Empowering women with SEP's Women in Tech Leadership Network
The technology industry has long been known for its innovation, yet it still faces challenges with gender diversity, especially at the leadership level. Recognising this, SEP’s Women in Tech Leadership network was established to support the female leaders within our companies and create opportunities for women to thrive and lead in the tech sector.
What is SEP’s Women in Tech Leadership Network?
Our network is a supportive community designed specifically for senior women in SEP portfolio companies. Led by Alizeh McClelland and Jan Rutherford, it combines leadership development, peer support, and actionable insights to empower women to achieve their personal and professional aspirations, including offering carefully curated events to serve the needs and interests of its members.
With members from enterprise technology companies across our portfolio, this network provides a valuable platform for women to connect, share experiences, and work towards C-suite leadership roles and board directorships.
Why did we set up the network?
Despite positive trends within SEP’s portfolio, where 44% of employees are women, representation at C-suite and board level remains too low (22% and 15% respectively). This mirrors an industry-wide challenge in enterprise technology companies, where female leaders are underrepresented, especially at senior levels.
SEP is committed to driving change. The Women in Tech Leadership Network was launched because diversity isn’t just the “right thing to do”; it has been shown to boost business growth, innovation, and productivity.
Our events
Regular events feature guest speakers, panel discussions, and interactive Q&A, and tackle thematic areas ranging from personal career journeys to conflict resolution and board-readiness.
Examples have included:
- “Career journey to the board” – a fireside chat with highly experienced board executives and operators Karen Slatford and Carolyn Jameson. Both are repeat SEP portfolio company board directors, with Karen serving as Chairperson at financial data automation provider, AutoRek, and Carolyn as a non-executive director at B2B travel software business, Dohop. The conversations explored Karen’s and Carolyn's career journeys to date, offering valuable advice on making the transition to executive and non-executive board roles and promoting an inclusive workplace.
- “The power of honest conversations in the workplace” – with coach and board executive Lynne Weedall. Lynne, an experienced director with extensive expertise in business strategy, organisation design, strategic change management, and employee engagement, led a thought-provoking discussion. The session included practical workshops where participants explored real-life scenarios and applied honest conversation techniques to develop fresh perspectives and solutions.
- “Founder journey” – with Arlene Adams, founder of Peppermint Technology. With over 30 years of experience in the tech sector, including 20 years at board level, Arlene is a strategic and dynamic Chair, non-executive director, and advisor to high-growth SaaS businesses. Her wide-ranging career has spanned senior leadership positions and board director positions in several software companies, including appointment to the Sun Microsystems UK Board at the age of 29 and founding her own SaaS business. In this session she shared valuable insights into her career progression and the inspiration behind her journey.
- “Ask me anything” – with Ruth Chandler, former Chief People Officer at Skyscanner. With 25 years of experience in various specialist HR and People Leadership roles, Ruth shared her wealth of knowledge and provided valuable advice on a wide range of topics. From leadership development and optimising performance to talent attraction and retention, as well as culture, values, and engagement, Ruth's insights were highly informative and thought-provoking.
- “Crafting growth strategies” –with Carol Meyers, former Chief Marketing Officer at Rapid7. Carol, an experienced board executive and venture partner, is renowned for her ability to develop winning growth strategies, attract and nurture top talent, and build strong brands and corporate cultures. With a diverse background spanning various technology sectors, her expertise includes marketing, sales, financial planning, investing, and coaching. The session delved into key business growth topics such as optimising collaboration across teams, preparing for international expansion, and adapting to challenging environments.
- “An insight into career coaching” – with experienced chartered business psychologist and executive coach Caroline McCoy. Caroline has over 20 years of experience in helping individuals and organisations become more skilled and confident in achieving their goals. She runs her own practice, 2 Balance Consulting, and works with a diverse range of public and private sector clients. The discussion covered various topics, including demystifying the role of a career coach, support for transitioning between roles, making the step up to the board, and the practicalities of the coaching relationship.
