrates achievements and provides support. By empowering women to overcome barriers, WiE drives career growth and industry-wide change, making a meaningful impact at Experian and beyond. We’re proud to lead this transformative network.
Defaqto: Leading Innovation & Driving Change
Dr Sarah Morris, Head of Programmes at Defaqto
"Through implementing incremental change, which could be adopted easily without damaging morale, I ensured the team’s ability to be successful was maintained."
“As Head of Programmes at Defaqto, I ensure the successful delivery of strategic IT programmes and projects. Over the past 18 months, the complexity of our programmes, along with the associated commercial opportunities, has increased significantly.
Consequently, this has required me to guide and mentor the project teams through continuous process revisions, adapting to new ways of working while maintaining our ability to deliver key business benefits. As our operational environment evolved, outdated processes exposed our projects to avoidable risks. By implementing incremental, morale-friendly changes, I ensured our teams remained successful.
Moving forward, my focus will be on constructing and implementing flexible project delivery frameworks that can support Defaqto’s growth and ambitions.”
DWP Digital: A Full Circle Moment
Annesa Mariyam, DevOps Engineer, DWP Digital
"If my journey helps even one person see a future for themselves in this industry, then this award means even more."
“Three years ago, I was a DevOps apprentice at DWP Digital, transitioning from teaching into tech. It was challenging, but the support of others made all the difference. As I progressed, I naturally found myself helping other apprentices, sharing advice, and encouraging those on the same journey.
Winning Mentor of the Year at the Makers Apprenticeship Awards 2025 is an incredible honour because mentoring has never been a formal role for me – it’s just something I love doing. Whether it’s sharing my experiences or reminding someone they belong in tech, I know how valuable that support can be.
As a Muslim, Asian woman in tech, I understand how rare representation is. More than anything, I’m proud to be part of a community that lifts each other up.”
Zellis: Championing Quality & Innovation in Testing
Cathy McGeown, Senior Test Manager, Zellis
"The guild provides a channel for Test Engineers to make the little changes that can have a major impact day to day."
“As a Senior Test Manager in Zellis, I co-founded a Quality Agile Guild to foster a culture of continuous improvement by sharing knowledge and best practices across the organisation.
The guild aims to enhance the overall quality of processes, systems, and applications, ensuring consistent and sustainable improvements across the testing arena. Expected outcomes include increased innovation between Engineering teams, improved collaboration and consistency in processes and standards. The guild provides a channel for Test Engineers across the Zellis group to have the opportunity to make the little changes that can have a major impact day to day. As a passionate advocate of test quality, introducing the Guild is something I am very proud of.”
CGI: Empowering Women in Tech
Niamh Callaghan, Consultant & Co-chair of Women’s Network, CGI UK
"Through mentorship, training and networking, I’ve seen firsthand how women can build confidence, develop leadership skills and access new opportunities."
“I joined CGI UK straight out of university, drawn to the tech industry for its diverse opportunities. Despite not having a technical background, I’ve been able to grow and develop in a supportive environment and now I’m proud to co-chair CGI UK’s Women’s Network.
Mentorship and Development:
Being part of the Women’s Network has been transformative for me and so many others. It’s a space where women can connect, share experiences and support each other in navigating their careers. Through mentorship, training and networking, I’ve seen firsthand how women can build confidence, develop leadership skills and access new opportunities.
Empowering the Next Generation:
I’m passionate about creating an inclusive, empowering space for women in tech. Whether it’s through mentorship, peer support or advocating for greater representation, I want to help others see that they belong in this industry. Together, we can shape a future where women in tech thrive.”
BAE Systems: Championing LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Tech
Emma, IT Business Relationship Manager, BAE Systems
"Everyone wants to feel part of something – it is important to me that everyone gets a seat at the table."
“Alongside being an IT Business Relationship Manager at BAE Systems, I co-lead our LGBTQ+ network, OutLink, which supports gender and sexual diversity within the workplace. I lead a team of volunteers across 9 Businesses, supporting more than 45,000 employees. Some of the greatest things I have been able to deliver are; introducing and changing policy to ensure the LGBTQ+ community is supported, delivering a programme of awareness sessions about topics such as Trans awareness, fertility, LGBTQ+ identities and STEM, introducing pronoun pins across sites and to email signatures and sponsoring the LGBTQ+ in Defence awards, and most importantly providing a safe space for those in our community. I do this because everyone wants to feel part of something, it is important to me that everyone gets a seat at the table. We are all different, and helping everyone to feel included really matters.”
Experian: Transforming Data into Opportunity
Laurie Schnidman, Chief Product Officer, Experian
"Diverse perspectives drive success and inspire the next generation of women in tech."
“I have the privilege of leading a talented team to drive innovations in our suite of data management, analytics, decisioning and AI capabilities, to help our clients harness the power of data. One of my proudest achievements was spearheading an acquisition that accelerated our innovation roadmap and delivered business growth. I’m proud to role model that diverse perspectives drive success and inspire the next generation of women in tech.”
Zellis: Driving Business Readiness & Innovation
Cara Ellery, Project Manager - Product Management Team, Zellis
"Leading this initiative has been immensely rewarding, as it has made a significant positive impact."
“As a project manager, I have successfully led initiatives across multiple business workstreams to enhance our go-to-market strategy and ensure business readiness for each software release. Through consistent collaboration and engagement, I have driven an ongoing improvement program, effectively addressing long-standing challenges in various areas. Leading this initiative has been immensely rewarding, as it has made a significant positive impact.”
Celebrating Women Driving Change in Tech and Beyond
The women featured in this campaign highlight the many ways women in technology are making a difference – whether by leading innovation, improving workplace culture, or supporting others to succeed. Their stories reflect the impact of diverse perspectives and the importance of championing women at every stage of their careers.
At Women in Tech, we’re proud to work with employer partners who recognise the value of diversity and actively support women in their tech teams. By sharing these stories, we hope to inspire more companies to create inclusive environments where women can thrive.
International Women’s Day 2025 is a time to celebrate progress, but also to reflect on the work still to be done. Real change happens when businesses commit to long-term action, ensuring that women’s contributions in tech are recognised, supported, and encouraged.
