EXPERT OPINION
Navigating the data centre space as a woman
Takayo Takamuro , Managing Director , Telehouse Europe , tells us about her inspirational journey as a woman in the tech space , the importance of resetting the culture to make it more inclusive and appealing to women , as well as offering her advice for embracing working in a maledominated industry . he IT and data centre industries have always
T been male dominated . While there is still lots of progress to be made , there are examples of women leading tech companies shaping our society .
Women have spent years shining a brighter light on diversity and inequality issues , coming together in all sorts of public forums , conferences and movements to have our voices heard . Yet , the progress we ’ ve made so far can be compared to only a small drop in a very large ocean . Women ’ s rights have come a long way , but if we look at the historical timeline , our right to work , or be paid the same amount as men , is fairly new .
The progress and the acceptance to assume a leadership position also differs from culture to culture . Coming from Japan , my career started at a time when women were still expected to fulfil support functions . It was quite unusual for us to work in sales within the IT market , which is where my journey began . This hasn ’ t discouraged me in any way ; instead , it sparked a passion for learning and a determination to pursue higherlevel roles , which I hope to pass onto an aspiring , younger generation .
Resetting the culture
The IT world needs more female professionals because they can offer a more balanced view on the sector ’ s issues , which can accelerate technological advancements and innovation . Today , however , we ’ re facing a huge digital skill and labour shortage , which adds to the problem of small
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