Following the momentum of the Women in Tech Career Growth Summit, this feature dives deep into the personal and professional journeys that define resilient, impactful leadership in today’s tech landscape.
In this spotlight, we highlight three standout talks that explore what it truly takes to grow with purpose, lead through change, and rise with confidence: Setbacks to Success: Transforming Life Events into Leadership Opportunities, Mastering Executive Presence for Career Growth & Influence, and Resilience and Growth: A Leadership Journey Through Continuous Learning.
These sessions offer more than just inspiration—they deliver mindset shifts, leadership insights, and practical tools to help you lead with confidence and clarity in every stage of your career.
From Setbacks to Success: Transforming Life Events into Leadership Opportunities by Anita Manda
Anita K. Manda is a seasoned IT leader with over two decades of experience in software development, program management, and quality assurance across industries such as banking, healthcare, and education. Currently, as Senior Director of Digital Employee Experiences at ServiceNow, she leads global teams in delivering impactful tech solutions.
In addition to her role at ServiceNow, Anita is pursuing a PhD through Executive Fellow Program in Management (EFPM) from the Indian School of Business(ISB), focusing on women’s leadership. Her research and advocacy underscore her dedication to fostering diversity and inclusion, inspiring future generations of women in tech.
Anita is deeply committed to advancing women's leadership in technology and is an active participant in several industry forums, including Women in Tech, TechGig events etc. Her contributions in these forums focus on mentorship, resilience, and strategies to navigate and overcome workplace challenges, especially for women in male-dominated fields
During her session, you'll learn:
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Transforming Challenges into Leadership Growth: Discover actionable strategies for using life events and career setbacks as catalysts for leadership development.
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Resilience and Career Crafting: Learn techniques to build resilience and shape a career path that aligns with personal values, strengths, and goals.
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Empowering Networks and Support Systems: Understand the power of creating supportive networks to enhance career growth and drive success for women in tech.
Mastering Executive Presence for Career Growth & Influence by Corina Taban
Corina is a seasoned tech industry executive, researcher, and public speaker with nearly a decade of experience at global companies like Ubisoft, Microsoft, and Meta. With a background in international business, strategic partnerships and public affaires, she has successfully navigated high-stakes negotiations, built executive relationships, and driven impactful collaborations in the French Tech ecosystem and beyond.
Currently pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration at Grenoble École de Management, Corina’s research focuses on female employees in the digital technology sector, with a particular interest in leadership, executive presence, and career progression.
A dynamic speaker, Corina is preparing a TED Talk on gender parity and the role of men in addressing workplace inequalities. Passionate about empowering professionals to elevate their careers, she delivers actionable, research-backed strategies for building executive presence, confidence, and influence in leadership.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Corina is an avid networker, improv enthusiast, and theater lover who thrives in fast-paced, high-responsibility environments. She enjoys engaging with academia, tech, and public policy at the intersection of business and society.
During her session, you'll learn:
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Executive presence is a learnable skill. Leadership isn’t just about expertise; it’s about how you project confidence, authority, and charisma.
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Research-backed techniques from organizational behavior, psychology, and neuroscience can help you train and refine your executive presence for career growth.
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Small shifts lead to big impact. You don’t need to change who you are; you need to strategically amplify your strengths. Through practical, actionable steps, you’ll learn how to speak with authority, command a room, and build influence.
Resilience and Growth: A Leadership Journey Through Continuous Learning by Derya Eker
Derya Eker, Senior Director of Engineering in the IP Group at Synopsys, oversees the ARC Neural Processing IP SW and Tools development. She has over 24 years of product development experience in Semiconductor industry, involving hardware/software co-design in broad application domains spanning to neural network processing, imaging, computer vision and mobile communication.
Prior to joining Synopsys, Derya held various management and engineering positions at Intel, Ericsson, NXP Semiconductors and Philips. Derya holds a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering.
During her session, you'll:
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Recognize the importance of being open to change as a vital aspect of growth, allow leaders, teams to adapt, pivot, and seize new opportunities in a dynamic technological landscape
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Discover how resilience acts as a catalyst for personal growth, enabling leaders to navigate setbacks and emerge stronger
The Women in Tech Global Conference 2026 is fast approaching—and as we look ahead, we carry forward a powerful message from past events: real innovation is rooted in responsibility.
These sessions go beyond technical insight—they offer a framework for navigating complexity with integrity. As AI reshapes industries and decisions at scale, the call for thoughtful, transparent, and human-centered approaches has never been more critical.
Whether you're leading enterprise strategy or shaping early-stage innovation, now is the time to lead with purpose.
🎟️ Don't miss your chance to be there—VIP tickets are now 2-for-1 for a limited time. Bring a friend, a colleague, or someone ready to lead with you
Join the movement—become a Professional, Executive, or Founding Member of WomenTech Network and gain access to global insights, leadership tools, and a community committed to building tech that serves everyone.
