Women in IT

Our Digital SHEroes

Women are still under-represented in the IT industry. With our Digital SHEroes campaign, we are committed to inspiring more women to pursue careers in IT. Do you want to write your own success story at valantic? Explore our careers page and find your superpower in IT.

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Join the #DigitalSHEroes on their inspiring journey

Each month, we will introduce you to a new Digital SHEro from the #valanticworld on this page. Get inspired by our podcast episodes and browse through exciting blog posts. Our colleagues will share their perspectives and give us authentic insight into everyday life as a woman in the tech industry. Each of their journeys is different, and they demonstrate that IT is an exciting place for everyone. We want to work together to break down barriers, remove hurdles, and illuminate the challenges that need to be confronted.

Digital SHEro Claudia: My path to SAP consulting
              My name is Claudia, I am 56 years old, and I have been at valantic since 2018. It was not always clear that I would work in IT consulting, because I am a trained optician. Due to the lack of flexibility in this profession, it was difficult to balance family life and my job. When my son went to kindergarten, I decided to start my university studies. In the "Women in IT" course, I came into contact with IT topics for the first time. After studying economics with a focus on accounting, controlling, and financing, I started working in internal consulting before switching to external consulting. I never consciously made the decision to go into IT, but rather realized that you need to understand IT to make changes. I am not a developer in the classical sense; instead, my strength lies in analyzing processes and mapping them in SAP.             

Women at valantic - Digitalheldin Claudia

My superpower: Active listening
              My superpower is listening – this sounds passive at first, but it's very important to learn what is important to customers, why they're doing the things they're doing, and what they want. Because only if I understand customers’ needs and intentions can I advise them and find the best possible solutions.
It’s also important to be curious and never stop learning. You always have new customers, the technology is evolving, and there are constantly new challenges and solutions that you get to know. I appreciate this diversity and the variety in consulting. The same applies to people who work in the industry. There are quite different types of consultants. Some are communicative and extroverted, while others are more analytical and detail oriented. Both types are important in consulting because they have different perspectives and abilities.            

"Make it easy and just do it!"
              In my career I have experienced the changes in the IT industry, especially the increasing presence of women in technical professions and leadership positions - but it would be great if there were even more! I actively encourage women to take the step into IT, because it is an area that offers great opportunities. In particular, consulting offers flexibility and financial freedom, which allows women to be independent. 
It’s not about gender, but about the ability to acquire and apply knowledge. I firmly believe that you can succeed in IT if you are ready to constantly educate yourself and take on new challenges. As a consultant, I am pragmatic and do not search for the perfect solution forever, but just get started and try not to complicate things. Therefore, my slogan as a digital SHEro is: "Make it easy and just do it!"            

Women at valantic - Claudia Digitalheldin

To the blog post with Claudia

Digital SHEro Liliana: My last 25 years as a woman in software development
              My name is Liliana and I have been a part of valantic since 2000. My journey started in Romania, where I first dreamed of becoming a mathematics teacher. But I was fascinated by the world of technology from an early age. So, I decided to study electronics and communications engineering at the University of Bucharest, and I specialized in expert systems and programming languages. As part of my doctorate, I focused on the topic of artificial intelligence long before AI became a trend topic. In the end, my path in the new millennium led me to Germany and to valantic. Although I started as a software developer, I am now Head of Engineering for our Payments division in the area of transaction automation.            

Dr. Liliana Dafinca, Head of Engineering, Payments, valantic

 My superpower: Clear and open communication
              What motivates me most in my work is the opportunity to develop innovative solutions and be at the forefront of the technology landscape. I am particularly excited about working together as a team to overcome challenges. In my working environment, it is important to me to create a climate of trust. In addition, it is crucial that we as a team can continuously improve and enable everyone to make a contribution. Openness and respect enable individual growth and lead to success for everyone. My superpower is clear and open communication. My goal is to minimize misunderstandings, increase efficiency, and create a positive working environment.            

