In the month dedicated to reflecting on women's participation in society, it is essential to highlight experiences and projects that exemplify women's evolution and contribution in the technology sector. Executives Marcelle Paiva, Jussara Dutra and Mara Maehara, who work as members of ABES – Brazilian Association of Software Companies, share their inspiring initiatives and professional trajectories.
Boosting your career with knowledge
Marcelle Paiva, Oracle’s Vice President of Cloud, Strategy, Business Development and Sales for Latin America, leads the “Empower AI” project. This initiative seeks to certify women in Artificial Intelligence in two months, with meetings taught by Oracle professors who are experts in the subject. “Although designed by women and for women, the program is open and 25% of the registrants are men. Real change happens precisely when we support each other, occupy our space with confidence and show our value for what we know and deliver. This moment calls for fluidity, subtlety and focus on what we can control. And the choice to learn something new is in our control and I am very proud of what we are promoting here in such a collective way”, says Marcelle. This program stands out not only for its technical content, but for promoting an inclusive and collaborative environment.
Necessary balance between career and personal life
For Jussara Dutra, executive director of People and Organization at Senior Sistemas, a balance between career and personal life is essential. Jussara highlights how mentoring has been a powerful tool for female development within the company. “Fortunately, we live in times when women have increasingly occupied more space in different segments. I had the privilege of acting as a mentor to women in Senior’s development programs,” she says. The director emphasizes the professional growth of employees who, at the same time, experienced significant moments in their personal lives, such as motherhood.
Female leadership and collaborative environments
Mara Maehara, CIO of TOTVS since 2016, advocates for the creation of more egalitarian corporate environments that encourage diverse perspectives. “I strongly believe in the power of female leadership and its contribution to creating environments with diverse perspectives and more collaborative and inclusive cultures that foster different points of view, create more engaged teams and, at the end of the day, bring better results for the business,” says Mara. During her career, she has led strategic projects, such as compliance with the General Data Protection Law (LGPD) and the consolidation of the company’s new headquarters. Mara also works at the Instituto da Oportunidade Social (IOS) and as an ambassador for “Elas na TOTVS”, a group that aims to strengthen the female presence in the company.
The importance of female leadership for representation
Rúbia Coimbra, Cloudera’s vice president for Latin America, discusses the importance of more women in leadership positions, highlighting representation as a driver of inspiration for future generations. In Brazil, where the female population is larger, women are still underrepresented in several sectors. Rúbia highlights that each woman has her own motivations for seeking leadership, such as personal growth and positive impact on society. “One of the most powerful ways to inspire future generations is to increase representation, helping to break stereotypes and creating role models for people to follow,” highlights the executive.
She shares valuable advice for young women: be confident and seek guidance, find mentors and sponsors who provide feedback and opportunities, maintain authenticity in leadership, continually seek knowledge, and adopt an “antifragile” mindset where failures are seen as opportunities to grow stronger. These guidelines aim to empower women to not only achieve personal and professional success, but also to drive meaningful change in the environment around them.
These trajectories confirm how female participation in the technology sector not only grows, but also influences and transforms organizational cultures.
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