Celebrating Collaboration and Empowerment: Our Third Speed Mentoring Event

March 27 marked an extraordinary milestone for a number of Women in Big Data (WiBD) EMEA chapters, as we came together to host the third joint SpeedMentoring. Through the efforts of the Berlin, Munich, NRW, Geneva, and the newly founded Poland chapters in collaboration with WiBD’s Global Mentoring Initiative, this event embodied the power of partnership, diversity, and shared purpose.  The spirit of unity and diversity across the region made this event exceptional! 

A Community Effort

In true WiBD style, we listened to our communities and introduced an exciting new format for this session. This event opened with a dynamic panel discussion on navigating careers in Big Data and AI, a topic our members identified as essential to their interests. A heartfelt thank-you to our amazing speakers,  Tina Rosario, Silke Jacobsen, Aga Swiatowa , Martin Grund, Sacha Nikita Kraft , and masterful moderator Itai Yaffe, who inspired us with rich conversations and meaningful takeaways, addressing crucial themes such as:

• The increasing importance of *soft skills* for managing global stakeholders
• How education serves as a strong foundation but isn’t a prerequisite for success
• The value of taking a chance on big five tech companies—it’s worth the preparation!
• Building a support network of mentors, coaches, and sponsors
• Expanding networks through events like summits and meetups (e.g., AWS Summit in Hamburg)
• Gaining hands-on experience by volunteering to enhance your portfolio
• Embracing flexibility and openness to explore diverse career paths
• Staying open-minded, flexible, and exploring new paths to understand your passions.

These discussions sparked new ideas and strengthened bonds among our participants, proving yet again how valuable sharing knowledge and experiences can be.

Picture made by Aliya Boranbayeva

The panel discussion was followed by a speed mentoring event. Katarzyna (Kasia) Stoltmann, Aliya Boranbayeva, Deborah Sgro, Kendy Rannenberg, Naima Hassan, Milyana Mcirdi joined our panelists as mentors who each met with small groups of the sixty attendees.  Their participation brought this event to life. 

Behind every great event lies a dedicated team—and this was no exception. A heartfelt thank-you goes to  Maria Beiner, who skillfully took the lead in organizing behind the scenes, along with Deborah Sgro, and Katarzyna (Kasia) Stoltmann, whose dedication made it all possible. 

Looking Ahead: Building on Success

As we reflect on this successful Panel Discussion and Speed Mentoring event, we’re excited to continue empowering and connecting women in Big Data. Events like these remind us of the importance of fostering diversity, collaboration, and lifelong learning in our ever-evolving field. Together, we’re shaping the future of Big Data and AI—one conversation at a time. Here’s to fostering diversity, innovation, and shared growth in Big Data and AI!