"Identify what really inspires you, invest in continuous education, and have confidence in your skills."
              It was always obvious to me that I would follow my passions in IT. At first, as a female software developer, I was the absolute exception, and I was not always taken seriously. But with some assertiveness, I gained the full confidence of my colleagues. Meanwhile, the gender ratio has developed very positively, and about 30% of the members of our team are female. Diversity is of great importance to me, because it makes collaboration even more pleasant and encourages creativity. My advice to other women who are looking for a leadership position in IT is not to be discouraged by stereotypes. Every contribution by women to IT or management is extremely valuable and we should be proud to promote diversity in this industry. Identify what really inspires and motivates you, invest in continuous education, and have confidence in your skills. Establish and build on clear, tangible goals.            

To the blog post with Liliana

Digital SHEro Saide: From classroom to SAP consulting
              My path to IT began with my studies in business informatics and education. Originally, I thought I wanted to become a teacher, but my interest in IT increased during my studies. After graduating, I started my student teaching at a vocational school, but quickly realized that teaching was not my true passion. I was looking for a profession that combines interaction with people with the IT-related aspects of my studies. Especially the diversity and variety drew me to consulting. Since November 2022, I have been working as an SAP consultant in the FI and AMS sectors at valantic in Austria.            

My superpower is my serenity
              In my current work, I can combine my pedagogical expertise and my technical knowledge optimally. My enthusiasm for the variety of my tasks and the constant change in the IT industry drive me and motivate me in my work. No day is like any other and there are always new challenges to overcome. My superpower is the serenity with which I confront even difficult projects and always remain unflappable. My educational training benefits me in consulting, as I learned to communicate with people and impart knowledge. However, my serene nature has always set me apart from other people.             

"Just dare - don't be afraid, try it out!"
              Before beginning my studies, I had some reservations about choosing business informatics as my second subject. But I quickly realized that there were more women in the department than I thought, and my initial concerns quickly vanished. Even when I started my career in SAP Consulting, I had no problems. Currently, I am the only woman on the team and sometimes I would like to have more female colleagues with whom I can exchange ideas. Therefore, I can only encourage other women who are thinking about entering the IT industry to do so and just try it out. There are many different areas in IT where women can succeed. My slogan is therefore: "Just dare - don't be afraid, try it out!"            

To the blog post with Saide

Digital SHEro Bianka: My passion for programming
              My name is Bianka, and I work as a developer at valantic. I’m originally from Croatia, but I moved to Germany two years ago. My enthusiasm for IT began in school and led me to my computer science studies. I gained my first programming experience in a C# workshop, which also led to my first job. In the process, I discovered my passion for programming. I particularly like the results that I can achieve with programming. I enjoy creating something and seeing how it works.
After a while, I switched to consulting. There I appreciate the diversity of technology and continuous learning. My path finally led me to Germany and to valantic, where I have been supporting exciting customer projects for two years now.            

My superpower: I always find a way!
              I always find a way out. No matter what the situation or problem, I always find a solution, even if it’s not always visible at first. For me, the urge to solve problems and the desire to work through puzzles are important characteristics for programmers. This skill benefits me not only in my job, but also in my free time, where I like to play board games and D&D. I also relax by reading fantasy and science fiction books. Recently, my Boston Terrier has also been an important part of my home office leisure activities.
In my daily work, the opportunity to constantly learn new things is what drives me. Because the projects I work on are so varied, I can always try out new technologies and expand my horizons. My experience in the in-house and consulting environments has shown me that greater flexibility and adaptability are required in consulting. You have to constantly adapt to new teams and customers. Personally, I really like that.            

"If you trust you can, you're already halfway there."
              In my career as a developer, I’ve noticed that the cliché of male-dominated software development is partly true. Women, for example, are often forced into front-end roles because they are said to have a good eye for design. I’ve also worked on teams where women have been outnumbered, but on my current team, about a third of us are women. Gender distribution has no direct impact on my work; I focus on performing tasks that give me pleasure, regardless of my colleagues’ gender.
As a digital hero, my slogan is: "If you trust you can, you're already halfway there." I would also like to convey this self-confidence to other women in IT. I advise them not to be too self-critical and not to be deterred by fears. It’s crucial to face challenges and believe in yourself to succeed in this industry.            

