WOMEN IN TECH PROFILE: LA'I DOWSETT

Meet La'i Dowsett, from Lexicon an Endava company, an incredible advocate for diversity and inclusion. While her career progression is massively impressive, working for some huge organisations like Apple and Tesla, it is her commitment to inspiring others that is her biggest achievement.

Read all about La'i's journey and successes in the industry below. 

Can you tell us about the journey that led you to a career in technology?

I have a creative background and graduated from music school in Boston, US (Berklee College of Music). I loved music and being a vocalist but chose to complete a Bachelor of Business Management, then interned at Apple (iTunes) which was my entry point into Tech. After nearly 2 years at Apple, I left to join a Global Marketing team at Tesla where I got to work on a number of product launches, marketing strategy & GTM projects. Since returning to Australia, I’ve worked with various startups, on greenfield software projects, and have supported internal business transformation & public product releases. In the last 10+ years, working across various companies, business ‘stages’ and roles, I’ve gained experience working in Operations, Marketing, and Product Management / Delivery disciplines.

Since entering tech, what has your career progression looked like?

Music editorial / Label relations intern (Apple) Operations & CX specialist (Apple) — Global Marketing Project Manager (Tesla) — Project Lead, Global Marketing (SafetyCulture) — Business Analyst / Product Owner (oOh!) —  Delivery Lead, Senior Consultant (Lexicon/BBCA) – Product Lead, Lead Consultant (Lexicon/BBCA) 

Who or what inspires you as a woman in technology?

The opportunity to envision, design and build the world we want to end up in with diverse, talented teams is what inspires me daily. Many women inspire me - some of my most memorable colleagues being my Global Marketing Director at Tesla and the team she built. They were the most determined, focused, collaborative group of people I’ve worked with, and the leadership that fostered that team left a big impression on me.

Why do you think diversity in tech is important?

Innovation and problem-solving capability blooms when people with different experiences and points of view connect. Being able to embrace/foster diversity in an Org or team is what brings people together - the playing field is levelled and everyone has the chance to learn from & be heard by others. The most brilliant, beloved tech products & brands we know don’t succeed by chance. They build their organisations with ingenuity in mind, not just “get a job done”.

Do you have advice for women or diverse individuals who might be considering moving to a role in tech?

Some of the best advice I was given early was by one of my managers who was a Marketing Director at a large tech company. Their advice offered was to not become fixated on or distracted by being a ‘minority’, and to instead double down and stay focused on the problems I was solving; “the work”. Let your work speak for you. Look for mentors, invest in continuous improvement/learning, and advocate for yourself and others. Encourage diversity & inclusion by modelling it in your behaviour, language, and collaboration.

What is your dream or goal for the future of tech?

I hope we see compounding investment in tech for good and increased support around issues like climate. I’ve been fortunate to work on some meaningful initiatives and product launches that touch sustainability, EVs, AI and climate (/building resilience) in my career so far, which has been inspiring and rewarding. So I hope to see more investment in and growing opportunities to do truly transformative work. Also, here’s to a future of working with teams where I’m not the only one or one of two females. I’m looking forward to a future with more women in senior management and leadership positions in tech.

QUICK FIRE ROUND

What's the best investment you've made in your career under $1000

Courses & events! Grateful to have met mentors and friends this way.

What book has inspired you?

The Tipping Point, Zero to One, Inspired

One piece of tech you can't live without?

Mobile phone