Women in technology and operations leadership positions at Orange Business: their testimonials

Here at Orange Business, we believe that diversity and inclusion contribute to the company’s economic performance, innovation capabilities, employee well-being and the quality of service we provide to our customers.

Today Orange Business has 29.7% women in the workforce, and we are looking to grow that figure. Female managers in GDO play a central role in ensuring a seamless experience for our customers. They are also active as mentors providing guidance, support and advice for women pursuing careers in the technology industry. And importantly, they act as role models for gender diversity, inspiring women to reach their true potential.

Global Delivery and Operations is the worldwide operational branch of Orange Business. With 9,000+ skilled employees in 56 countries, Global Delivery and Operations sources, builds and operates global capabilities in an innovative, efficient and responsible way, ensuring a seamless customer experience.

Discover the diversity of skills, experiences and multiple perspectives that our "Global Delivery and Operations Women in Tech" bring to their roles, generating value creation for the benefit of our customers, colleagues, our company, and society in general. Such a great panel of role models and mentors to inspire and motivate colleagues, both female and male, to lead the future.

Let’s meet our talent working in Global Delivery and Operations leadership positions at Orange Business:

Question: What has helped you to succeed as a female manager in the technology field, and what are the values that appeal to you at Orange?

[Alexandra Metelly]: Having self-confidence is vital and keeping a firm belief that we as women can do something great and can add a lot of value is very important, too, to succeed as a female manager in the technology field.

Being curious and continuously learning will make us progress and flourish in the tech sector. The values that appeal to me the most at Orange are trust, inclusivity and care, making Orange Business a great company to work for.

Question: On International Women’s Day, what is the most important message you want to send out to young people thinking about their careers?

[Alexandra Metelly]: The technology field needs new talents. There are so many opportunities available for both women and men. Young people can take their learning beyond IT and should come and explore; their skills are welcome.

Question: What has helped you to succeed as a female manager in the technology field, and what are the values that appeal to you at Orange?

[Neha Peerthy]: Being in the technology field means continuously reinventing themselves. As a manager, we need to be able to spot and nurture diversity of thoughts and skills within our teams. This is the only way to see things from a different angle and collectively reach a new dimension. I am lucky to work at Orange as it promotes an environment of well-being that fosters self-development and creativity.

Question: On International Women’s Day, what is the most important message you want to send out to young people thinking about their careers?

[Neha Peerthy]: Freshly graduated from university in the IT field, I joined a small enterprise, and my first day was at a local brewery as a network specialist. The IT manager showed me a fiber patch cable and asked me some technical questions to which I didn’t have the answer. And his blunt response was, “this is not a job for women; you should change your field of work.” Well, luckily, I didn’t. Some years after joining Orange Business, I was leading a team of network engineers, and we were managing the network of one of the world’s top breweries.

So, my message to all the young people thinking about their careers is, never let a bad day dull your ambition or your motivation.

Question: What has helped you to succeed as a female manager in the technology field, and what are the values that appeal to you at Orange?

[Mayara Fraga]: I have always been very hard working and dedicated to my studies, which helped me get my first intern opportunity here at Orange. What helped me succeed as a female manager in the technology field was to be a good listener, open to learning with the most experienced people, and be a person that others can trust and count on. So, I'm really committed and dedicated.

The values that appeal to me at Orange are flexibility, teamwork, employee care and culture diversity.

Question: On International Women’s Day, what is the most important message you want to send out to young people thinking about their careers?

[Mayara Fraga]: Focus on knowing/understanding yourself, your strengths, and your limitations. Be a good listener; it's important to learn and get experience. The opportunities will come, and we must be as prepared as possible when they appear.

Especially to women: you should believe in yourself and take risks. You can fail, that happens; just figure out how to deal with failure and go forward .

Question: What has helped you to succeed as a female manager in the technology field, and what are the values that appeal to you at Orange?

[Karen Hards]: I have always had very strong managers who have encouraged and mentored me. Also, I had strong role models in my family and friends. My mother was one of the first female engineers in the telecoms world. She demonstrated that you could achieve your vision through work and learning. She directly designed the innovative System X (the first digital switching system for telecoms for automated telephone exchanges throughout the United Kingdom, from 1980 onwards).

Since joining the company, Orange inclusive values have been a joy, and I have always been treated as an equal without prejudice.

Question: On International Women’s Day, what is the most important message you want to send out to young people thinking about their careers?

[Karen Hards]: Strive for your goals and seek guidance and a good mentor to help you along the way. No learning is ever a waste of time, and it will surprise you how useful it is in your future.

Question: What has helped you to succeed as a female manager in the technology field, and what are the values that appeal to you at Orange?

[Pooja Khera Sharma]: Contribution of women in tech has really gained traction in recent years from when I started my journey years ago in this male-dominant area. After pursuing my master’s degree in Computer Engineering, I started my journey like any other trainee engineer back in 2004 to be currently positioned as Senior Manager, Digital Transformation and Solution Center. It seems quite a roller coaster ride when I look back.

