As the global tech community prepares to gather in Barcelona for Mobile World Congress 2026, anticipation is once again building around one of the most influential events shaping the future of mobile, connectivity, and digital innovation. MWC Barcelona has long been the place where bold ideas are unveiled, partnerships are formed, and the next chapter of technology begins. Navigating the energy of MWC means unlocking opportunities for personal growth, strategic collaboration, and meaningful connection.
One of the most anticipated moments alongside MWC is the Chief in Tech Executive Forum & Dinner by WomenTech Network—an exclusive, invitation-only gathering that brings together senior technology leaders in an intimate, high-impact setting. Designed to go far beyond traditional networking, the dinner creates space for honest conversations, peer-to-peer exchange, and connections rooted in shared vision and leadership. It’s where influential tech executives meet not just to connect, but to collaborate, inspire, and shape what comes next.
In celebration of this landmark gathering in Barcelona, we are spotlighting 30 trailblazing Chief in Tech leaders who are driving innovation, leading transformation, and influencing the future of technology on a global scale.
Meet the 30 Chief in Tech Leaders at MWC Barcelona 2026
Allison Kirkby
Chief Executive at BT Group
Allison Kirkby is a highly accomplished business leader and board member with a career spanning the TMT, FMCG, and retail sectors. She is widely recognized for creating significant shareholder value and for successfully building and leading high-performing teams through periods of transformation and change. Her leadership has earned international recognition, including being named Sweden’s Most Powerful Female CEO in 2017 and Female Boss of the Year in 2020. Over the long term, her work has had a measurable impact on organizational performance, governance, and strategic direction across multiple industries.
Beatriz Sanz Saiz
Global AI Clients and Industry Leader at EY
Beatriz Sanz Saiz is a global technology and innovation leader with over 25 years of experience in computer science, data, and artificial intelligence, driving large-scale transformation programs across industries and regions. She has been a key architect of enterprise-wide AI strategy, leading complex initiatives that delivered measurable impact in productivity, adoption, workforce reskilling, and market recognition. Beatriz has founded and scaled global innovation and analytics capabilities, executed multiple strategic acquisitions, and contributed to advancing responsible AI and risk management at scale. Her influence has been recognized through international awards, media features, and regular speaking engagements at major global forums, reflecting her long-term impact on the technology and consulting landscape.
Bee Gek Lim
GVP, Global Head of Business Line Digital Offering at Giesecke+Devrient
Bee Gek Lim is an experienced global product manager with a long track record in the telecommunication industry, working across both mobile network operators and OEMs. She brings deep technical and product expertise spanning UMTS, mobile applications, Java, SIM, mobile payments, and subscription management. Her career reflects sustained leadership across product strategy, applied technologies, and digital offering development, grounded in hands-on engineering experience building smart card applications and tools. She holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Computer Engineering from Nanyang Technological University.
Christel Heydemann
CEO of Orange Group
Christel Heydemann is a global leader recognized for driving large-scale transformation at the intersection of technology, innovation, and societal impact. With a career spanning strategy, operations, and organizational transformation, she has played a pivotal role in shaping resilient, future-ready ecosystems across industries and regions. Deeply committed to responsible technology, she consistently champions sustainable digital progress and ethical leadership. She is also a strong advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, actively promoting greater representation of women in technology and leadership while supporting the next generation of role models.
Christine Gadsby
Vice President and Chief Security Advisor at BlackBerry
Christine Gadsby is a strategic cybersecurity leader with more than 25 years of experience across software, information, and product security. She is widely recognized for transformational leadership, including building high-performing security teams, optimizing resources, and positioning security as a value-creating business imperative at the executive level. Her expertise spans secure communications and software supply chain security, advising enterprise organizations and government bodies on critical security frameworks. A highly sought-after keynote speaker and thought leader, she is also a committed advocate for women and neurodiverse talent in technology through active mentorship and global initiatives.
