Pratima Amonkar is a leader and passionate technologist who prides herself on empowering her team so they can take on big challenges. She is Microsoft’s APAC Lead for its Independent Software Vendors (ISV) Business and has also held senior positions at IBM and Sun Microsystems. She has won numerous awards for her exceptional contributions and change-driving initiatives. We interviewed her ahead of month’s #UnlimitedYOU at TechFemme – an event aimed at attracting more women to work in tech.
Tell us about your career.
PA – I come from India and have a degree in computer science. I have spent more than 20 years in the tech industry. My experience spans product development, academia, sales and marketing, and leadership positions. I have worked in tech startups and large enterprises, and I am very passionate about technology. I believe technology has the potential to make huge differences in people’s lives and enables businesses, countries, and economies to grow. It is the impact of technology that excites me.
What have been some of the challenges you have faced in the industry as a female leader?
PA – When I started in tech it was predominantly a male-dominated world. There was no real cognizance of the idea of women empowerment or an inclusive culture. This meant that as a woman you had to bring your A-game to work every day to break through! It took more effort for a woman to ensure that her voice was heard. There were assumptions that a woman’s ambitions for her career were perhaps not as focused as those of men or that her career wasn’t the primary focus of her life. However, fast forward 20 years to today – I am glad things are changing. We are now recognizing the gap and engaging in meaningful dialogues on this topic. It is encouraging to see initiatives being taken in the direction of gender equality.
What is your advice to girls who want to join the tech industry?
PA – I take a lot of inspiration from Helen Keller’s thoughts: “Why consent to creep when you can soar?” So, to all the girls who want to make a career in tech, I say: Be bold, be fearless, be passionate, be confident. Let’s make sure we make things happen!
This year, TechFemme’s theme is “Borderless Technology, Unlimited You”. If you are a female university student studying in Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths (STEM), or an MBA student passionate about tech, grasp this opportunity to learn more. Interact with some great women tech pioneers and hear their stories. Come and learn about the different opportunities available and how you could succeed in the tech space!
Time: Aug 23rd 5:00pm-8:40pm
Venue: Auditorium, L21, One Marina Blvd, Singapore 018989
Tickets are free and registration is on a first come, first-served basis.
Register now: https://aka.ms/techfemme-sg
Read – Women in IT: Moving the Dial. One girl at a time
