International Women's Day (IWD) is a global event that recognises women's achievements, raises awareness about gender equality, and promotes women's empowerment. It is a crucial platform for activism, highlighting enduring gender disparities and advocating for equality.
When she was trying to decide her career path, Wendy Lee was passionate about music, technology, and marketing. Her then-piano teacher commented that music was something that Lee enjoyed as a leisure activity but not a career.
"You are a more exploratory and fun-loving kind of person, so I don't think sitting behind a computer doing programming is something that will keep you interested for a long time." Wendy Lee
Journey's lessons
Lee confided that an early realisation in her chosen career was that marketing was not just external.
"As a marketer, we often forget that we first need to market internally before we take it up externally. By that, I mean getting all the relevant stakeholders to understand what we are doing, what we are trying to achieve, and how this can impact them. Then, we can start with the external marketing activity," she elaborated.
The other lesson is about knowing and building your team—personally and professionally. These lessons taught her to align people's portfolios with their strengths and things that they find joy in working on.
"This empowers them to innovate and build a bond with the organisation and the team to thrive. It's a continuous process that benefits the entire team," she concluded.
Women as active participants
Asked how women have fared as active participants and leaders in Asia's tech sector, she believed progress has improved 'quite a lot' but conceded there remains much work to be done in terms of women's representation in the industry.
"There's still a lot of work that tech companies need to do to support women, particularly through initiatives to improve things like recruitment, retention and women's career advancement within the organisation." Wendy Lee
"If we can do that, we'll see a greater inclusion and diversity within the technology industry itself," beamed Lee confidently.
Tips for building a career
Lee says that participating in forums, workshops, and conferences is one of the best ways to meet industry leaders and grow one's career. She encourages aspirants not to be afraid to join networking events, sign up for mentorship programmes, or join women-focused tech groups.
"It's important women and young ladies leverage social platforms like LinkedIn to build their online presence, to connect with professionals in the tech industry, and to share experiences," she added. "Don't be afraid to share what you've done. Engage in conversation and put your brand out there. Be bold and follow industry leaders that you find inspiring. This will help you find opportunities for a voice in the market."
She also suggests finding mentors who can provide guidance and advice about career opportunities and progression.
Replicating success
Lee believes initiatives such as Singapore 100 are vital in inspiring young women to consider a tech career. She advocates that such efforts be replicated in other countries, with local governments collaborating with international and local tech firms to promote tech as a career opportunity for women.
"It is important to spotlight some of women's key successes and contributions in their country. It's all about creating a role model for the ladies, the women, the girls in that country," she continued.
Overcoming challenges
The International Women's Day event reveals that women often face unconscious bias and stereotypes, particularly questions about their ability and leadership—because the way women and men lead is quite different. "This kind of biased environment is not very welcoming and limits the opportunities for women to advance," laments Lee.
It doesn't help that there are still relatively few women leaders in Asia's tech sector who provide role models and mentors. "Guidance and support from other women are important," she reiterated. A lot of women, aside from working, are moms and lead caregivers at home. This challenge can lead to additional stress and burnout. So, guidance from other women on how to balance all that is really important."
Advise for the ages
Having built a career in technology, Lee, currently senior director at SS&C Blue Prism, suggests creating a strong foundation by investing in courses that will help you upscale your knowledge and stay curious. You need to constantly develop new skills and knowledge.
"Second, build your support system by networking with like-minded professionals. And seek a mentor. You'd be surprised by the support you can get from like-minded professionals. And the great ideas that can be generated during these conversations," she concluded.
Click on the PodChat player to listen to Lee's perspective on how women can succeed in Asia's growing tech sector.
- Professionally, you've been in technology for much of your career. Is this an active decision on your part?
- You have been in tech marketing for some time now. Can you share some interesting lessons from your journey?
- How would you describe the progress made by women as active participants and leaders in Asia's technology sector?
- What are some practical ways for women in tech to network and build professional relationships to help them access industry leadership roles?
- What is your view on mentorship? What has worked and needs more work in this area?
- What role do initiatives like the SG100 Women in Tech play in inspiring and empowering women to pursue technological careers, and how can similar programs be replicated across Asia?
- Aspirations aside, what are the key challenges women face when leading marketing efforts for global tech/AI firms in Asia, and how can they overcome these obstacles to achieve success?
- IWD's 2025 theme of "Accelerate Action" is a call to action to accelerate women's participation in leading the charge. What is your advice for women wanting to pursue a tech career?