Cristina Rodriguez
VP Network & Edge Group at Intel Corporation
Cristina Rodriguez is a technology and business leader driving innovative networking infrastructure across telecommunications, enterprise, connectivity, and cloud computing. She has led major initiatives spanning 5G and 6G, AI, edge, and enterprise transformation, with extensive responsibility across business strategy, sales, marketing, and product direction. She also contributes industry-wide impact through board and council roles with organizations including CTIA, ATIS, and the Telecom Infra Project (TIP). Her leadership has been recognized through multiple honors, including repeated HiTEC 100 Awards and the Greater Austin Business Award for CEO/Site Leader of the Year.
Elena González-Blanco García
Head of Artificial Intelligence for Digital Natives at Microsoft
Elena González-Blanco García is an international technology and innovation leader with deep expertise in artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and digital transformation across insurance, fintech, and large-scale platforms. She has driven impactful AI and digital initiatives in enterprise, startup, and research environments, while also shaping governance and strategy through board and advisory roles. Her career bridges academia and industry, including award-winning research recognized by a major European excellence grant and influential contributions as an author and keynote speaker. Elena has been widely recognized for her leadership and impact, including multiple national and international honors, and is a committed advocate for women in technology and entrepreneurship through board service and community involvement.
Florence Verzelen
Executive Vice President Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) at Dassault Systèmes
Florence Verzelen is a technology and sustainability leader with deep experience across virtual twins, artificial intelligence, energy, and space-related innovation. She has driven large-scale digital transformation initiatives that help organizations improve efficiency while addressing climate and environmental challenges. Her influence extends beyond industry through active participation in boards and public forums shaping the future of technology, energy transition, and responsible innovation. Florence is widely recognized for advancing the idea that technology is a critical enabler of sustainable growth and long-term societal impact.
Gwynne Shotwell
President & COO at SpaceX
Gwynne Shotwell is a globally recognized aerospace leader who has overseen the launch of more than 450 missions, including safely flying 56 astronauts from 14 countries to orbit, advancing fully reusable rocket systems, and enabling global high-speed satellite internet connectivity. She has played a central role in building large-scale spaceflight programs and managing complex customer and strategic relationships over decades of industry leadership. Her influence has been recognized through honors such as induction into the National Academy of Engineering and inclusion on Time’s 100 Most Influential People and Fortune’s World’s 50 Greatest Leaders. Beyond industry impact, she has helped raise millions for STEM programs reaching thousands of students nationwide and has contributed extensively to aerospace research and governance through publications, advisory roles, and academic service.
Honoré Labourdette
Vice President, Global Telco EcoSystem Success Team at Red Hat
Honoré LaBourdette is a sales, marketing, and business development executive with a track record of building and leading programs that accelerate technology adoption across vertical industries and partner ecosystems. She has led global go-to-market and partner-readiness initiatives, including large-scale enablement efforts supporting thousands of sales professionals and tens of thousands of partners. Her experience includes driving digital transformation for telecommunications organizations and building a greenfield industry practice to serve healthcare. She has been recognized as one of Global Telecom Business’ “Top 50 Women to Watch” and received an Industry Leader Award from the Professional Business Women of California.
Ivana Knyght
Vice President at Capgemini / Cambridge Consultants
Ivana Knyght is a business professional with 20 years of research and clinical experience across multiple therapeutic areas and treatment modalities, focused on turning advanced science and AI into competitive advantage. She has initiated and led global AI and innovation initiatives, shaped strategy and investment decisions at C-suite and board levels, and built cross-functional teams spanning science, technology, and business. She has led multiple large, multiyear biopharma R&D transformations involving 300+ FTE teams and impacting workforces of over 20,000 people across 50+ countries. With a pharmacy background and a PhD in drug discovery focused on computational and molecular biology, she brings scientific credibility alongside executive leadership in data, infrastructure, and enterprise transformation. She is an active industry speaker, including a keynote at BiotechX in October 2025, with a scheduled speaking engagement at MWC Barcelona in March 2026.
Jean Lawrence
Vice President, Global ABM & Field Marketing and CMO for Nokia Cloud & Network Services at Nokia
Jean Lawrence is a marketing and communications executive with more than 25 years of experience across technology and telecom, spanning senior roles in marketing, strategy, communications, and product development. She has led global organizations across 15 countries, building high-performing teams rooted in curiosity, candor, and collaboration. Her work has advanced go-to-market strategy, product launches, analyst relations, and integrated campaigns that connect emerging technologies—such as 5G, cloud, AI, security, and automation—to real business outcomes. She is a visible industry voice, contributing thought leadership through extensive bylined publishing and frequent speaking engagements on leadership, innovation, AI, and the future of connectivity. Jean is also an advocate for representation and mentorship, supporting women in technology through development programs and mentorship for the next generation of leaders in STEM.
