Though International Women’s Day has long passed, we are continuing to spotlight voices from across the industry as part of our IWD Voices series, with leaders sharing their journeys, experiences, insights, and the lessons that have shaped them.
Next up, we speak with Kelly Nguyen, Regional Solutions Consulting Lead, INSEA at Adjust.
Kelly reflects on what this year’s IWD theme means to her personally and professionally, and shares how her understanding of fairness has evolved from measuring outcomes to ensuring equal access to opportunities, resources, and decision-making authority.
She also discusses the issue of tokenism and why representation without genuine investment does more harm than good, and her longer-term goal of becoming a career coach for women looking to build careers in tech.
The theme for International Women’s Day 2026 is “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls.” What does this mean to you professionally and personally?
To me, this theme is a reminder that good intentions are not enough.
Professionally, Rights means women aren’t just present in the workplace, but genuinely empowered to lead, decide, and be heard without having to earn that right twice over. Justice means fairness isn’t measured by how many women are in the room, but by whether the systems that put them there actually support their growth. And Action is the part most organisations still struggle with, moving beyond statements, beyond quotas, beyond the appearance of inclusion.
Personally, this theme hits close to home. I grew up in a generation where the rules about what girls could become were unspoken but very real. I feel grateful to have grown beyond those limitations and reached my own potential, and that gratitude is exactly what drives me to want the same for every woman in my life and work.
What first drew you to your industry, and was there a defining moment that set your career in motion? Was there a role model who influenced you early on?
Since primary school, I have been drawn to computers and all the wonders they can do. I once spent weeks building a forum where my classmates and I could share ideas online, and I still remember the genuine joy of introducing it to my teacher and friends. Today, as a Solutions Consultant in ad tech, I live that same joy every day, using my technical expertise to help businesses solve real problems.
I grew up at a time when girls were told computers and math were “for boys”, and that being too educated would scare off a future husband. My mom ignored all of it.
My mom had the greatest influence on me. I grew up at a time when girls were told computers and math were “for boys”, and that being too educated would scare off a future husband. My mom ignored all of it. She enrolled me in programming classes, pushed me toward the best schools, and never stopped encouraging me to pursue higher education. She didn’t just raise a daughter; she quietly defied a generation’s worth of expectations so I could thrive in the next one.
How has your understanding of fairness changed as you’ve gained experience and seniority?
Early in my career, I measured fairness by outcomes: equal pay, equal promotion chances, equal workload. It felt straightforward.
As I grew into senior and then leadership roles, I realised outcomes are just the surface. Real fairness starts much earlier. Are we given the same opportunities to learn and grow? Do we have equal access to resources? Are we allowed to make decisions without being labeled bossy or difficult?
As I grew into senior and then leadership roles, I realised outcomes are just the surface. Real fairness starts much earlier.
My mom is actually the one who taught me this without even realising it. She couldn’t hand me a ready-made fairness. She gave me the foundation to build my own. That shift in thinking changed how I lead today. I focus less on making things feel equal on paper, and more on making sure the women on my team have every resource, every opportunity to speak up, and the space to own their decisions.
As conversations around women and work have evolved, what do you think has genuinely improved—and where do you think more attention and action are still needed?
I’m fortunate to work in companies where women hold senior roles, even in male-dominated areas like engineering and tech. Looking around my MBA class, many female classmates returned to school shortly after marriage or childbirth, determined to keep advancing. That tells me women are gaining real recognition and flexibility to set their own timeline.
One issue that still doesn’t get enough honest conversation is tokenism.
But one issue that still doesn’t get enough honest conversation is tokenism. When companies hire or promote women primarily to hit a gender ratio target, without genuinely investing in their growth or authority, it does more harm than good. Women placed in those positions often feel isolated, scrutinised, and set up to represent their entire gender rather than simply do their job. Worse, it gives organisations a way to look inclusive without doing the harder work of actually becoming so.
Real progress means women are in the room because of what they bring, and supported enough to prove it.
Is there a project or initiative you’ve worked on related to women’s empowerment that you’re particularly proud of? What made it meaningful to you?
I haven’t led a formal initiative, but I believe meaningful change often happens in smaller, quieter ways.
In my day-to-day life, I try to show up for the women around me, whether sisters, colleagues, or classmates, whenever they need a sounding board. Over time, these conversations naturally grew into small circles where we share openly: career navigation, health, managing expectations, staying ambitious without burning out. Nothing structured, but very real.
What drives me is remembering what it felt like to be talented but uncertain, doubting whether I belonged in this industry.
What drives me is remembering what it felt like to be talented but uncertain, doubting whether I belonged in this industry. That’s why my longer-term goal is to become a career coach, specifically for women who want to thrive in tech but feel lost or overlooked.
Sometimes the most impactful thing you can do is simply make someone feel less alone in their journey.
What responsibility do senior leaders have in shaping more equitable workplaces, beyond statements or policies?
Policies matter, but culture is built through behaviour, not documents.
I’ve seen this firsthand with my regional manager at Adjust. She doesn’t wait for permission or precedent. She steps forward, takes initiative, and in doing so, makes it easier for everyone around her to do the same. She reminded me that it’s not enough to approve an equity policy and move on. What people watch is what leaders actually do: who they promote, whose ideas they credit in meetings, how they respond when a woman is interrupted or dismissed.
In my own team, I try to carry that forward, making sure women have access to resources, opportunities to be heard, and the space to make decisions without being second-guessed. These aren’t grand gestures. They’re daily choices.
Senior leaders shape what feels normal in a workplace. And normal, over time, becomes culture.
What is one change you would like to see in workplaces for the next generation of women?
One change I’d love to see: companies moving from representation to genuine inclusion.
What I want for the next generation is workplaces that don’t just place women in positions, but actively invest in their growth…
We’ve made progress in getting women into the room, but too often it stops there. A woman is hired or promoted to balance a ratio, given a title, and then left to navigate a system that wasn’t built for her. That’s not progress; that’s optics.
What I want for the next generation is workplaces that don’t just place women in positions, but actively invest in their growth, amplify their voices in decisions, and measure success by how much women contribute, not just how many are present.
The question shouldn’t be “do we have enough women on the team?” It should be “are the women on our team actually empowered to lead?”
Quick Hits
A trend you are excited about, or not excited about
A trend I’m closely watching: how generative AI is impacting women at work, but not equally. A recent ILO report warns that female-dominated occupations are almost twice as likely to be exposed to AI disruption, while women remain severely underrepresented in AI-related roles.
Women are bearing more of the risk and reaping fewer of the opportunities. What concerns me most is that this could quietly undo decades of workplace progress unless companies are intentional about how they adopt and design AI.
A creative campaign or representation of women that inspired you or made you feel seen (please share a link to a video or image)
Always’ #LikeAGirl campaign has stayed with me since I first watched it. It flips a phrase that had been used as an insult – “like a girl” – and turns it into a statement of power. Watching young girls demonstrate what it means to run, fight, or throw “like a girl” – with full force and zero hesitation – was a reminder of something we slowly lose as we grow up: the confidence to simply be ourselves without shrinking.
That campaign didn’t just inspire me. It made me think about all the quiet ways girls are taught to do less, take up less space, and apologise for being too much. We shouldn’t have to earn the right to be confident in who we are, how we show up, or what we bring to the table.
A piece of advice that stayed with you longer than expected
“Not all those who wander are lost” – a quote from Tolkien.
People may look at your life and see someone off-track, missing milestones, taking the long way around. But only you know what your wandering is quietly building. Trust the journey, even when it doesn’t look like one.
