Moving the Needle From Intent to Action for Women in Tech

The technology industry is making progress on representation, yet access to leadership and sustained career growth remains uneven. As expectations evolve, companies are being called to move beyond ambition and take practical steps to ensure opportunity is genuinely accessible.

This year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Balance the Scales,” reinforces that fairness and equal opportunity require continued focus. It highlights the importance of building workplaces where growth and advancement are not the exception, but the norm.

At Magnite, our commitment to diversity fuels global innovation. In JAPAC, gender representation consistently outperforms industry benchmarks, even in markets where women remain underrepresented in tech. We believe diverse perspectives lead to better decision-making and a stronger ability to serve our partners and communities worldwide.

With six Magnite Australia team members recently honored in the B&T Women Leading Tech Power List Long List, we’ve gathered their unique perspectives on the future of the field. Below, they share their vision for how the industry can dismantle barriers and build sustainable pathways for the next generation of women in tech.

What needs to evolve so that more women can thrive and build lasting careers in the tech industry?

Christina Ham – Account Director, Enterprise Sales

We need to move beyond the outdated expectation that the ideal worker has no caregiving responsibilities. Flexibility shouldn’t be treated as a perk – it should be standard practice. Careers don’t exist in isolation from our personal lives, and for many women, professional ambition and caregiving roles are constantly being balanced.

Companies, teams, and managers need to create and maintain a culture of trust where people are empowered to work in ways that align with the many roles they play, while still delivering on their targets.

Irene Kurniawan – Senior Manager, Technical Operations JAPAC

It can often feel like growth depends on longer hours, constant availability, and saying “yes” to everything just to stay visible. Ambition starts to look like being “always on,” as if overloading your plate is proof of performance. But meaningful impact doesn’t come from working overtime – it comes from the quality of what we deliver in the time we’re there to work.

If we want sustainable success, we have to challenge the idea that burnout is a badge of honour. We need a culture that values flexibility and work–life balance, where ambition and well-being can coexist.

That’s why I encourage my team to protect their time and why I’m intentional about modelling those boundaries myself. We can be ambitious without being available 24/7.

Jane Chan – Senior Manager, Marketing

A key challenge in tech isn’t entry – it’s progression. Women are entering the industry, but many aren’t reaching senior roles. Often, they navigate career decisions quietly rather than openly asking for support.

We need to normalise open conversations about growth – not just through formal mentorship programs, and not just between women. Support should move in every direction: across seniority levels, across teams, and across genders. When openness and shared accountability are part of workplace culture, women are more likely to stay, advance, and build lasting careers.

Jeannie Phun – Director, People Business Partner JAPAC

Thriving in our careers does not start at the job offer – it’s shaped across the entire journey as we own our ambition. As women, we are workers, managers, leaders, mothers, sisters, and daughters. Given the many and complex roles we play, workplace narratives must shift to recognise and value women who take on stretch roles.

Lasting careers must be sustainable. We need career pathways that offer both longevity and growth to support women’s advancement.

Juliette Stead – SVP, Head of JAPAC

Our industry doesn’t exist in a bubble. Women haven’t been heard, seen, or respected equally to men throughout history and across society, and it’s almost impossible to be unaffected by that. For society – and the industry – to genuinely make progress, men in positions of power have to do better and change their thinking, rather than putting all the onus on women to force change. 

I have pushed myself into situations that have felt naturally uncomfortable because I reject the idea that women don’t belong there. Standing for something bigger than myself has given me courage on stages, in boardrooms, and in difficult conversations. If I want to see more women in positions of power, I have to be seen myself. Even if it terrifies me. That has been rewarding, and at times, exhausting.

If the industry is genuinely making progress, and if opportunities come your way, go for it! Don’t hold back. Representation matters, and you have every right to be there.

Maddy Mewing – Director, Platforms

The biggest shift still needed is moving from intent to action. Building lasting careers for women in tech requires more than hiring; it demands consistent investment in development, sponsorship, and clear pathways to leadership.

As a team leader with six of eight members being women, I see it as my responsibility to actively create those opportunities. That means advocating for them, ensuring access to stretch roles and leadership exposure, and helping build the confidence to take the next step.

When flexibility, visibility, and opportunity are embedded in culture, progression becomes the norm rather than the exception

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At Magnite, our people shape our culture. The perspectives shared here reflect the leadership we see across our offices every day and reinforce the importance of continually evolving how we hire, develop, and support talent — so progression is accessible to all.