"From Barriers to Breakthroughs: Women’s Journey in Digital Infrastructure Sector"
"From Barriers to Breakthroughs: Women’s Journey in Digital Infrastructure Sector"
Thu May 22 - 6:20 AM EDT/New York (See in local time)
Add to Calendar
05/22/2025 6:20 AM
05/22/2025 07:00 AM
America/New_York
#WTGC2025
"From Barriers to Breakthroughs: Women’s Journey in Digital Infrastructure Sector"
#WTGC2025
"From Barriers to Breakthroughs: Women’s Journey in Digital Infrastructure Sector"
https://www.womentech.net/ringcentral
https://www.womentech.net/ringcentral
"From Barriers to Breakthroughs: Women’s Journey in Digital Infrastructure Sector"
"From Barriers to Breakthroughs: Women’s Journey in Digital Infrastructure Sector"
Don’t miss out and join visionaries, innovators, and thought leaders from all over the world at the Women in Tech Global Conference.
Vote by Sharing
Unite 100 000 Women in Tech to Drive Change with Purpose and Impact.
Do you want to see this session? Help increase the sharing count and the session visibility. Sessions with +10 votes will be available to career ticket holders.
Please note that it might take some time until your share & vote is reflected.
Session: From Barriers to Breakthroughs: Women’s Journey in Digital Infrastructure Sector
The digital infrastructure sector, propelled by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI), has seen remarkable growth in recent years. Despite this surge, one of the most pressing challenges facing the industry is the workforce gap, particularly the underrepresentation of women. Currently, women account for less than 25% of the workforce in this rapidly evolving sector. This presentation will explore the key challenges women face in entering and advancing within digital infrastructure roles and highlight the opportunities that exist for driving diversity and inclusion.Key Takeaways
- Flexible work options help retain and attract women in digital infrastructure roles.
- Mentorship, career programs, and inclusivity can advance women.
- Real-life examples of women in the digital infrastructure sector.
Bio
Umaima HaiderWith over a decade of experience, Dr Haider is a Lecturer at the School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering, University of East London (UEL). Prior to joining this position, she was a Senior Scientist at UEL and Technical Analyst at Uptime Institute. Dr Haider was also a Lecturer in Computing at Falmouth University, UK and held a visiting research scholar position at Clemson University, South Carolina, USA.
Dr Haider has delivered various externally funded research and industry projects globally related to energy and environmental sustainability of data centres. Additionally, she has contributed to UK public policy on various topics such as regulating ICT product sustainability and the energy consumption of ICT.
Currently, Dr Haider’s main research interest is in the design and implementation of a sustainable ICT infrastructure, especially in a cloud and data centre environment.
Caroline Romanski is the Chief Corporate Officer at Start Campus, where she leads the delivery of one of Europe’s largest and most sustainable AI-scale data center ecosystems, SINES DC. With over a decade of experience in investment banking at J.P. Morgan, Caroline brings deep expertise in energy, infrastructure, and strategic finance. Recognized as one of the Top 100 Women in Data Centres 2025, she is also a passionate advocate for women in tech and a mentor across the digital infrastructure space. Caroline holds degrees from UC Berkeley and NEOMA Business School, and actively supports wellness and fashion initiatives through projects like NOON Yoga and The Stylish Working Woman.
Tatiana Smith
I am a Project and Programme Manager with over 15 years of experience, qualified in PRINCE2, APMP, and MSP. I specialize in leading complex, high-value projects across the full lifecycle of design and construction, with a strong foundation in both engineering and business management.
At Deerns, I manage international, multi-disciplinary data centre projects, focusing on technically challenging MEP and sustainability-driven initiatives across the UK, Europe, and beyond. I collaborate with global teams, contribute to business development, speak at industry events, and publish thought leadership content.
My expertise spans client-side delivery, PMO leadership, governance, and project controls across sectors including data centres, critical infrastructure, commercial, banking, residential, and public services.
Micky Ripley-Senior Integrated Talent Solution Partner, Equinix
Coming from a background in Executive Support, I’ve had the opportunity of working alongside diverse leadership teams and industry experts across multiple sectors. This experience has given me a front-row seat to the evolving challenges talent acquisition and development in a fast-changing world.
Currently, I support Equinix, a global leader in the Data Centre market, in their key hiring initiatives across the UK and the Netherlands. My role goes beyond recruitment—it’s about driving change at the ground level, particularly in creating pathways for women in digital infrastructure.
In an industry where women are still underrepresented, my hiring managers and I are passionate about breaking barriers, fostering inclusion, and empowering the next generation of female talent to thrive in tech and infrastructure. Looking forward to sharing insights on how we can turn challenges into real breakthroughs!
