On Thursday, April 20, 2023, King & Bay hosted a first of its kind all-women event, which was dedicated to celebrating the remarkable achievements of female leaders in the tech industry.

Celebrating Remarkable Women

Apart from being top technology companies, Cisco, Bell, and Ingram Micro share something else in common: the presence of remarkable women in leadership roles. In addition, all three organizations are strong advocates for diversity and inclusion, which is especially significant in an industry that is predominantly male-dominated.

As the three largest Canadian tech organizations, they have the greatest reach and connections with females in the tech industry. Their aim is to continually improve their recruitment efforts to support women in tech, develop programs within their organizations to empower and assist women in achieving their goals, and be actively involved in the community to provide education and opportunities to young females who have an interest in STEM fields.

"Once I walked into this space, I said, 'I am going to host an EPIC women’s event here. It is a complete play on the world we live and work in. What cooler thing is there than a bunch of women coming in here and taking over this male space and thriving! Getting to customize a pair of shoes too is the cherry on top!"
Jaymee Porter, Partner Marketing Manager - Cisco

Diversity in Tech: Women Leaders Discuss the Importance of Inclusion

A standout moment of the event was the panel discussion featuring Siobhan Cox, VP of Connectivity, IS, Mobility at Bell, Jenn Villars, Director of Marketing at Ingram, and Francis Gotopo, Director of Systems Engineering at Cisco. The panel was expertly moderated by Erin Smirle, Director of Partner Sales–Managed Services at Cisco. The discussions were thought-provoking, inspiring, and insightful, and left a lasting impact on all who attended.

The evening was made even more delightful with a selection of delicious hors d'oeuvres and cocktails. Additionally, each guest was given the option of receiving a pair of custom dress shoes or a custom leather bag as a gift.