“I’ve been in tech for over 30 years, and when I reflect on my journey, there’s one thing I know for sure: change doesn’t just happen. It requires action.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme, ‘Accelerate Action,’ really speaks to me. It’s a call to take urgent, proactive steps to achieve gender parity. This is a belief I’ve carried throughout my career.
In the early days of my career, I didn’t see many women in tech. I felt like I had to work twice as hard, prove myself constantly, and overcome barriers that were often invisible but very real. Over time, I realized that it’s not enough to just acknowledge those barriers — we need to break them down. And at SAP, we’re doing just that.
Today, nearly 50% of our workforce in Southeast Asia is female.
It’s something I’m incredibly proud of. And as of January 2025, 50% of our country managing directors in the region will be women. But while these numbers are promising, I know there’s still so much to do. The road to gender parity is long, and the pace of change is too slow for my liking. The World Economic Forum has estimated that full gender parity won’t be achieved for another 134 years — and that timeline isn’t acceptable to me.
I believe there are three critical actions we need to take to accelerate progress:
- Sponsorship over mentorship. Women need champions, not just mentors. We need leaders who will open doors for us and actively create opportunities.
- Equal access to leadership tracks. We need to ensure that high-impact projects and decision-making roles are accessible to women at every level, helping to create a pipeline for future leadership.
- A redefinition of leadership. Leadership isn’t just about traditional traits like aggression. It’s about emotional intelligence, inclusivity, and diverse perspectives. Organizations that embrace this kind of leadership are not only better places to work, but they also perform better overall.
I’ve spent my career pushing for these changes, and I’ve seen firsthand how empowering women leads to extraordinary outcomes. When we create environments that nurture and support women, we all benefit. The reality is clear: diversity drives better decisions, stronger businesses, and more resilient economies.
I know that change doesn’t come overnight. But every step we take, no matter how small, brings us closer to a world where women are equally represented in leadership roles.
The question isn’t ‘why’ we need to act, but ‘how much faster’ we can make change happen.”
Verena Siow is the President and Managing Director of SAP Southeast Asia, the first female Singaporean Managing Director for both SAP Indochina and SAP SEA, and a leader committed to accelerating gender parity, with over 30 years of experience and a track record of empowering women in tech.