To the blog post with Bianka

Digital SHEro Yingtao: My journey into IT
              I am originally from China and have been living in Munich for some time now. I have always been fascinated by IT and have been interested in computers and technical subjects since I was a child. As I was always good at math at school, I decided to study mathematics at the Technical University of Munich. However, I quickly realized that I missed the practical application and changed my degree course to technology-oriented business administration. I chose computer science as a minor subject and was able to get to know some exciting topics such as algorithms, data structures and optimization. This is how I entered the exciting world of process mining. Today I work as a Managing Consultant at valantic in Munich. I lead the Process Intelligence team there.            

My superpower is my friendliness
              In IT - a field that is often characterized by seriousness and facts - my friendliness is my superpower. I have found that a smile and a positive attitude can lighten the atmosphere and have a calming effect in stressful times. I try to lighten up situations with my authentic and cheerful manner, which can be an advantage in addition to my professional expertise. I often act as a mediator between technology and business. As a manager, it is also important to me to be empathetic and support my team. I make an effort to listen and to recognize and promote the strengths of my team.            

"Don't think too much, just get started"
              There are hurdles and challenges to overcome everywhere. For example, my emigration to Germany was often difficult. In the end, I always overcame the obstacles and mastered the challenges. That made me stronger. That's why I can only recommend sticking with it and not letting it get you down. I have also never been put off by gender stereotypes. Women play an important role in IT and I encourage everyone not to be deterred from entering the industry. Because IT consulting offers an extremely wide range of opportunities.

My message: Have courage and keep at it! There are hurdles everywhere, but they make us stronger. So just go for it and jump in at the deep end.            

To the blog post with Yingtao

Digital SHEro Vanessa Belstler: My journey into the IT world
              My path to IT was certainly not the usual one. Previously, I wanted to become an archaeologist or journalist. I then decided to study German. During my studies, I started working in the digital editorial office of a newspaper. That's where I first came into contact with the digital industry. After completing my studies, I worked for KPMG in Switzerland, where I was migrating websites. I learned a lot and worked on many different topics there. Meanwhile, I am more on the business side, but I always wanted to understand how the underlying technology works. Since February 2023 I’m on board with valantic and work as a Business Area Manager in the area of Digital Experience Platforms. Together with my team, I work on e-commerce shops in the B2B and B2C sectors.            

My superpower is organization!
              Working in the IT industry is undoubtedly challenging for me. But it's a challenge I enjoy. I appreciate the diversity and continuous learning opportunities that my profession offers. I also derive a lot of my motivation from interaction with my colleagues. They help me create a pitch in a very short time - that really causes you to bond. I also love the variety in my job – no day is like another and that always keeps the work exciting. My superpower is my organizational talent. I have two daughters, ages 6 and 8. This means there are always new challenges that need to be mastered. This only works with good organization. As I travel a lot in my role, I coordinate my appointments with my family every month. I'm also lucky enough to have the support of my grandparents and can call on a network of babysitters at short notice.             

My slogan as a digital SHEro: "Just do it."
              Don't think about whether you can survive in this world, just do it, be there with passion, and do your best. I would advise other women: Just take that step and don't worry too much in advance: Am I qualified enough? Do I need technical expertise? Do I need to be able to write code? I see myself as a classic example. From the outside, it can seem scary at first, but it's worth taking that step into the IT industry. This industry offers so many opportunities and each person can find their place to bring in their individual strengths. What I don't know today, I can learn tomorrow, and soon it feels like I've always been here.             

To the blog post with Vanessa

Sabrina Albrecht, Chief People Officer at valantic

Sabrina Albrecht
Chief People Officer, valantic

”Diversity is a critical success factor today. The proportion of women at valantic is already 25% higher than the industry average. However, increasing this percentage is very important to me personally and we have already taken some steps in this direction, such as founding our valantic internal women's network. But other aspects of diversity are also dear to my heart, and we want to encourage these.“

valantic SHEro: Marlene Paetzold

I gained my first experience in IT project management without any IT background at all, after completing my studies in business administration. That was in my previous job and even then, it was clear to me: I would like to continue doing this! As a lead consultant at INTARGIA Managementberatung, I support strategic IT projects with a focus on software implementation and business software selection. My empathetic and open manner helps me bring people together. In project management, I hold the reins so that everyone involved always keeps an eye on the overall project goal. In addition, I break complex IT issues down to the essentials in projects so that management can make decisions at a glance.

