Thomas Davies on Women in Identity's Panel at Cybersecurity Event
Do you think deeply about your identity? How about your company’s? At the intersection of these two questions was Cyber Tech & Risk’s Identity Summit held on May 27th.
A virtual event that hosted thought-leaders from the identity and cybersecurity space discussing topics from career development to access security, a full lineup of experts spoke on topics that affected these industries the most.
Our favourite segment in the summit was hosted by Women In Identity, and included our CEO Thomas Davies, as well as the insightful Adijat Sade Akinsipe, Shelley Bryen, and Nicole Landry. We are excited to hear this panel speak to the complexities of diverse hiring and how to support a culture of success, without the sacrifice to personal identity. With over half of our employees identifying as female, Abliminal has always championed inclusivity in STEM. Recently, we even held an event in collaboration with The Canadian Women’s Foundation, a success you can read more about here.
The success of a social movement relies in part on the strength and sincerity of its allies. Thus, we thought it would be worthwhile to challenge the strength and sincerity of Davies’ reasons behind his passion for female empowerment considering he would be representing Abliminal at the panel. Below is a short Q&A session sampling some of his views going into the panel discussion.
What, if anything, led to you being so passionate about gender equality?
My greatest personal growth has come from collaborating with those who were diverse in thought. It's been the secret to my success, but I’m tired of it being a secret! The way forward, to better, is by understanding and considering as many viewpoints as possible.
What are some hopeful changes or trends you would like to see or have noticed already in your industry?
A major change I’ve seen over the past few years has been more female leaders, creating a “see it, be it” culture of other women knowing they can also obtain executive positions. I’ve also seen a new awareness and openness surrounding neurodivergent team members and their talents. These have been extremely encouraging.
What are some funny, memorable, or poor interactions you’ve had with others in the industry when advocating for women in identity or cybersecurity spaces?
Just generally, any diversity panel that winds up not being diverse. That always gives me a chuckle and a cringe, but we’ve seen this resolved in recent years. As for the most memorable, it has to be when someone gets a boost of energy when they talk about the field, the opportunities it will afford, or the diversity that already exists, and you get to see their passion. Nothing compares.
Are there differences in views on gender equality within IAM as opposed to other industries?
I do think IAM has done particularly well with gender diversity in Canada, due in large part to both the female, and ally, leadership in this country. The gap that may still exist in IAM is the lack of openness to a lateral career shift from non-traditional professional backgrounds. That’s something we can continue to improve as we look for passionate and insightful talent, wherever it may come from.
We congratulate Cyber Tech and Risk on holding an amazing event with such memorable speakers, and we extend our appreciation to Women In Identity for making such a brilliant panel possible, as well as all the panelists for their wonderful conversation and insights.
We hope you all enjoyed the event as much as we did, and a recording of the panel discussion can be found here.
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