Cyberspace Needs You: Attracting Women to Cybersecurity Careers

Moderator – Jane Witherspoon

During a discussion on the barriers inhibiting women from pursuing careers in cybersecurity, Jane Witherspoon highlighted the importance of addressing these obstacles. Jane firmly believes in achieving equal gender representation in the field, as this is crucial for promoting diversity and ensuring that all perspectives are included in the development of cybersecurity strategies. Seeking insights on how to encourage more women to enter the industry, Jane turned to Tania, who shared her own experiences and insights.

Tania, while recounting her journey in overcoming barriers, shed light on a few key factors. She emphasized the need for role models in the cybersecurity field who can inspire and guide aspiring female professionals. Such role models play a crucial role in empowering and encouraging women to pursue careers in this male-dominated industry. Additionally, Tania highlighted the presence of misconceptions surrounding cybersecurity roles, which hinder women from considering it as a viable career option. Addressing these misconceptions through education and awareness can help break down barriers and attract more women to the cybersecurity field.

The discussion between Jane Witherspoon and Tania showed a positive sentiment towards the goal of achieving equal gender representation in cybersecurity. By openly discussing the barriers and seeking solutions, they demonstrated an active commitment to creating a supportive and inclusive environment for women in the field. The insights and experiences shared by Tania revealed valuable lessons that can be used to develop strategies to encourage more women to pursue careers in cybersecurity.

Overall, the conversation between Jane Witherspoon and Tania highlights the importance of addressing the existing barriers inhibiting women from entering the cybersecurity field. By promoting equal gender representation and providing role models, as well as dispelling misconceptions, we can encourage more women to pursue careers in this critical industry. Taking these steps will not only bridge the gender gap but also help create a more diverse and inclusive cybersecurity workforce for the future.

H.E. Dr. Margarete Schramböck

The analysis of the provided information reveals several important points that highlight the importance of gender diversity and inclusion in the field of cybersecurity. Firstly, it is crucial to promote and include women in cybersecurity, as demonstrated by the success stories from Aramco Digital’s security operations team, where approximately 50% of the team consists of women. Additionally, in Saudi Arabia, 58% of engineers are women, indicating a positive trend towards gender equality in this field.

The presence of authentic company cultures and the availability of female role models are identified as key factors in attracting more women to cybersecurity. The success of Vision 2030 in Saudi Arabia is cited as an example of how companies and organizations can demonstrate authenticity and effectively encourage women’s participation in this field.

There is a recognized lack of female role models, particularly in middle management positions, which further limits the progression of women in cybersecurity. This observation is supported by the personal experience of a female CEO who highlights the existing gap in this area.

Demographics play a significant role in shaping the opportunities for digital transformation and cybersecurity. Saudi Arabia, with its young population, presents an exciting potential for change in these areas. The presence of many young people eager to be part of the transformation, particularly in the digital sphere, highlights the importance of tapping into this demographic advantage.

Furthermore, there is a notable disparity between investment in technology and the digital sector in Saudi Arabia compared to Europe. The analysis underscores that Saudi Arabia has more prominent investments in tech initiatives, such as ‘Sabrani,’ than Europe, reflecting a greater emphasis on the digital sector in the kingdom.

The evolution of digital jobs and the shift towards white-collar work has significantly contributed to including more women in the workforce, particularly in countries like Saudi Arabia where many women are engaged in engineering roles. This evolution is viewed as an opportunity to leverage the unique skillset that women bring to tech teams and digital jobs, further promoting gender diversity and equality.

The analysis also highlights the economic slowdown and challenging age structure that Europe currently faces, compared to Saudi Arabia’s growth rate of 8% on average. This divergence emphasizes the different economic and demographic circumstances between the two regions, reaffirming the need for caution in Europe’s role in the global technological landscape while acknowledging Saudi Arabia’s potential to play an important role in the future.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a shift in work models, making it easier to balance family life with job responsibilities. This newfound flexibility and adaptability in remote working arrangements have highlighted different ways of working, providing evidence that alternative working models are feasible.