Portrait von Marlene Paetzold, Female Empowerment bei valantic

My valantic superpower: My strategic view of the big picture

Internally, I have set up various formats, such as vocabulary training and expert sessions, to help my new colleagues get started, especially if they have no IT background. The valantic Academy also offers training, so that everyone can make their way into the IT world quickly. My special success this year was becoming a mentor for an intern – for me, this was the first step toward team management. In my private life, I find my balance especially in sports, be it football or track and field. In addition, I have recently become involved in a worldwide youth organization. I participate in their social and environmental aid projects in the region.

valantic SHEro: Denise Rönnert

Here at valantic, I’m an SAP consultant for CRM systems; that is, everything regarding sales and service. In this capacity, I’m involved in various customer projects. Actually, I didn’t start out in the IT world. I made my way into the consulting world through a student job and my master’s thesis at an IT company. Then I was looking for a company that would give me more freedom and flexibility, one where I could really develop. That’s how I came to valantic. And the flexibility is real; for example, I work four days a week. I have Fridays for my private projects and as time for myself.

Portrait von Denise Rönnert, Female Empowerment bei valantic

My valantic superpower: Making users happy

In projects, I can empathize well with users and help them to develop new systems and processes. To do this, I have to formulate complex problems simply and find solutions quickly. My job constantly confronts me with new challenges, and I learn a lot about them automatically. I like that. A particular success was when a customer’s skeptical project manager told me after 1.5 years that I had pursued a very successful path from junior consultant to expert in the project. That was a high compliment for me. As compensation for working on a laptop so much, I like to move when I get the chance – whether by hiking in the Alps or working with a cordless screwdriver in the workshop.

valantic SHEro: Sandra Sertl

I used to work in controlling and I was very bored there. My husband encouraged me to try something new. That’s why I changed sides, from user to consultant. I feel very at home here. I now lead a 5-person team as SAP Analytics Manager. The vision that you can change and achieve something convinced me to take a job at valantic. And it really IS that way, that’s the great thing. We are always working to improve, remake, and make things more exciting. For me, success is the small steps when something really moves.

Portrait von Sandra Sertl, Female Empowerment bei valantic

My valantic superpower: Bringing teams together

It’s particularly important to me that the various valantic competence centers work together and grow even closer together. Here I participate in the communication. Personally, I take advantage of our flexible working hours every day to exercise. So, I am often not available for two hours at midday: for me, this is the best way to stay healthy and to work out. I like the versatility of my job the most. And this motivates me to discuss exciting questions with customers. Then IT becomes completely human. I wouldn’t have suspected that before I started in consulting.

valantic SHEro: Stefanie Junga

I stumbled into the world of consulting through a student organization because I originally studied French cultural studies and intercultural communication with minors in business administration and English. Now, I have been working at valantic in the finance sector for more than 10 years. My specialty is project management. My greatest professional highlight was when, as IT project manager, I ran two strategic finance projects in parallel for a large customer. Another success was the textbook I co-wrote. We actually just made a book out of a new legal requirement. Currently, I am working 20 hours a week and continue to have Mondays as my day off.

Portrait von Stefanie Junga, Female Empowerment bei valantic

My valantic superpower: Creating harmony on the project team

As a project manager, I hold many different topics and requirements together. In addition to structure and quality, the team is particularly important to me. I bring people together, because establishing a good interpersonal basis in a project is crucial. This also led to me being the first project manager at a customer’s site to be invited to work with the development team. I have my private moments of success when sewing and with my son. Oh, and consulting doesn’t necessarily equal narrow-minded – I’ve gone directly from a project to a festival!

valantic SHEro: Ines Göppert

I am an SAP HCM Consultant at valantic, specializing in payroll accounting and administration. After two years in management consulting, I took a big step into IT consulting. But I dared to face new challenges. Looking back, I notice how well and quickly you can learn this and become familiar with technical topics. I especially enjoy working with people, both on the team and with the customer. You notice how you can work to reach the goal together with different skills.