Jodi Baxter
Vice-President of AI, Wireless, and IoT at TELUS
Jodi Baxter is a senior telecommunications leader with deep experience across products and services in the industry. She has built expertise in developing business cases, forging strategic partnerships, and bringing solutions to market through solution selling and product marketing. Her work emphasizes customer experience and practical innovation, including initiatives that combine network performance and security outcomes for organizations. She holds an MBA in Leadership and Strategy from the University of Victoria and a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing from the University of Alberta.
Kaniz Mahdi
Director Technology AWS Industries at Amazon Web Services
Kaniz Mahdi is a technology leader recognized for shaping strategy in 6G and Network AI and for advancing AI-native, cloud-first network architectures. She is an innovator across VoLTE, 5G, and Edge, with more than 45 patents and a body of published work in IMS-based inter-device collaboration. Kaniz founded the Open Grid Alliance and has contributed to major industry initiatives, including the ATIS NextG Alliance and NSF RINGS, as well as serving on the FCC Technology Advisory Council. Her work has been recognized through honors such as Edge Woman of the Year and inclusion among the 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology.
Kate Johnson
President and CEO at Lumen Technologies
Kate Johnson is a transformational business leader with a foundation in management consulting and a long-standing focus on large-scale business transformation. Across her career, she has led complex change initiatives within Fortune 500 organizations, consistently emphasizing the role of people and culture in driving sustainable results. She has overseen major growth, operational scale, and strategic transformation efforts, including leadership of large, global teams and multibillion-dollar business portfolios. Her impact has been widely recognized through multiple industry honors celebrating her influence, business performance, and leadership among professional women.
Leticia Latino Van Splunteren
CEO of Albireo AI
Leticia Latino-van Splunteren is an entrepreneur and long-time telecommunications leader who describes herself as a “connector,” focused on value creation through relationships, information flow, and collaboration. She founded Neptuno USA in 2003 and emphasizes persistence, adaptability, and leading through continuous improvement, strategy, and influence. She is active as a mentor in the European Innovation Council Scaling Club’s New Space group and serves in board and governance roles, including with the National Wireless Safety Alliance. Her work also includes thought leadership as the host of the Back2Basics podcast and as an Amazon best-selling author, with recognition such as being named a 2024 “50 Women to Watch for Boards” honoree.
Lilac Ilan
Head of Telecom Business Development at NVIDIA
Lilac Ilan is a business leader with extensive experience turning innovative technologies into successful, market-ready solutions. Over a 17-year career, she has brought digital transformation offerings to industries including manufacturing, healthcare, digital supply chain, and transportation, and has led partnership efforts to accelerate 5G monetization and enable new customer experiences across areas such as retail, security, smart buildings, AR/VR, and computer vision. She has delivered measurable commercial impact, including launching pricing and product initiatives that generated more than $20M in 2011 and $50M in 2012, and earlier driving over $30M in revenue through new strategic online offers. She is also connected to initiatives designed to advance women into positions of power, aligning her leadership with efforts to broaden opportunity in the industry.
Marta Estarellas
CEO of Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech
Marta P Estarellas is a quantum technology leader with a track record spanning research, engineering, and full-stack product development. She has led a ~10-person theory and applications team in a superconducting-based quantum computing startup, guiding co-design efforts toward app-specific quantum devices and collaborating with clients to develop tailored proof-of-concepts for industry use cases. Her work includes advancing optimization methods for compiling quantum algorithms at scale, applying many-body systems to quantum simulation in NISQ devices, and introducing machine learning methods for quantum computing inspired by many-body physics. She has also supported talent development through the supervision and co-supervision of BSc, MSc, PhD, and industrial doctoral students, helping strengthen the next generation of quantum engineers.