The integration of women into companies should start right from the hiring process, addressing women more directly and removing barriers to their inclusion. This observation is drawn from the experience of a former CEO who recognizes the importance of taking proactive steps to ensure gender equality throughout the acquisition and hiring phases.

Support from various communities is crucial in fostering growth and success in all areas, including cybersecurity. The example of Dr. Margarete Schramböck, who started her career by selling telephone systems and reached out to mentors within the tech community, underscores the significance of community support and mentorship.

Advocacy for mixed teams and collaboration is also deemed essential in promoting gender equality and reducing inequalities. The belief in doing things together rather than separately, demonstrated by an individual’s personal experience of being often the only woman in the room early in her career, showcases the importance of fostering diverse and collaborative teams.

Early engagement of young women in subjects of their interest, such as through apprenticeships in fields like e-commerce, has proven to be a successful strategy for attracting them to the tech field. The introduction of e-commerce apprenticeships in Austria resulted in 60% of participants being women, showcasing the effectiveness of this approach in bridging the gender gap in tech.

In conclusion, the analysis reveals the significance of gender diversity and inclusion in cybersecurity. It highlights the importance of promoting and including women in this field, authentic company cultures, the presence of female role models, demographics, and investment in technology. The evolution of digital jobs, the economic challenges faced by Europe, the impact of COVID-19 on work models, and the need for integration of women into companies from the hiring phase are all noteworthy aspects. The analysis also emphasizes the importance of community support, advocacy for mixed teams and collaboration, and early engagement of young women in subjects of their interest. Overall, a comprehensive approach involving various strategies is vital for achieving gender equality and fostering growth in the field of cybersecurity.

Dr. Cécile Aptel

The lack of representation of women in the cybersecurity sector is an urgent issue that needs to be addressed. Currently, only about a third of diplomats in cybersecurity are women, highlighting a significant gender disparity. The underrepresentation of women in this field has implications for individual, business, and state cybersecurity.

One contributing factor to this gender disparity is the societal discouragement of girls pursuing STEM and technology studies. This bias limits opportunities for girls in education and future careers in security-related sectors. As a result, women remain underrepresented in defense, military, and intelligence, which are closely linked to cybersecurity.

To attract and retain women in cybersecurity, flexible working arrangements are crucial. Providing flexibility in work schedules and arrangements allows women to balance personal and professional responsibilities effectively. Creating inclusive and supportive company cultures that value and consider women’s opinions is also important. Men play an important role in achieving gender equality by mentoring and supporting women in their professional growth.

Further measures are needed to increase the representation of women in expert groups related to international security and ICT. Diverse representation in these groups is essential for comprehensive and inclusive decision-making processes.

Equipping women with technical, managerial, and leadership skills is important for their advancement in the cybersecurity sector. Networking and mentorship opportunities are significant for women’s career growth. Education plays a vital role in addressing gender inequality, and partnerships between industry and education facilities are key to providing quality education that prepares students, especially girls, for cybersecurity careers. Programs that educate children about responsible digital behavior and cybersecurity are fundamental for their safety online.

Collaboration between men and women is crucial for the growth and success of the cybersecurity field. Mixed teams have proven to be more innovative, and fostering inclusivity and equal opportunities will enhance creativity and problem-solving in the sector. Men have a role to play in achieving gender parity by embracing the benefits of gender equality.

While progress has been made in Saudi Arabia towards gender equality, continued efforts are needed to ensure sustained progress and an inclusive society for women.

In conclusion, addressing the underrepresentation of women in the cybersecurity sector requires a comprehensive approach. Encouraging girls to pursue STEM education, providing flexible working arrangements, valuing women’s opinions, and fostering mentorship opportunities are crucial steps towards achieving gender equality. Partnerships between industry and education facilities, as well as educating children about responsible digital behavior, are essential for the future of the cybersecurity field. Creating an inclusive and supportive environment where men and women can collaborate will drive innovation and enhance the effectiveness and security of the cybersecurity sector.

