Kristel impressed the jury with her passionate views and particularly with her personal story about how she rose to become Global VP Data Solutions at Cegeka. C-level leadership, entrepreneurship and a love of technology are all important criteria that are taken into mind, as well as ambition, a proven track record, a commitment to diversity, an inspiring personality and visibility.
Kristel: ‘I feel incredibly honoured to have been awarded the title of ICT Woman of the Year 2022. We all start our journey with hopes that one day we may be lucky enough to achieve success, but this is truly a dream come true for me. I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported me in recent weeks, and especially the many people who voted for me. That’s how I got on the shortlist and what set the ball rolling.’
IT and STEM Ambassador
For Kristel, the title ICT Woman of the Year carries with it a powerful commitment. She aims to be a true role model an ambassador for girls and women in IT. Kristel: ‘I want to show how beautiful IT is and that the opportunities are endless. You can go from not being able to afford college to developer and from developer to analyst and from analyst to project manager, sales, having your own team, recruiting, growing, and even working at a global level. I want to inspire young girls and women with my story, and I want to partner with schools at all different levels, i.e. primary schools, secondary schools, colleges and universities. Finally, I want to convince girls and women of different ages that IT, and even STEM, is nothing to be afraid of, but can make a positive difference in their lives.’