As a “Wonder Woman” in Tech, What Does Leadership Mean to You?
Leadership, to me, is an equal mix of accountability and mentorship.
it’s about owning outcomes, especially in high-stakes environments like emerging technology. In our region, where digital transformation is accelerating at unprecedented speed, leadership means making decisions that will shape not only companies, but national economies.
Across my 20+ years of professional journey — from IBM to Exabeam — I’ve learned that leadership in tech is about clarity under pressure. You must align teams, drive measurable impact, and ensure strategy translates into growth.
As a GCC-based leader, I also see leadership as stewardship. We are building industries that did not exist at scale 10–15 years ago. So leadership means investing in people, building ecosystems, and ensuring that the next generation — especially women — sees technology not as a male-dominated field, but as a space they naturally belong in.
How Can Organizations Create More Inclusive Environments for Women in Cybersecurity?
Inclusion cannot be a side initiative. It must be part of national and corporate strategy.
In the GCC, governments have made bold commitments to digital transformation under national visions like Saudi Vision 2030 and UAE digital strategies.
This is a shared responsibility across four pillars:
- Governments: Incorporate gender inclusion into national cybersecurity frameworks. The region has strong female participation in higher education — we must convert that into workforce and leadership representation.
- Organizations: Move beyond hiring metrics. Focus on retention, progression, and sponsorship. Ensure women are not only present in teams, but present in revenue-driving, high-visibility, strategic roles.
- Academic Institutions: Cybersecurity exposure must begin early. Girls should see cyber not just as coding or engineering, but as strategy, resilience, intelligence, and national security.
- Women Themselves: We must also address internal barriers. Sometimes hesitation, self-doubt, or fear of challenging norms holds women back. The glass ceiling exists — but so does the need to consciously step forward and claim space.
Globally, women represent roughly 25% of the cybersecurity workforce. In the Middle East, while women make up a significant percentage of university graduates in STEM, representation in executive leadership remains disproportionately low — often under 10% at CEO level. That gap is not about capability. It is about systems and progression.
What Advice Would You Give to Young Women Aspiring to Build a Career in Cybersecurity and Technology?
First, build competence. Technology industry rewards expertise: Certifications, continuous learning, exposure to real-world challenges — these matter.
Second, understand the business context. In the GCC, cybersecurity is directly linked to national resilience, economic diversification, and digital trust. If you understand how cyber risk connects to revenue, regulation, and reputation, you become invaluable.
Third, own your brand early. One of the biggest lessons in my career has been the importance of understanding your strengths and edges. Do an annual self-review. Where are you strong? Where must you improve? Seek mentors — but also seek sponsors who will advocate for you in rooms you are not in.
And finally: do not wait to feel fully ready. Growth happens in motion.
The GCC is one of the fastest-growing technology markets globally. This is an opportunity generation. Step into it with confidence.
How Do You See the Role of Women Leaders Shaping the Future of Cybersecurity?
The future of cybersecurity in the GCC is not only technical — it is strategic and geopolitical.
As digital transformation accelerates across government, energy, finance, healthcare, and smart cities, cybersecurity becomes foundational to national trust. Women leaders bring strengths that are critical in this shift: long-term risk thinking, collaborative leadership styles, and the ability to communicate complex technical risks in business language.
As cyber moves from an IT issue to board-level priority, diverse leadership is no longer about optics. It directly impacts decision-making quality.
In our region, we are witnessing positive momentum — more women entering STEM fields, more women in mid-management roles. The next frontier is executive leadership. When women lead cybersecurity strategy, they influence not only corporate resilience but national digital futures.
What Message Would You Like to Share With Women Who Hesitate to Step Into Leadership Roles?
humility does not mean invisibility.
Leadership is not about being perfect. It is about being accountable.
Yes, social expectations exist. Yes, balancing family and ambition can be complex. I speak from personal experience as a mother and executive. But balance is dynamic — not fixed. And perfection is neither realistic nor required.
Governments must create opportunity, organizations must remove structural barriers, but all this doesn’t help unless we as women decide to lead.
The GCC is shaping a bold digital future. Women must not participate at the margins of that transformation — we must help lead it.