Betania Allo

Women in cybersecurity face numerous challenges, including gender bias, lack of representation, and unequal opportunities. Betania Allo, a successful cybersecurity professional, emphasized the need for mentoring and early education programs to encourage girls to explore this field. Inclusive hiring practices and anti-bias training are necessary for organizations to address the deficit of women in cybersecurity roles. Forums and platforms for dialogue are essential in advocating for gender equality and representation. Betania Allo’s positive experience working in Saudi Arabia demonstrates the importance of openness and trust in talent from all over the world. Representation of women in leadership roles is crucial for decision-making, and collaborative efforts between men and women are needed to advocate for gender equality. Mentorship plays a vital role in women’s career progression in cybersecurity. Women-led forums offer ideal platforms for conversations about representation. Highlighting the intersection of technology with other areas of expertise can attract more women and girls to the technology field. The biggest challenge for women in cybersecurity is overcoming the fear to enter the field. Empowerment and support are key in encouraging women to pursue careers in cybersecurity. Overall, addressing these challenges will lead to a more diverse and inclusive cybersecurity industry.

Moderator – Jane Witherspoon:
Space Needs You, attracting women to cyber security careers. Her Excellency, Dr. Margit Schrambach, former Minister for Digital and Economic Affairs, Austria. Dr. Cecile Aptil, Deputy Director, United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, UNIDIR. Jane Weatherspoon, Moderator, Beirut Chief Middle East, Euronews. Betania Allo, Cybersecurity Innovation and Partnerships Manager, NEOM. Hello ladies and gentlemen and your excellencies, what a pleasure to be here and thank you for that round of applause. I think we need a second one for the all-female panel. As our voice of God said, we’re going to be talking about the gender disparity within cybersecurity. Women are still critically underrepresented, holding only 25% of the cybersecurity jobs globally. So, my esteemed panel, we’re going to get straight down to business. I would like to address my first question to Dr. Margit. You know, what are the primary challenges that organizers encounter when trying to not just attract but retain women in cybersecurity?

H.E. Dr. Margarete Schramböck :
Yes, first let me say I’m really happy to be here today. Thank you for having me and I’m also happy to see such a big audience that is interested in this topic because this does not happen so often. So, I think this is something special about Saudi Arabia. Being here now for quite a few months, I’ve also learned that in Saudi, 58% of engineers are women, which is different to Europe and it’s different especially to German-speaking regions in Europe and this is something which Saudi can really be proud of and really happy to see that. Being on the board of Aramco Digital, I see it also in the daily work that 50% of our team members in the security operations center are female and this is a very, very good sign. Why do they do it so well here in Saudi? Well, there is a clear vision, Vision 2030, and it’s in the vision. You can read it, you talk about it, you discuss about it, but most importantly, you do it and this is something which is special here and which I also wanted to mention. Now, to your question, you have been asking about the challenges, so companies really to be successful in the field of cyber needs diverse teams, they need mixed teams. We know this from the past, we know that companies, teams are much more successful if they take this into consideration and why shouldn’t it be true for cyber? It is true for cyber as it is for all the other areas. Now, the companies and the organizations need to be authentic in this, so women feel very quickly if what the company talks or the organization talks is what the company do and if this is in line, you will, of course, attract even more women in this sector. Looking at the different stages, of course, we also need role model and this is also a challenge for companies and organizations, so that often they are lacking role models. I was many years a role model, I was 15 years CEO of European IT companies including a telecom company which is like SDC, it was called A1 for Central Eastern Europe, and, yes, it was often clear that we were missing middle management, so women in middle management that could be a role model. So it’s tough, it’s hard, we still have to work on it.

Moderator – Jane Witherspoon:
We’re going to come on to, a little later in our conversation, roles and those roles at the top, but at this point, I would like to bring in Dr Cecile because you have some thoughts in terms of expanding on the security aspect, don’t you?

