Please share with us your journey in the field of Information & Digital Technology at BAT and how you attained your current position as Head of Information & Digital Technology for BAT ESA?
My interest in Information Technology (IT) started after my secondary education when I enrolled for a Certificate course in Programming. I did this to pass the time before joining Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) for my Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Computer Science course.
While in university, I was able to practice and acquire IT skills during various internship programs at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Kenya, Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) Maltings and Kenya Airways IT departments.
Upon completing university, I joined National Cash Register (NCR) Kenya in their IT department as an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Coordinator to help streamline processes and improve standards.
A year later, I joined Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) as a graduate trainee where I underwent an 18-month program before joining their IT department. I rose through the ranks to become Head of IT Services Delivery for KCB Group.
Subsequently, I moved to Unilever Kenya to lead the IT department for their East Africa markets. This was a chance to work with a global organisation in a leadership role and a chance to experience a different industry.
An opportunity to expand my leadership scope emerged at British American Tobacco (BAT), which I joined about one and a half years ago.
In my current role, I am responsible for driving digital transformation and overseeing IT operations of BAT’s operations in East & Southern Africa markets.
I am also the Digital Transformation lead for BAT’s Sub-Saharan Africa markets, with two digital hubs in Nairobi and Lagos. Alongside this, I am pursuing an MSc in Data Science and Business Analytics at Strathmore University.
What is your view on the role of women in science leadership?
Over the years, I have witnessed the resilience and innovative thinking of women, which has not only enriched organizations but also led to more comprehensive and thoughtful decision-making.
From experience, I view the role of women in leadership as crucial for diverse perspectives, key among them promoting diversity and inclusion.
This aspect not only promotes diverse perspectives but also encourages different points of view in the workplace and encourages the growth and development of other women in leadership through mentoring, coaching, and leading by example.
What specific initiatives or strategies do you believe are crucial for elevating the participation of women in science leadership roles?
I believe that mentorship and coaching are key. I also believe organizations should actively recruit female talent, be vocal about diversity goals to inspire new and existing generations, promote equal pay and offer family-friendly benefits.
These initiatives will contribute to progress, and introduce a narrative that celebrates the growth of women in science leadership with inspiration and optimism.
As the theme for this year's International Day of Women and Girls in Science focuses on "Women and Girls in Science Leadership, a New Era for Sustainability," how do you see your role contributing to this?
I see critical skills training being a game changer in this new era, as the world currently grapples with various socio-political challenges, one of the most critical being climate change.
I have previously had the privilege to be the Kenya Ambassador for a global organization to build a generation of 1 million coders by 2030 based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) solution approach. Besides, in my capacity, I have previously been involved in mentorship activities with schools from minority areas.
This included hosting the girls for coding workshops, donating computers to schools, and visiting Kakuma refugee camp to share experiences, and mentor and inspire girls in the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) sponsored schools in collaboration with the United Nations (UN) Women.
I find myself in a privileged position where I can train girls on technology, especially coding, and inspire them to take up Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses.
That way, I will have positively contributed to getting more women and girls into science leadership and preparing them to tackle some of our most pressing sustainability issues, as we work to build a more inclusive and sustainable future.
In your experience, what are some of the challenges faced by women and girls pursuing careers in science, and what can be done to address these challenges?
Stereotyping and bias is a big challenge. To address this, I believe that all leaders need to be vocal and evidence of how they are supporting diversity and inclusion. The second challenge is the lack of enough female role models in STEM leadership, which calls upon current female STEM leaders to be more visible and vocal to inspire upcoming talent.
What advice would you offer to young women and girls aspiring to pursue careers in science and technology, particularly in leadership positions?
Go for it! Nothing is impossible. Do your part, network, speak at conferences and use digital career portals to improve your visibility.
Looking ahead, what are your hopes and aspirations for the future of women and girls in science leadership?
My hope for women and girls in science is that we shall achieve gender balance in STEM Leadership.
That there will be more like Marie Curie, Meg Whitman, and our very own Catherine Muraga who has risen through the ranks to become Microsoft African Development Centre (ADC) Managing Director leading a team of software engineers, machine learning, data science, market research, and infrastructure experts.
I hope that soon, fortune 500 Tech companies will have female CEOs as a norm rather than an exception.
Joan Ambutu is Head of Information and Digital Technology, BAT East and Southern Africa Markets