Empowering diversity: The story behind Credera’s Ladies in Tech network

Within the tech world, diversity is no longer just a buzzword but an essential pillar for innovation and progress. Recognising the need for greater support across all areas of the business, Credera’s Ladies in Tech (LiT) network was founded with a clear mission: to create a more inclusive environment where women and allies can thrive. LiT is not just for engineers but for women across all departments, from business operations to marketing, who are committed to promoting gender diversity in tech.

With a focus on community, mentorship, and professional development, LiT aims to break down barriers, amplify voices, and attract more women to the industry. This blog post recounts a conversation with Jessie Biagioni, the leader of LiT, discussing how the network came to life, its core mission, and the outcomes of its first event.

How did the idea for Ladies in Tech (LiT) come about?

When I joined Credera in April 2024, I immediately noticed that while there was a Women in Engineering group, there weren’t any resources or communities for women working in other areas of the business, like business operations or the consulting function. Through conversations with others, it soon became clear that many other women in non-engineering roles felt the same—there was a gap.

At the same time, I was attending a number of Women in Tech (WiT) events, and that experience was thought-provoking. I thought, “Why not create a women’s support network in Credera?” From there, I started piecing together what would eventually become Ladies in Tech (LiT).

What is the mission of Ladies in Tech?

The core mission of LiT is to promote gender diversity in tech across all departments within Credera—whether you're in engineering, operations, or marketing. We’re an inclusive network open to anyone within the company, including allies who want to support gender diversity in tech. We will host regular events across every office to provide spaces for discussion, development, and networking, and engage partners and clients

What were the goals of the first LiT event?

The first LiT event was held in September 2024, and it was an exciting milestone. We centered our discussions around two main questions:

• What are the different challenges faced by women in tech?

• What do people want from this network?

We got right to the heart of the issues and really understood what the community needed from LiT. This allowed us to create a roadmap for the network to directly address the needs of our members.

What were the outcomes from that first meeting?

The event was incredibly productive, and we walked away with several key outcomes. One of the main takeaways was that LiT could be a platform for increasing the visibility of external WiT events, networks, and resources. The attendees voiced that they didn’t know about some of the opportunities available to them, so we aim to change that by sharing those resources more effectively.

Another outcome was the decision to create a community for personal and professional development. We want to support women both internally—within Credera—and externally, in their client work, to ensure they have the tools and networks to promote gender diversity. This support system will also help us attract more women, especially at senior levels where diversity is particularly lacking.

Finally, we recognised the need for opportunities for female-led mentorship and role modelling by aiming to highlight the career paths of women leaders within Credera. And, importantly, we’re also defining how allies—people who don’t identify as women but want to help—can play a proactive role in supporting women in tech and promoting gender diversity.

What was the highlight of 2024 for LIT?

The highlight has definitely been launching LiT and hosting our first event. It felt like such a tangible step towards building a more inclusive, supportive culture within Credera. And the fact that we already have a date locked in for the next event is incredibly exciting. This momentum is crucial, and we’re thrilled to see it building so quickly.

What are your long-term goals for LIT?

While our primary focus for now is on our internal community at Credera, we have big plans for the future. We’d like to open up LiT to include clients, partners, and external stakeholders. Diversity in tech is an industry-wide challenge, and we believe collaborating with external organisations could amplify our impact. There’s also a strategic benefit for Credera as these connections have already led to cross-agency partnerships and created the opportunity for sales. Building these bridges helps not only promote diversity but also strengthen our wider business relationships.

You and others recently attended the OmniWomen Annual Summit. How did that influence LiT’s direction?

Attending the OmmiWomen Annual Summit was an incredible experience. We were able to connect with influential leaders across the wider Omnicom Women’s Network, and it opened our eyes to how much more we can achieve by collaborating with other organisations. Asima Crewe debated in the Emerging Leaders panel, and her discussion was a perfect example of the type of leadership and mentorship we want to promote through LiT. The summit reinforced our belief that LiT can be a powerful tool for connecting our women not just within Credera, but across the broader community.

What's next for Ladies in Tech?

Looking ahead, we’re focused on building on the success of our first event. We want to continue having open discussions, grow our network, and start implementing some of the ideas that came out of our first meeting, like expanding our mentorship program.

Creating spaces where women can excel

Ladies in Tech is well on its way to making a lasting impact at Credera and beyond. With a clear vision, actionable outcomes, and a growing community, Jessie Biagioni and the LiT team are creating spaces where women can excel in tech, one event at a time.

• Culture
• Credera Culture
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Gender Diversity
• Technology Consulting
• Inclusion
• Diversity