Dr. Cécile Aptel:
Yes, thank you, Jane, and before I answer your question, if I may, thank our guests. So first, Saudi Arabia, I’m absolutely delighted to be here and to discuss this question here and of course the Global Cyber Security Forum for providing this opportunity. When we think of cyber security, there is obviously the cyber dimension and we know that some of the challenges come from girls in a number of contexts not always being keen to pursue studies in the STEM and in technological areas, that seems to be less the case in Saudi Arabia which is great, but in addition to cyber, there is the security element and if we look at security the way it is also construed, security is a sector in which women are far behind. I mean obviously when we look at defence, military, intelligence, and why do I say that? Because cyber security is multi-layered and when we think cyber security, it’s not only individual or business security, it’s also state cyber security and cyber attacks, cyber warfare. Within this context, there are negotiations ongoing, obviously notably at the United Nations, and we see that in those contexts there are very few women involved in these negotiations. In fact, only about a third of women diplomats, we see women diplomats across sectors and in the area of cyber security, these numbers are really lagging. So the combination of cyber challenges and security challenges is really probably also one of that convergence that we need to address.

Moderator – Jane Witherspoon:
But Tania, you’re sitting on the end. I want to just give a bit more context to your career because we see you’re Cyber Security Innovation and Partnerships Manager at NEOM, but your previous roles, you’re the former United Nations Senior Officer in Counterterrorism and Emerging Technologies, quite a title. I’d like you to elaborate, if you can, on how organizations can address the barriers that discourage women from entering fields, biases, lack of role models, which is something Dr. Margaret just touched on, misconceptions about cyber security roles. What has your experience been?

Betania Allo:
Thank you so much for the great question and thank you again. I second my colleague’s words. I’m extremely happy to be here and very grateful to the organization of the GCF for having us. So yes, indeed, women in cyber security still face a lot of challenges, as you mentioned, gender bias, lack of representation, unequal opportunities. And I think that organizations, and we all here in the room, have a huge responsibility to make sure that this changes. So in my experience, one of the things that make women doubt whether cyber security is a path for them is the lack of information. So mentoring and correct education, you know, paths in early exposure to cyber security and what it is, is one of the most important things that can encourage girls to get into this path. Then, well, I got into cyber security later in life, and maybe because of that lack of mentorship at an early age, but mentoring for me was key to have the luck and the privilege to have great mentors in my life who gave me the best guidance, advice, and encouraged me to challenge my own fears, and that allowed me to be here and to, you know, start a career that builds on different skills that I’ve had before. So organizations, per se, I think that also need to work a lot in more inclusive hiring practices, anti-bias training for both men and women, because there is something that is still happening everywhere in the world, and even in the countries that are famous for their gender parity policies, there’s still gender bias in technology and in cyber security as well. So yes, I think that this kind of forums, this kind of platforms for dialogue, I think are a great opportunity to encourage everyone to advocate for this kind of causes that will make the room fuller and fuller of women.

Moderator – Jane Witherspoon:
As a female actually doing it here in Saudi, you know, what has been that experience and the change from coming from outside? How was it received?

Betania Allo:
Well, I was very lucky, because when I first started thinking about moving to Saudi, to the Middle East, I was very lucky to have several opportunities here, and, well, Neom, do I need to even explain what Neom has, you know, and how amazing and exciting it is to be working. I consider myself so privileged, but something I did not know is that most of my colleagues would be Saudi, they would be from here, right? So although Neom has 70% expats, my department is mostly Saudis, because of regulations. So I was received with such generosity, such solidarity, from all levels, I was trusted with so much responsibility, and being a woman and being a foreigner, you know, those are two elements that makes it even more impressive, and I think it speaks volumes of the massive changes of this country has been through, and how much they trust talent from all over the world.

Moderator – Jane Witherspoon:
Dr. Margaret, can you elaborate from a European perspective?

