The glass ceiling has been fractured and these formidable females are applying the pressure to break through this metaphorical barrier once but sadly not for all.

Women are making significant headway in tech fields from online gaming to fintech, computer science to data networking and security services, engineering and physics – our panel of women in tech features four C-Level Executives who’ve forged a career in these male-dominated fields despite all odds.

For Startup Grind’s Women in Tech month, all-female-led chapters in Gibraltar and the Isle of Man have come together to lead the discussion for every woman in tech; joined by Startup Grind / Bevy Co-Founder Derek Andersen who will chair the event.

On the Agenda:

• Increasing the number of women in core roles

• How to inspire, instill interest and increase girls’ involvement in STEM subjects

• The key to success in a male-dominated industry

• Is the glass ceiling finally beginning to crack and how do we break it

• Technological change and accelerating trends

• COVID-19’s impact on the technology sector

• Investing in future technologies

Meet the Speakers:

Micky Swindale, CEO, KPMG Islands Group

Micky is a partner at KPMG, where she has worked since 1997, initially in their Isle of Man practice then as Managing Director of their Gibraltar practice 2013 to 2015, after which she returned to the Isle of Man as a partner.

She was appointed CEO of the KPMG Islands Group in October 2018, spanning a sub-region which includes the UK’s crown dependencies, Malta, Bermuda and the Caribbean.

Micky has been a champion for diversity, particularly gender diversity, since being appointed as the first female president of the Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce in 2015. She leads KPMG’s diversity initiative for the gambling and betting sector #WeAllWantToPlay and has presented at several industry events, drawing upon KPMG’s extensive research in this area.

The KPMG Islands Group is committed to being an inclusive employer; 54% of our workforce and over a quarter of our leadership team are female.

Valli Fragoso, Founder and CEO, Cobovec

Valli Fragoso is the Founder and CEO of Cobovec, a Software Development and Business Consultancy company in Gibraltar. She has over 20 years of experience in Operations, Product Development and Project Management. She has worked for some of the leading iGaming companies such as GVC, bet365, NYX (now Scientific Games) in various senior management roles and has also featured in some of the iGaming magazines for Product Development.

Valli’s first role in iGaming was in 2005 at Ivy Comptech, a subsidiary of Partygaming, now known as GVC. She finished her Masters in IT and International Business in 2009 before relocating to Gibraltar. While at University she worked with various NGOs to help rehabilitate Street Children in Southern India.

Valli has founded Cobovec towards the end of 2019, after serving as Chief Product Officer in Pragmatic Solutions. She left her role to start Cobovec, the first of its kind in Gibraltar to custom develop software. Having a business of her own was always Valli’s goal and 2019 was the right time and Gibraltar was the right place for her to reach her goal.

Karen Neov, Global Employer Branding and Communications, Xapo

Karen Neov, is the Internal Communications & Employer Brand Lead at Xapo. She has a decade of experience in helping companies scale culture and attract and retain top talent globally. She has focused her career supporting high growth technology organizations, ranging from startup to Fortune 10. Previously with Amazon, Karen joined Xapo in January 2019.

Xapo is a global fintech company headquartered in Gibraltar and a strong advocate for women in technology. 

Angela van den Berg, Chair, Love Tech

Angela is a Solicitor of England & Wales, a Trade Mark Attorney, a South African Attorney and a Registered Legal Practitioner in the Isle of Man. She is also a Member of the Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys and a Fellow of the South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law.

Angela enjoys a broad-based legal practice where she provides strategic advice on a wide range of Intellectual Property matters, including the acquisition, use and enforcement of trade marks, copyright and domain names. She has extensive experience handling all IP facets in the gaming industry and manages a number of large international trade mark and domain name portfolios. She also has a wealth of general commercial legal experience in the technology sphere, which includes preparing and negotiating software development, licensing and supplier contracts, as well as international brand licensing agreements. She also advises on online promotions and marketing communications.

In addition, Angela is proud to be the Chairman of Love Tech, a not-for-profit initiative whose mission is to inspire and empower young women on the Isle of Man to explore opportunities in STEM through events, educational support and mentorship.

Derek Andersen, CEO and Co-Founder, Startup Grind and Bevy

Derek Andersen is the co-founder and CEO of Bevy, a SaaS product that helps companies build community in real life. Bevy powers event communities for Salesforce, Atlassian, Asana, Duolingo, and others. Derek co-founded Startup Grind, a community of over 600 Chapters in 120 countries designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs. Since 2012 Startup Grind has hosted 7,000 events for more than 250,000 people. In 2010 he co-founded Commonred which was acquired by Income.com. Derek also previously worked at Electronic Arts on games like Burnout and The Sims 3. Derek lives in Palo Alto CA with his wife and four children.

Inspiring Women in Tech: Perspectives 2020 is brought to you by Startup Grind Gibraltar and Startup Grind Isle of Man, hosted by founded and One Media & Events, in partnership with Continent 8 and sponsored by Abacus Gibraltar & Gibraltar Finance.

Tickets: 

• Just dipping in - £Free

• Community supporter - £5.00 (plus booking fee)

Timings:

5:30PM BST | 6:30PM CEST Warm welcome from Startup Grind Gibraltar and Startup Grind Isle of Man

5:35PM BST | 6:35PM CEST Introduction from Derek Andersen, CEO and Co-Founder of Startup Grind and Bevy

5:45PM BST | 6:45PM CEST Panel discussion

6:30PM BST | 7:30PM CEST Audience Q&A

6:45PM BST | 7:45PM CEST Wrap-up and Close