- “Journey to the Board and the relationship between C-suite and Board” – with Diane Albano, non-executive director of Cora Systems, and Susanne Kerins, CMO of Cora Systems. Diane has a wealth of experience in developing high-performing teams in organisations ranging from start-ups to multi-billion-dollar enterprises. She is renowned for her ability to craft winning growth strategies and motivate teams with integrity, having worked across a range of B2B software sectors. The discussion was led by Susanne, who has been instrumental in developing Cora Systems' award-winning customer-focused marketing and sales function. The session explored Diane's career journey and the dynamics of the working relationship between the C-suite and the board.
Attendance and inclusivity
Events typically attract 30–50 participants from a variety of regions and functional areas. While initially aimed at women in senior management, some portfolio companies have extended event invitations to all women in management roles. Attendees are encouraged to participate actively, fostering an engaged and dynamic environment.
What's the impact?
Our network has created opportunities both for its members and for SEP as an organisation.
- Support and inspiration: Members value the opportunity to hear candid stories from women they would not otherwise interact with. We have received overwhelmingly positive feedback about the openness and authenticity of these discussions.
- Meaningful connections: The community aspect is valued and has facilitated introductions between executives, leading to ongoing collaboration across a range of topics and supporting efficient and effective sharing of best practice between portfolio companies.
- Mentorship: Speakers offer informal mentorship and guidance on career progression.
- Strengthening relationships: The network continues to deepen SEP’s connections with portfolio companies and is increasing the visibility of up-and-coming female talent.
- A growing talent pipeline: By nurturing female leaders, SEP is aiming to expand the pool of diverse executive and board-ready talent.
Looking ahead
SEP is committed to evolving the network to maximise its impact. We are excited about the possibility of expanding the reach, with the aim of building on this to offer more value and support to the women across our portfolio.
Our sincere thanks to all the talented women across our portfolio, and in our broader industry network, who continue to contribute their energy, expertise and kinship.
Empowering women with SEP's Women in Tech Leadership Network
The technology industry has long been known for its innovation, yet it still faces challenges with gender diversity, especially at the leadership level. Recognising this, SEP’s Women in Tech Leadership network was established to support the female leaders within our companies and create opportunities for women to thrive and lead in the tech sector.
What is SEP’s Women in Tech Leadership Network?
Our network is a supportive community designed specifically for senior women in SEP portfolio companies. Led by Alizeh McClelland and Jan Rutherford, it combines leadership development, peer support, and actionable insights to empower women to achieve their personal and professional aspirations, including offering carefully curated events to serve the needs and interests of its members.
With members from enterprise technology companies across our portfolio, this network provides a valuable platform for women to connect, share experiences, and work towards C-suite leadership roles and board directorships.
Why did we set up the network?
Despite positive trends within SEP’s portfolio, where 44% of employees are women, representation at C-suite and board level remains too low (22% and 15% respectively). This mirrors an industry-wide challenge in enterprise technology companies, where female leaders are underrepresented, especially at senior levels.
SEP is committed to driving change. The Women in Tech Leadership Network was launched because diversity isn’t just the “right thing to do”; it has been shown to boost business growth, innovation, and productivity.
Our events
Regular events feature guest speakers, panel discussions, and interactive Q&A, and tackle thematic areas ranging from personal career journeys to conflict resolution and board-readiness.
Examples have included:
- “Career journey to the board” – a fireside chat with highly experienced board executives and operators Karen Slatford and Carolyn Jameson. Both are repeat SEP portfolio company board directors, with Karen serving as Chairperson at financial data automation provider, AutoRek, and Carolyn as a non-executive director at B2B travel software business, Dohop. The conversations explored Karen’s and Carolyn's career journeys to date, offering valuable advice on making the transition to executive and non-executive board roles and promoting an inclusive workplace.
