On International Women’s Day, we give the floor to Ellen Baeten, our managing partner. Throughout her career, she has seen the IT sector evolve up close. From being the first woman in an all-male team to leading The Zoo today, where more women work than men.
A journey that was not always self-evident in a sector that is still, perhaps, seen as male-dominated. But how does Ellen look at that today? And what does leadership mean to her in an IT world where more and more women are finding their place?
The IT sector looks very different today from when Ellen started her career. Where women used to be a rarity in technical teams, she now sees a clear shift. “Women are increasingly finding their way into the sector in roles such as business analysis or project management. Purely technical roles are still mainly filled by men,” Ellen says.
That is an undeniably positive evolution. Teams are becoming more diverse, with different profiles and perspectives, and men and women complement each other. That mix allows teams to approach solutions from multiple angles, which benefits the sector as a whole. Especially in a time when technology is evolving at breakneck speed, with developments such as the rise of AI, it is precisely that combination of talents and perspectives that drives innovation forward.
Still, progress does not mean every barrier has disappeared. Although the sector is clearly changing, Ellen notes that there are still plenty of challenges for women in IT.
To young women starting their careers in the sector today, Ellen has one clear message: “Take your place.”
She refers to an inspiring speech by Rechma Sayanu about imposter syndrome, the feeling that you are somehow not good enough despite your degree or experience. Many women recognise that feeling, especially when comparing themselves with male colleagues.
Ellen herself says that the feeling of having to prove yourself more never fully disappears. Equality is not just about recognising competence, but also about how we treat each other in everyday interactions.
That is exactly why it is important to put that feeling into perspective. You earned your degree. You built your knowledge. You earned your place. Confidence in your own abilities is essential.
According to Ellen, the biggest challenge when it comes to diversity does not necessarily lie in the workplace, but before it.
Once women have chosen a digital or technology-focused education, collaboration with male colleagues generally goes smoothly. The real obstacle lies in the study choice itself. The image of IT as “male” still discourages too many girls, even though the sector offers plenty of room for creativity, innovation and impact.
She compares it with initiatives in other sectors, such as accountancy, where active efforts are being made to reposition the profession. By showing what the job really involves, interest increases. According to her, the same can be done in IT: tell the right story, break the stereotype and show just how varied and exciting technology can be.
Role models play a crucial role in this. For Ellen, those were a number of women who each showed, in their own way, what leadership can mean.
One of them was a former project manager who introduced her to the power of empathetic leadership: leading without forcing authority, but through connection, trust and insight into the people around you.
What connects these women is not only their professional recognition, but above all the courage to make choices that were not always obvious. They dared to deviate from the expected path, and that courage was inspiring. It showed Ellen that making an impact is not about fitting a fixed profile, but about believing in your knowledge and daring to stand by your own style.
What is Ellen most proud of? Not titles or positions, but her team.
When clients say that working with The Zoo feels “refreshing”, or that their input was genuinely listened to, she knows they are doing something right. The team does everything it can to better support users of their systems and to genuinely improve processes.
According to her, it is exactly that willingness to listen that sets them apart in the IT sector.
Ellen describes herself with a smile as “a little feminist”. She genuinely believes she can do everything just as well as her male colleagues.
For her, International Women’s Day is not a symbolic date, but a necessary reminder. Around the world, equality is still far from a given: not in terms of opportunities, not in terms of voting rights, and not in terms of visibility.
The work is not finished in the digital sector either. Women must continue to dare to take their place. Not because they still have to earn it, but because they already have it.
