"I've been the only woman in my team in all the teams I've been in. And that sucks, right? Like you're having to prove yourself twice as hard, shout twice as loud to be heard. But you just have to be stubborn. You have to say: I'm good at this. This is what I want to do. This is where I want to be."
— Alice, Mechanical Engineer at Ocado
Watch back this extra-special session from Bright Network's Women in TEC. In it, five women working in the TEC industries unpack what it's like to be the only woman in the room, how to stay strong in the face of adversity and talk all things representation, imposter syndrome and advice for young women in STEM.
The session is hosted by Rachel Delaney, B2C Marketing Director at Bright Network.
Meet the panellists
Yvonne Achan-Oryema, Integrated Talent Management Lead at Lloyds Banking Group
Yvonne works as an Integrated Talent Management Lead, which helps shape talent strategies to ensure Lloyds Bank hire and retain the right people, with the right skills for current and future success. Prior to Lloyds Bank, Yvonne spent 10+ years in recruitment working across various tech startup/scaleups. She champions initiatives to drive diversity and belonging and partners with cross-functional teams to create a culture of inclusivity.
Nim Sinh, Software Engineer at Natwest
"When I left university to become a Maths teacher, I had no idea the journey life would take me on. Now working as a Senior Software Engineer, I can reflect on the challenges I have faced and use them to help myself and others grow in their careers. My path into tech has been a non-traditional one, but it is one that I have learnt to love as it has helped shape me into the woman I am today."
Nadine Bleach, Senior Associate at Bristows
Nadine specialises in patent litigation and has advised on a range of complex disputes encompassing a variety of different subject matters. Nadine’s background in physics makes her particularly suited to work in the technology, telecommunications and engineering sectors. Her experience includes both patent infringement and validity work in a number of fields, ranging from consumer products to standard essential patents (SEPs), as well as FRAND and licence disputes.
Tara Mwiza Mataba, Analyst and Junior Scrum Master at TJX Europe
Tara Mwiza is a Sociology with Law Graduate currently working as an Analyst at TJX Europe. In her role, she operates within an Agile team, serving as a Junior Scrum Master, where she supports and coaches a newly formed team based in India. Tara serves as the Co-Finance Lead for the Black Leadership & Empowerment Network and contributes to the Women in Tech group at TJX Europe. She is dedicated to supporting underrepresented groups in their career growth.
Alice Smith, Mechanical Engineer at Ocado
Alice graduated from the University of Sheffield with an MEng in Mechanical Engineering, with a year in industry. She recently completed a two-year graduate scheme at Ocado, where she gained valuable experience through diverse rotations across various departments. Alice is now a Mechanical Design Engineer in the Emerging Technology Team, working on innovating the next generation of automation in the warehousing space.
Watch the session now
This session was recorded in February 2025.