H.E. Dr. Margarete Schramböck :
Well, Europe is in a very tough situation at the moment. So contrary to Saudi, which is growing at, I would say, 8% on average, Europe is really has slowed down, and the age structure is completely different. So what I find exciting here, and being in the board of Aramco, building up Aramco Digital, we can see that we have this wonderful age structure with a lot of young people, excited people who want to change, and want to be part of this transformation, also in the digital, especially in the digital area, and in the cyber security. So the focus is, as you’ve heard also from the CEO of Aramco, that there is investment, and there is investment, for example, in Sabrani. Do we see similar big investments in Europe at the moment, to a lower extent? So Europe still plays a role, but has to be very careful. And I think there will be different centers in this world. Of course, we have the US, and we have China. But there is a big room for Saudi, and its huge population, and its engineers to play an important role here. And we are in the middle of this transformation, which makes it so exciting. For me, coming back to being successful, having successful innovations and competitive products, always needs these two sides. So females bring completely different skills into the teams, and especially in the cyber, we can see, and in many digital jobs, it means from blue-collar worker to white-collar worker. Think of a harbor. When you are in a harbor, and you have to move the containers, this was pure blue-collar worker in the past. Now it’s white-collar, somebody sitting in a control center, as it is in cyber. You are doing things which you can do remotely, which you can do in a team. You don’t have to be outside in the construction site. And this evolution of tech solutions has also helped to engage more women. Contrary to Europe, I think, with Saudi and many women in engineering, there is a really good basis here.

Moderator – Jane Witherspoon:
I want to bring in the element of family raising as well, and being a working mom myself, as many of us are in this room. Can we have it all? Can we balance it? I think that makes it a little bit easier, some of these initiatives, and the situations like remote working.

H.E. Dr. Margarete Schramböck :
I think what COVID has shown us is that different types of working is possible, and that it can be done in a different way. And this helps, of course, to combine the topics of family and kids and the jobs. From the company perspective, and being a CEO for 15 years, it is worth starting at the very beginning. So it all starts before the women are joining the company. Sometimes we think, when we are managers, it starts when they are here. No, it starts in the acquisition or in the hiring process, where it is different to the male side, where you have to address women more directly. You have to invite them. It is a little bit different than it is on the other side.

Moderator – Jane Witherspoon:
Cecile, I think you have something to add in there. Sure.

Dr. Cécile Aptel:
Just the fact that flexible arrangements are important not only to attract women, but especially to retain women, and to enable them to really make a career, which I think is one of the challenges. It’s challenging in the cybersecurity for everyone. We need to really be also very clear that it’s not only about women. It’s difficult to attract men and have enough workforce. So the challenge is compounded for women, and it’s important for companies to have ways of retaining women. Flexibility, flexible working arrangements are important, but it’s also important to ensure that women feel valued. feel that they belong in the companies to retain them. And I think that’s an important dimension. And when we think of inclusive workforce, it’s not only having women sitting at the table, but being able to voice their concerns. And very often, because of a number of cultural expectations everywhere around the world, women are not likely to really ask for the floor. And so I think it’s particularly important that men, who are, of course, the great partners in this adventure of having more women, extend their reach to women. That they also mentor women, young women, sponsor them, and really just make sure that women’s views are also asked and considered. All of this is what makes women feel that they belong, that they have a role to play, and therefore to stay there.

Moderator – Jane Witherspoon:
Well, we did mention it earlier, and we were talking about roles. You know, what needs to be done? Cecile, I’m going to keep you on the floor. What needs to be done to ensure that enough roles are at the top of the chain? And how do we attain that, despite the fact that there is this leaky pipeline phenomenon, you know, stepping back and coming back into the room, you know, where maybe women are deemed to have lost some crucial years? What needs to be done about that?

Dr. Cécile Aptel:
So again, I think having working places that are inclusive, that are flexible enough to attract and retain women, that women feel that they belong there. But I think that some additional measures are needed. And I’ll go back to the example that I was giving earlier, you know, the lack of women diplomats engaged in UN processes on cyber, or even ICT in international security environment. Because that was a real concern, back in 2018, the UN Secretary General, Guterres, decided to really make a commitment to ensure that there will be more women appointed in the group of experts of the United Nations. And thanks to that commitment, which he took very seriously, more states nominated more women. And as a result, we really went from having 25% only of experts in 2018, to today 40% of experts being women that participate into these working groups. And similarly, in terms of diplomats participating in the negotiation, there’s been fellowship, in particular women in international security in cyberspace fellowship, that has been targeting relatively junior diplomat women, but not only diplomats, regulators, ICT experts, lawyers working in these areas, professors working in these areas, and encouraging them over a number of years to come and participate, to be there in those UN working group, in particular, the open-ended working group on the use of ICT in international security environment. And not only were they there, but then they were mentored. They had access to more senior leaders and diplomats that could train them. And they had specific training on participating in multilateral negotiations. Just to indicate that measures need to be multilayered, that it’s not simply, in fact, just thinking that it will happen unless the women are equipped with skills. And to go back to the question of how it works in the corporate sector, it’s one thing to be a technical expert in cybersecurity. It’s something else to be equipped with the skills to manage a team, and then to make it to leadership role or board roles, because you have leadership. And all of that with men usually happens through networking. Younger women that don’t necessarily have older women to be playing that role model still need to benefit from that networking and learning those skills. So we need very deliberate efforts to really make sure that women are also trained with managerial and leadership skills.