Portrait of Ines Göppert, Female Empowerment at valantic

My valantic superpower: Addressing new topics in a positive manner

My openness, how I approach people, and the dynamism of addressing new issues are my strengths. So, I want to get even more talented people excited about HCM Consulting and advance our junior recruiting. My great success is the way I combine my job and my private life so well. Sports, friends, and family are the perfect balance for me. It’s very important not to forget all this. And this works very well!

valantic SHEro: Marcela Falahati

At valantic, I am the leader of the SAP SuccessFactors team in human resources cloud technology. In my previous job as a human resources developer, I came into contact with the implementation of HR software for the first time. I think that was a good combination for getting a taste of the IT world. Without the internal introduction, I might never have imagined switching to specialist and IT consulting. At valantic, I am not only allowed to do my dream job; at the same time, I can develop in new areas. It’s noteworthy that many women on our team choose IT consulting. Our team is 70% women, and that’s the real success!

Portrait von Marcela Falahati, Female Empowerment bei valantic

My valantic superpower: Translator for digital topics

At valantic, as division director, I have the opportunity to blaze new paths and try out different concepts & ideas. I am very grateful for the company’s full confidence and support. In projects, I am an incredibly good translator: I can explain very complicated technical relationships quite simply. This makes even supposedly complex software topics easy to understand. Our customers appreciate it when we as consultants have an overview and can provide clear explanations. I especially enjoy being the bridge between IT and HR. In private, I am an absolute animal lover: In addition to my 2 cats, my sled dog and I keep each other on our toes. I enjoy my time in nature during my lunch break.

Photo of a happy valantic CX employee participating in a customer experience workshop.

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Discover more on our blog

Women at valantic: Interviews & personal success stories

Vom Software-Anbieter ins Consulting: Juan Pablos Perspektivenwechsel bei valantic

#valanticworld July 9, 2024

From software provider to consulting: Juan Pablo’s change of perspective at valantic

From international development projects in Africa to e-procurement consulting – discover Juan Pablo’s inspiring journey to valantic. Find out how his unique experience and fresh look at consulting processes open up new perspectives in digital transformation.

Jenny Vytruchenko, AI Consultant at valantic

#valanticworld June 26, 2024

Building bridges – Jenny’s role at the intersection of tech and business

Meet Jenny, a member of valantic’s GenAI Taskforce. Dive in and find out more about her role as Lab Lead, how her multilingual background has shaped Jenny's consulting skills and, of course, why vally forever holds a special place in her heart.

#valanticworld June 20, 2024

Digital SHEro Claudia: Making her way to SAP consulting with courage and pragmatism

Claudia ist gelernte Augenoptikerin und wagte später den Schritt ins Studium und anschließend in die IT Branche. Mit der gewonnen Flexibilität meistert sie Job und Familienleben und hat in der SAP Beratung ihre Leidenschaft gefunden.

#valanticworld May 23, 2024

Digital SHEro Liliana – a quarter of a century as a woman in the ITworld

More than 25 years ago, Liliana worked on AI in her doctoral thesis, and today she works as Head of Engineering for the Payments division at valantic. In between lies an exciting career path and a move from Romania to Germany. Liliana tells us more in the interview!

Saide Yazici, SAP Consultant, valantic; SAP-Consulting

#valanticworld April 30, 2024

Digital SHEro Saide – From the classroom to SAP consulting

This time, as part of the digital SHEroes campaign, we went to beautiful Dornbirn, Austria, where Saide reports on her career in IT. Her original desire to work as a teacher ultimately led her to SAP consulting.

#valanticworld March 26, 2024

Digital SHEro Bianka – with self-confidence and passion for software development

Our digital hero Bianka explains how she has turned her passion for tinkering and solving puzzles into a profession and now works as a developer. She reports on her move from Croatia to Germany, and on her experiences as a woman in the very male-dominated environment of software development.