Why the Women Automotive Network Summit Should Be on Your Radar: Diversity, Inclusion and Networking

The summit aimed to unite leading women in the automotive sector from companies like Porsche, Volkswagen, Volvo, and Jaguar, and more. The big goal is to build a strong network and share experiences that helped these women succeed. The WAN community has grown to 40,000 members worldwide and is continuing to expand.

A key focus of the summit is mentorship, which is essential for career growth. Members can choose to be mentors or mentees, helping each other navigate their professional journeys.

In the morning, we were welcomed at the Forum am Schlosspark in Ludwigsburg, a lovely venue that accommodated all 500 attendees. An additional 500 participants joined the summit online. After registering and enjoying some coffee, we were invited into a spacious conference hall filled with round tables.

The event began with a welcome speech from Micha Goebig, CEO and Founder of Go Big Coaching and Communication LLC. She shared insights about the community and stressed the importance of networking. "Don’t be shy to say hello to the woman next to you!" Micha encouraged us. With that, the summit officially began!

From Linda Jackson, CEO of Peugeot, we gained firsthand insight into what it takes to climb the corporate ladder. With 45 years of experience in the automotive industry, Linda emphasized the importance of confidence, perseverance, learning from mistakes, and growing alongside a trusted team. She also reminded us that on this long journey to the top, it’s crucial to pause and appreciate the view.

Barbara Frenkel, Member of the Executive Board for Procurement at Porsche AG, delivered an inspiring talk titled “Follow Your Dream – My Path to the Porsche Executive Board.” The key takeaways from her presentation were to work hard, trust the process, and let your colleagues be your references. And who knows? One day, you might get a call from Porsche and be invited to become one of the nine board members!

FLEX panel group initiated a discussion on how we make our business decisions. It turns out that these choices are rarely based solely on facts; instead, they often involve a mix of intuition and facts. It’s essential to trust your gut feeling and be willing to take risks to explore uncharted territories.

After lunch, we were ready to dive into new topics. This time, it was a workshop led by Sara Gallian, a SDV Program Manager at the Eclipse Foundation, which Lunatech is part of. This foundation creates a business-friendly environment for open-source software collaboration and innovation.

The workshop, titled “Open Source for All: Democratising and Transforming the Automotive Software Industry in a Code-First Way,” highlighted the challenges open-source contributors face. These challenges include language barriers, cultural differences, years of experience and even unreliable internet connections.

We looked at charts showing cultural differences across countries, prompting us to think about our own experiences.

So, how can we enhance diversity in open source? We need to be more mindful and inclusive, making sure open source is a welcoming space for everyone, especially underrepresented groups. A typical open-source contributor can be anyone – it’s not just limited to a white, straight, cisgender man in his 40s! 😄

During the panel discussion, we learned that the industry is evolving, with women’s presence steadily growing and strong allies supporting diversity and inclusion at every turn. Looking ahead, there’s even more growth planned, with a goal to increase the representation of women in leadership positions from 20% to 25% by 2030. This goal is set to be achieved by enhancing mentorship and sponsorship networks within the industry, and WAN serves exactly that purpose.

After a day packed with insights, we wrapped it up with a fun after-party, where networking flowed just as smoothly as the Aperol Spritz! While networking can be tough and sometimes intimidating, it’s definitely rewarding when you find those genuine connections that help you grow personally and professionally. We left feeling energized, with several connections in LinkedIn and excited for what’s to come.

All in all, as for someone with a software engineering background, this summit was a unique experience, it was different from typical software conferences. Instead of focusing on technical skills, it emphasized sharing career stories, taking on new challenges, and never giving up. Seeing so many successful women in the automotive industry was inspiring. The focus on building a strong community made the event even better. I enjoyed the talks and gained valuable insights and I’m looking forward to coming back next year!

P.S. If you’re interested in learning more and want to experience a bit of the conference atmosphere, check out the recorded talks through this link!

Also, you can learn more about Women Automotive Network and Eclipse Foundation here.