Betania Allo:
But Tania, I’ve seen you’ve been nodding all the way through that. I absolutely agree in everything, and I don’t know where to start. Have you anything, I mean, in terms of your experience, in terms of female leadership at the top and what you’ve taken away from that that has maybe helped you in your career progression? Well, so as you mentioned earlier, I don’t come from a very traditional path to cybersecurity, if that’s even a thing, right? So I, for some background, I’m a lawyer. I’m originally from Argentina. And then I moved to the US for graduate studies, and I have degrees in international relations and cybersecurity law and policy. And now I’m pursuing my PhD in cybersecurity. So as you can see, I went from building upon my legal and policy background to a more technical one. And honestly, I will go back to the mentorship and the fellowship that you just mentioned. Networks of women have been so helpful for me while I was making these decisions through, because I don’t consider it I transitioned careers. I think I always say that I’ve been building upon my different roles and bringing what I’ve learned from my other experiences to my new roles. So I think that one of the most important things is representation, to see women on leadership roles and to see women in those, in tables where decisions are being made, to make sure that their voices are heard. And that’s why we need men to advocate as well. We need you guys to look around the table. How come we don’t have any women sitting in this meeting, for example? What is wrong? Really, we couldn’t find any women to come here and join us. That’s why it’s not only our fight, it’s all of us responsibility to advocate for this happening. And in my experience, having really strong and determined women being my bosses and women who mentored me, and even men who also gave me the opportunity to believe in myself, and they believed in me maybe more than I believed in myself back then, right? And I think those are the people that I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to meet. And there is a lot of generosity out there. I know there are so many students here listening, and just don’t be scared to reach out. You will be amazed. This room is full of generous people who are willing to tell you more about their careers, tell you more about their experiences, and guide you through your own career path so you can find success as soon as possible. So yeah, I think that these forums, again, are the perfect platform to have these conversations.

Moderator – Jane Witherspoon:
Dr. Margaret, how important are those support of extended communities within the cybersecurity sphere?

H.E. Dr. Margarete Schramböck :
Well, my opinion, it’s the support of the different communities is key in all the areas. I’ve started out selling telephone systems. Now, selling telephone systems or being a technical director for telephone system is not the one thing you would have expected from somebody graduated from a business school. It happened more by coincidence, but then you have to take the opportunity. And what I did is I was searching for mentors always myself. At that time in the 90s, that was really long ago, in the 90s- I remember them, don’t worry. Yes, nobody was really into that mentoring and thought, yeah, you would need a mentor. So I was looking into, in that time, the tech community and I was investigating who could be that. And I addressed the person. And yes, there were men, there were male managers and not women because there were no women there. I was the only one. So for a long period of time, then gradually we got more. So the more you have the community of women also, you can also rely on them. But I’m a big fan of mixed teams, as I said before, and I’m a big fan of doing things together and not just in the separate areas. Looking at education, this is something I wanted to add on that. Maybe we can talk about that.

Moderator – Jane Witherspoon:
No, absolutely. I mean, I know Batania mentioned earlier, to get in at the earliest opportunity and learn about the field that you want to work in. But how can educational institutions maybe collaborate with industry partners and create, I guess, curricula that will appeal and empower women to pursue careers in this field? And especially from an earlier age, like you said, Batania.