Marta Tolos
Executive Director at AstraZeneca
Marta Tolós is an AI leader with a track record of building and scaling enterprise AI services and platforms through reusable capabilities such as NLP, mathematical optimization, computer vision, and generative AI. She has led multicultural, geographically distributed teams of AI engineers and insight experts across multiple countries to accelerate data science delivery at global scale. Her career spans applied AI research and engineering in areas including speech recognition, machine learning for robotics, and large-scale data science and big data delivery, with leadership experience across telecom, automotive, energy, and enterprise environments. Marta has contributed to publications and patents and has served as an adjunct professor, teaching data science, advanced analytics, and telecommunications-related subjects. She also supports youth skills development as a mentor for girls learning coding and AI.
Monique Jeanne Morrow
President and Co-Founder of The Humanized Internet
Monique Jeanne Morrow is a global technology leader with over 25 years of experience advancing innovation through emerging technologies, including blockchain, digital identity, privacy, and security. She has played a significant role in shaping industry conversations at the intersection of technology, ethics, and societal impact, particularly around trust, identity, and responsible innovation. Monique is the President and Co-Founder of a non-profit dedicated to providing secure digital identity for underserved populations worldwide. Her work spans advisory, governance, research, and standardization efforts, and she is widely recognized for her long-term influence and advocacy for women in technology and engineering.
Namrata Sharma
Vice President and Sector Head – Hitech at Wipro
Namrata Sharma is an analytical, multilingual business leader with expertise in incubating new service lines and technology solutions to expand revenue footprint. She brings experience across telecommunications, the semiconductor chipset market segment, strategic planning, the product development lifecycle, and client relationship management. She is a vocal advocate for gender parity and is actively engaged in promoting gender diversity in the workplace and beyond. She also contributes to industry thought leadership, including discussions on AI’s impact on semiconductors and conversations on building trusted, collaborative AI ecosystems.
Nevash Pillay
Head of Global Telecom Industry at Databricks
Nevash Pillay is a technology and growth leader with two decades of experience helping organizations pivot through disruption by linking strategy, execution, and operational cadence. She has built platforms for change by innovating products and services, forging strategic partnerships, and mobilizing teams to deliver profitable expansion and transformation at scale. She is recognized for driving measurable business outcomes through simplification, digitisation, and strong execution culture. Nevash is also a committed advocate for emerging female leaders, Indigenous rights, disability equity, and the strengths of neurodiversity—championing inclusive cultures where diversity of thought fuels performance and long-term impact.
Payal Dalal
Executive Vice President of Global Programs at Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth
Payal Dalal is a professional communicator and relationship builder focused on addressing global challenges through corporate and cross-sector collaboration. She brings deep experience in stakeholder management, policy formulation, marketing, strategy, and program execution, with a track record of leading large-scale initiatives and global teams. Throughout her career, she has consistently championed the issues of women and girls, including writing books for girls featuring contemporary girl heroes from around the world. Her work reflects a long-term commitment to enabling change at the intersection of public and private sector action.
Priya Kurien
Research Director, Institute for Business Value at IBM
Priya Kurien is a global technology leader known for turning advanced innovation into measurable business impact across industries. Her career spans large-scale digital and network transformations, growth leadership initiatives that scaled businesses from hundreds of millions to billions in revenue, and the creation of influential partnerships in AI and emerging technologies. She is widely recognized for shaping executive-level thought leadership, advising senior leaders, and advancing the strategic adoption of generative AI, 5G, and advanced analytics. Beyond enterprise transformation, Priya is an accomplished author, speaker, and mentor, contributing lasting insight through published research, books, and global conference engagements.
Priya Saxena
CTO, AI & Cloud Services at Zinkworks
Priya Saxena is a technical solutions consultant and practice lead with deep expertise in cloud technologies, generative AI/ML, application development, and modernization. She has driven customer success and strategic solutions by translating complex technical concepts into clear business value for senior decision-makers, while collaborating across product, sales/GTM, and engineering. She is an inventor with five published patents spanning application virtualization and machine-learning–enabled computing platforms, and she actively contributes thought leadership through blogging, presentations, and conference speaking. Known for end-to-end ownership and mentorship, she has led large consulting teams and delivered reusable technical assets that accelerate adoption and impact.
