Smitha Rao,
Head of Human Resources at Azentio
International Women’s Day 2025 is around the corner. The theme this year is “Accelerate Action,” and honestly, it feels spot on. In tech, where change is constant, diversity isn’t a slogan, it’s fuel. I’ve seen it enough times to know: when you bring different people together, the ideas are better, the results are stronger.
At Azentio, we talk a lot about people being our biggest asset. It’s true. We work across the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, regions that are diverse by default. Our teams should reflect that. Right now, a third of our leadership is women. That number matters, but what matters more is the perspective it brings. Creativity, fresh thinking, smarter solutions. You can’t fake that.
I’ve been in rooms where the mix wasn’t there, and the conversation went in circles. Add different voices, especially women leaders, and suddenly the whole tone shifts. The status quo gets challenged. Someone asks the question nobody else thought of. That’s when the real innovation happens.
And look, this isn’t just about “doing the right thing.” It’s about building better businesses. Studies say gender-diverse companies outperform. Sure. But you don’t need research to see it. You feel it when the team sparks off each other and comes up with something new.
For us, it’s also about culture. Hiring more women is step one. Making sure they’re heard and supported is step two. Last year, 29% of our hires came through diversity efforts, and yes, we want to grow that. But the bigger point? A culture where everyone feels they belong. Where it’s normal for women to lead, mentor, and build others up.
That ripple effect is real. Our senior women leaders don’t just run teams, they mentor, they coach, they encourage. And younger colleagues, women and men, see that and think, “ok, I can do this too.” That kind of confidence spreads faster than any corporate program ever could.
So what’s next? Well, International Women’s Day is nice, but it can’t be the one day we talk about this. In tech, you can’t slow down. We have to keep pushing for gender equality, keep accelerating the pace. Because the future of tech? It’s not just about new tools or faster code. It’s about who’s at the table, shaping what comes next.
Smitha Rao,
Head of Human Resources at Azentio