- “The power of honest conversations in the workplace” – with coach and board executive Lynne Weedall. Lynne, an experienced director with extensive expertise in business strategy, organisation design, strategic change management, and employee engagement, led a thought-provoking discussion. The session included practical workshops where participants explored real-life scenarios and applied honest conversation techniques to develop fresh perspectives and solutions.
- “Founder journey” – with Arlene Adams, founder of Peppermint Technology. With over 30 years of experience in the tech sector, including 20 years at board level, Arlene is a strategic and dynamic Chair, non-executive director, and advisor to high-growth SaaS businesses. Her wide-ranging career has spanned senior leadership positions and board director positions in several software companies, including appointment to the Sun Microsystems UK Board at the age of 29 and founding her own SaaS business. In this session she shared valuable insights into her career progression and the inspiration behind her journey.
- “Ask me anything” – with Ruth Chandler, former Chief People Officer at Skyscanner. With 25 years of experience in various specialist HR and People Leadership roles, Ruth shared her wealth of knowledge and provided valuable advice on a wide range of topics. From leadership development and optimising performance to talent attraction and retention, as well as culture, values, and engagement, Ruth's insights were highly informative and thought-provoking.
- “Crafting growth strategies” –with Carol Meyers, former Chief Marketing Officer at Rapid7. Carol, an experienced board executive and venture partner, is renowned for her ability to develop winning growth strategies, attract and nurture top talent, and build strong brands and corporate cultures. With a diverse background spanning various technology sectors, her expertise includes marketing, sales, financial planning, investing, and coaching. The session delved into key business growth topics such as optimising collaboration across teams, preparing for international expansion, and adapting to challenging environments.
- “An insight into career coaching” – with experienced chartered business psychologist and executive coach Caroline McCoy. Caroline has over 20 years of experience in helping individuals and organisations become more skilled and confident in achieving their goals. She runs her own practice, 2 Balance Consulting, and works with a diverse range of public and private sector clients. The discussion covered various topics, including demystifying the role of a career coach, support for transitioning between roles, making the step up to the board, and the practicalities of the coaching relationship.
- “Journey to the Board and the relationship between C-suite and Board” – with Diane Albano, non-executive director of Cora Systems, and Susanne Kerins, CMO of Cora Systems. Diane has a wealth of experience in developing high-performing teams in organisations ranging from start-ups to multi-billion-dollar enterprises. She is renowned for her ability to craft winning growth strategies and motivate teams with integrity, having worked across a range of B2B software sectors. The discussion was led by Susanne, who has been instrumental in developing Cora Systems' award-winning customer-focused marketing and sales function. The session explored Diane's career journey and the dynamics of the working relationship between the C-suite and the board.
Attendance and inclusivity
Events typically attract 30–50 participants from a variety of regions and functional areas. While initially aimed at women in senior management, some portfolio companies have extended event invitations to all women in management roles. Attendees are encouraged to participate actively, fostering an engaged and dynamic environment.
What's the impact?
Our network has created opportunities both for its members and for SEP as an organisation.
- Support and inspiration: Members value the opportunity to hear candid stories from women they would not otherwise interact with. We have received overwhelmingly positive feedback about the openness and authenticity of these discussions.
- Meaningful connections: The community aspect is valued and has facilitated introductions between executives, leading to ongoing collaboration across a range of topics and supporting efficient and effective sharing of best practice between portfolio companies.
- Mentorship: Speakers offer informal mentorship and guidance on career progression.
- Strengthening relationships: The network continues to deepen SEP’s connections with portfolio companies and is increasing the visibility of up-and-coming female talent.
- A growing talent pipeline: By nurturing female leaders, SEP is aiming to expand the pool of diverse executive and board-ready talent.
Looking ahead
SEP is committed to evolving the network to maximise its impact. We are excited about the possibility of expanding the reach, with the aim of building on this to offer more value and support to the women across our portfolio.
Our sincere thanks to all the talented women across our portfolio, and in our broader industry network, who continue to contribute their energy, expertise and kinship.