Rebekah Griffiths
VP, Product Management & Strategy at Assurant
Rebekah Griffiths is a product and strategy leader with more than 20 years of experience delivering technology-driven solutions at scale. She has led end-to-end product vision, roadmap, and execution for device lifecycle solutions, helping extend the useful life of mobile devices and reduce environmental impact through circular economy models. Her leadership includes successfully integrating major acquisitions and guiding cross-functional teams across product, marketing, IT, and global operations. Rebekah is recognized for creating measurable value for clients, partners, and consumers while advancing sustainability through innovation and data-driven decision-making.
Stephanie Cohen
Chief Strategy Officer at Cloudflare
Stephanie Cohen is a global strategy and governance leader with decades of experience shaping large-scale platforms, financial services, and digital infrastructure. She has played a pivotal role in defining long-term strategy across consumer, wealth, and platform ecosystems, while also serving on multiple boards and trustee organizations. Her work includes contributing to international policy and economic discussions on the future of AI, the digital economy, and fair, sustainable models for innovation. Stephanie is recognized for advocating permission-based, transparent systems that support creators, businesses, and broader access to technology, helping ensure the benefits of AI and the Internet are more widely shared.
Subha Shrinivasan
Senior Vice President at Rakuten Symphony
Subha Shrinivasan is a technology and infrastructure leader focused on turning innovation into repeatable execution in real-world deployments across datacenter, cloud, and telecom environments. She builds AI-first delivery organizations that convert complex pilots into scalable operating models, emphasizing customer value creation, automation, and closed-loop feedback in deployment and operations. Her work spans integrating multiple product lines into unified global delivery motions and repositioning delivery as a strategic growth driver with clear accountability for revenue enablement and customer outcomes. She has led zero-to-scale initiatives, including building business units and global capability centers from inception to benchmarked operations, and has driven delivery-side integration across mergers while maintaining customer continuity. She also contributes to community and leadership initiatives through roles supporting speaker programming and strategy work to amplify women’s brands and leadership perspectives.
Yue Wang
Chief Technologist at China Telecom
Yue Wang is a technologist and visionary leader focused on developing next-generation telecom technologies and aligning innovation strategy with business goals through collaboration with partners and external stakeholders. Her expertise spans RAN, core networks, network architecture, and applying AI in networks, alongside technical leadership, project delivery, and people management. She has held leadership and governance roles across industry and standards ecosystems, including serving as a delegate for an O-RAN working group, and as rapporteur and secretary within an ETSI industry specification group. She has led expert groups to identify opportunities and gaps in telecom AI, producing actionable suggestions and technology roadmaps, and has been recognized for externally facing thought leadership and industry engagement, including published discussions on converging digital infrastructure and AI services. She has also contributed to advancing women in STEM through volunteer leadership supporting a UK-based community for Chinese women in technology.
Zhiping Chen (Summer)
Vice President at ZTE Corporation
Zhiping Chen (Summer) is a telecommunications leader with over two decades of experience spanning research and development, operations, global marketing, and strategic branding in the international ICT sector. Her work has shaped industry conversations around trust-driven innovation, sustainability, and long-term partnership building. She has been internationally recognized for her technical and leadership contributions, including honors related to 5G advancement. A consistent advocate for inclusion and gender equality, she emphasizes the role of technology as a bridge for equitable and sustainable digital progress.
Amid the rapidly evolving world of mobile technology, where innovation fuels every breakthrough—the Chief in Tech Executive Forum & Dinner at MWC Barcelona 2026 offers a rare opportunity to take part in an influential exchange of ideas, perspectives, and leadership. This exclusive gathering brings senior tech leaders together in an intimate setting, creating space for meaningful conversations that help shape the future of technology and business.
As MWC Barcelona concludes, the momentum continues through WomenTech Network events, designed to help you deepen connections, expand your network, and stay ahead in a fast-moving industry. If you’re attending MWC, this executive dinner is a must-attend moment—where influential voices align to define what’s next.
Looking ahead, secure your place at the Women in Tech Global Conference 2026 (May 12–15, Virtual). With VIP Tickets and Discounted Group Tickets available, the conference offers a powerful opportunity for teams, organizations, and communities to learn, connect, and grow together. It’s an ideal way to extend the MWC experience, keep the dialogue alive, and invest in leadership, innovation, and inclusion at scale.