Multiple factors contributed to this success to where I can position myself confidently today. One is my ability to adapt to any situation, my problem-solving skills and my ability to view each challenge as an opportunity. Of course I, too, had my share of challenges on this road that I chose to travel. However, my optimism and zeal to keep going had me glued in – alongside my continued learning or upskilling journey and awareness of market trends. Additionally, Orange played a crucial role in the successful framework of my journey as a cherry on the cake. It provided me with a diverse culture and safe environment to have the confidence to keep going, explore different roles and experiment with my skillset. Furthermore, Orange gave me the empowerment I needed to prove my skills were worthy of being noticed. I have worked in multiple roles within Orange. How this organization embraced my ideas with such an open-minded culture still matters today.

Question: On International Women’s Day, what is the most important message you want to send out to young people thinking about their careers?

[Pooja Khera Sharma]: My message to young people looking for not only a successful but impactful career is to Be Self Aware of their abilities and never let anyone limit their aspirations based on their gender or any other aspect of their identity. They should take time to know their strengths and weaknesses and areas of growth. Self-discipline and awareness are what they need to adapt as their DNA, which most of the new millennium generation may not pay attention to. Confide in your mentors, parents or allies to share your feelings when needed.

You are the Change Ambassador for our new and better world that we have always aspired for; you can adapt to change the ground culture to create an equal and just world free of biases.

As quoted below by our legendary Spiritual Guru Swami Vivekananda: "All power is within you; you can do anything and everything. Arise, awake, and stop not until the goal is reached.

Question: What has helped you to succeed as a female manager in the technology field, and what are the values that appeal to you at Orange?

[Sanchita Biswas]: Behind every success is enthusiasm, love and passion, and behind all that comes inspiration. As a child, I grew up reading the works of Marie Curie and Nikola Tesla and how their inventions changed the world. The spirit of the scientific revolution speeded them forward, inspiring me to pursue science and technology and carve out a niche for myself. What I love about this industry is that it combines creativity and innovation with creative thinking and problem solving.

Tech is a fun ride to learn new things and a never-ending ode to one's inquisitive juices. For me, the representation of women in tech matters. Had it not been for Marie Curie, I would not have even fathomed going into tech. Seeing one's being in a field of work is inspiring. As an enthusiast of technology and people, I simply love my job. Period.

There has been a chronic lack of women's representation in India or any international forum, especially in STEM-related domains. Often, I have found myself to be the only woman in a male-dominated panel. But one must not be deterred by such inhibitions. If you know your craft, heads will turn. Over many years, the bulk of my learning has been on the job. I am always curious to explore and take up new challenges. These kinds of learning curves are very steep and long lasting, as you apply your learnings immediately and try out different options if something doesn't work.

I have always enjoyed working in a team and promoting positivity and adding an element of “fun” into our working lives. Our teams observe how we behave as leaders, what we share, and the stories we tell. People at the workplace want leaders who authentically embrace them for who they are. I have had the privilege of working with some of the most fantastic teams consisting of very talented people. I have been respected all around due to my openness to new experiences and learnings and my focus on collective achievements rather than short-term individualistic ones.

Being in an organization with a culture of nourishment of talent and a work ethic whereby you are a constant witness to ethical conduct is really important. And that's where Orange Business shines. I've always received enormous encouragement and support throughout my journey in this learning organization. I was assigned great international leaders as mentors and professional coaches who helped ignite my confidence to grow my leadership journey from India to the global level with teams on different continents.

I take pride in being associated with Orange Business as its mission is to have a well-thought-out, caring and inclusive way to help customers to accelerate their digital transformation, unlock their innovation potential and support their economic growth responsibly and sustainably. Hence, Orange Business thrives on the enablement of its stakeholders. These values align entirely with mine, enabling me to strive for continued excellence as a leader in technology and innovation.

Question: On International Women’s Day, what is the most important message you want to send out to young people thinking about their careers?

[Sanchita Biswas]: To all young women and men out there, don't hold back. Never doubt yourself and your ability. Have a thirst for knowledge and learning, as it is a never-ending process. Always feel open to seeking opportunities and guidance. Always follow your passion and choose accordingly.

No road is smooth, as challenges will always be there no matter what. But every great leader becomes successful when they seek help and have people to help them along the way by identifying the right individual who can aid them.

For all the women who want to make it big in the field of tech, here's the hack:

1. Break your own ice: Great leaders are those who get out of their shells. Always have a "can do" attitude. Come out of your comfort zone
2. Communicate with others: Network, network and network
3. Personal branding: Create your presence by working on your strengths
4. Believe in the spirit of inquiry: Ask the right questions no matter what, when that which is presented is not convincing by your logic. You will be noticed and appreciated
5. Don't over-analyze your mistakes: Learn from them and move on. Don't be inhibited by what others think
6. Tech has no gender: Explore everything in tech. Try areas that you like without thinking about whether it is good for yourself based on whether it has women or not. Don't let such thoughts inhibit your passion
7. Be assertive and logical in your arguments: You will be heard
8. Speak up: Be proud of yourself and share your wins, as it is important in the tech industry to hear about the success of women. You never know who needs to hear it to get inspired and to become a role model

In this fast-changing world, where technology is replaced by something new every now and then, adaptability and openness to change become the most important skill set. Try to learn a new skill and surround yourself with like-minded people who are also motivated to adapt quickly and sharpen your existing skills. Be vigilant and open to identifying the right problem and solving it with your newly acquired learning.

Be self aware and confident to pursue your dream to make it a reality.

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