H.E. Dr. Margarete Schramböck :
The earlier we start, the better. So at a very young age, to encourage the girls to attend classes, extra classes, and so on. And it, of course, needs to be a little bit adapted to their interests. And what I did, for example, in Austria, I introduced a new form of apprenticeship on e-commerce. So we had a lot of apprenticeship. You must know that in Austria, 50% of young people choose apprenticeship. It’s a little bit different than all in other countries in the world, except for Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. And introducing this apprenticeship for e-commerce suddenly led in 60% of the young people who chose this being women. So because they were interested in that. And I was not taking care, I didn’t care where they would start. They don’t need to start in mechatronic, but they can start in the e-commerce. They can start in the cyber, which are more fields which are of their interest because they are more in the area which they like.

Moderator – Jane Witherspoon:
But Tania, I know you’re gonna hide. I know this is coming for you.

Betania Allo:
It’s something that I’m very passionate about, maybe because of how I had to navigate it myself. So I feel really passionate about women and girls getting into the field. And even if they’re not in the field yet, to try to see how technology can be, can intersect to that area of expertise that you have, and slowly transition into a technological, more technological role. That’s what I saw building from technology and policy. So I think that besides what Margaret was saying regarding early exposure, I would say, again, mentoring, extremely important mentoring programs. And we at NEOM are extremely involved in mentorship and scholarship programs with different institutions here in Saudi and abroad. And that helps a lot because sometimes different elements makes it difficult for girls and women to pursue careers in technology. And those things help a lot. So that’s something that the tech industry can also collaborate and give that step forward in helping the next generation of cyber leaders also be 50-50.

Moderator – Jane Witherspoon:
Cecile?

Dr. Cécile Aptel:
Yes, education is so crucial. And as a former professor, I really cannot but say that, yes, education is absolutely critical. I think that the partnerships between industry and education facilities is not only in terms of the curriculum. I think that there is also something else that we have discussed here, which is protection of children in, in fact, the cyberspace. And this will be growing. This is already a big concern today. How do we protect children? And how do we ensure that children are secure and safe when using the cyberspace? But it’s also going to grow because we are probably facing radical changes in education. I mean, the next generation is probably going to be largely educated in schools that are not only very equipped, but very connected. And the very context of what is education is dramatically changing in our lifetime, which really means that there is, we have to be taking very seriously the issue of child protection and of educating children, not only in terms of cyber security to become expert, but to become responsible for their own security in the digital space and in the cyberspace. So I think that we are going to necessarily see partnerships there and they’re welcome because it’s a different way of, in fact, being human that our children are facing in terms of their career and their life.

Moderator – Jane Witherspoon:
We’ve got one minute on the clock. I’m going to start at the end with Batania. I would like you in 20 seconds, what’s the biggest challenge in the next five years for women in cyber security?

Betania Allo:
I would say like losing the fear to getting into the field. Ask for help, ask for mentorship, don’t be scared. You deserve a seat in that room and I very much look forward to seeing that in the next five years.

Moderator – Jane Witherspoon:
Amazing. Cecile.

Dr. Cécile Aptel:
I think it’s not only for women, it’s for women and men. Yes. Far too often, men may feel threatened by the fact that women are also entering the market, you know, the different markets, including cyber security. And I think it’s extremely important that we reframe that. It’s a win-win. It’s not that one is exposing the other. It’s really that we can have team, mixed team working together and becoming that much more innovative and in fact creating even much more of a market for everyone to work together. So I think partnerships is absolutely key and that men, as much as women, have a key role to play. And I want to then take the opportunity to say how impressed I am being in Saudi Arabia to see how much has been achieved. So big kudos as well here.

Moderator – Jane Witherspoon:
Last word, Dr. Margaret.

H.E. Dr. Margarete Schramböck :
Well, for me, it’s for the young generations to tell them, be brave, take the opportunity, create the opportunity. There is never a better moment than this moment and especially here, where so much transformation is going on.

Moderator – Jane Witherspoon:
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being with us for this session. And to my esteemed panel, thank you. Thank you.