Lessons From T&I Summit APAC’s Forrester Women’s Leadership Program

Despite the continuous gender disparity in technology and cybersecurity — just 9% of the top 100 listed companies in APAC have female CISOs, and only 36% of Australian public service STEM roles belong to women — women continue to innovate, contribute, and lead amazing careers. As has now become tradition at our Technology & Innovation Summit APAC, a room full of accomplished women and a few brave men gathered as part of our Forrester Women’s Leadership Program to celebrate successes and posit solutions for the many challenges that women face in this field. The theme? “Choose your advisors — and nuggets of advice — wisely”; a theme inspired by the hugely successful event led by our amazing colleague Amy DeMartine at our 2024 Security & Risk Summit.

We asked the attendees to share some of the best and worst advice they received over their careers (see the image below). What resulted was an inspiring, interactive, and thought-provoking session. We discussed how:

Determining whom to trust, and when, is an underdiscussed art, with significant impact. I moderated a discussion with senior technology and security leaders Cassandra Highfield and Sulata Bhattarcharjee, who provided unique and powerful insights into their careers. We discussed the people who influenced their careers, with unusual suspects emerging: from parents who tried to discourage constant career changes to life partners who advised them to “go in there with the confidence of a middle-aged white man.” We touched on the loneliness of senior leadership, but our leaders reminded us that it doesn’t always have to be this way if you have the courage to be vulnerable and trust the team that you’ve worked hard to build and grow. Sulata provided a piece of wisdom shared with her at a pivotal moment in her career that will stay with many of us after the session: “Just because something is hard doesn’t mean it’s toxic.”
Adapting to, and leading, constant change in the workplace is a nebulous task, requiring strategy, tactics, and time. Throughout your career, you’ll encounter transitions, whether it’s a new leader, emerging technologies (AI, anyone?), or changes in organizational culture. Sometimes you initiate these shifts, and other times they’re driven by the business. These moments can be challenging; being told to “fit in,” “rise to the occasion,” or “be resilient” often oversimplifies reality and can undermine your confidence. The panel recommended distinguishing what’s within your control from broader systemic or cultural issues. We can also prepare early for major transformations, lean on our support networks, and work with a coach to build the emotional strength needed. A powerful insight shared: “Ask yourself: ‘What would it take to make this work?’ If the honest answer is ‘nothing,’ that’s a clear red flag.” By modeling your own commitment and mindset to working in ways that allow you to thrive, you give others permission to do the same.
Working excessive hours doesn’t equate to being irreplaceable. Today’s women leaders were raised on yesterday’s belief that they needed to work more, a problem exacerbated by today’s hustling “do more for less” culture. A reflective and heartfelt discussion revealed that this led many to sacrifice meaningful moments with family. One resonant insight came from a participant who shared a guiding question she asks herself during overwhelming moments to help navigate competing personal and work-life demands with compassion: “Who needs me most now?” The group expressed a collective sense of difficulty in switching off from work, questioning the true value of striving to be “the best” professionally at the expense of personal well-being. The biggest mindset shift: Move from proving worth through overwork to embracing presence, balance, and intentionality.
Managing stakeholders to build influence and gain advocacy is a must-have, not a nice-to-have. It starts with reading the audience and truly understanding the stakeholders you’re trying to engage with. What drives them? What do they value? And most importantly, why should they care about what you’re bringing to the table? The session highlighted the importance of demonstrating value in a way that resonates while remembering that a “no” isn’t the end; it’s often just part of the dance. Timing, persistence, and adaptability are your partners in this process, and learning the rhythm of your stakeholders can be the difference between resistance and advocacy. A standout takeaway? Forget vague advice like “be more strategic”: Relationships thrive on authenticity, not manipulation or force. To create lasting impact and influence, embrace this truth: “Focus on fostering trust, not imposing control.”

I want to leave you with this: Don’t underestimate the power of taking time to share and learn from others. If this year’s edition of the program at Technology & Innovation Summit APAC reminded us of anything, it’s that the power of community, vulnerability, and sharing can lift us all.

This blog, and the Forrester Women’s Leadership Program, proudly benefited from a collaboration across the Forrester ecosystem. Women from our consulting, sales, research, and research operation organizations, traversing seniority, age, cultural backgrounds, cities, and countries, collaborated in delivering this experience to our clients.

I thank my co-lead, VP of APAC Consulting Alisha Coates, as well as Senior Research Associate Chiara Bragato, Senior Account Director Candice Deppeler, and Principal Analyst Zhi-Ying Barry for their time, energy, partnership, and friendship for this session and all the work we do together.