Charlotte Heite, Senior Finance Manager, Oracle Switzerland
Who are you in a few words?
A few words that describe me well would be optimistic, open minded and loyal. I love stepping out of my comfort zone to discover and experience the world in all its riches, while searching for connection and meaning. I’m blessed to be a mom of two amazing boys and know myself surrounded by loving family and friends. Finally, yet importantly, I turn to yoga and outdoor sports to relax and refuel.
What are the ingredients of your success?
I can thrive at work because of my supporting environment. Oracle has given me numerous opportunities to evolve and develop as a professional. I also benefit of having many smart and inspiring colleagues around me at work.
What would you do differently if you could?
I wish someone would have told me how important it is to negotiate the salary already at the very start of a career. I feel that women tend to settle for less often.
What is the best advice you received or the one you would give to women who want to develop professionally?
Take opportunities, trust in yourself and develop a strong supporting network. You need others in order to succeed.!
How does the word generation resonate with you, what does it evoke?
Generation for me is about the baggage that we carry and the bias that is inherent in how we think about our future. In Switzerland, IT is still largely a male profession. According to OFS figures extracted at the proportion of female IT specialists has hardly increased in the last 10 years, from 15.9% in 2010 to 18.2% in 2019. According to the statistics of the HES-SO for the last five years, the proportion of female students in computer science has stagnated at less than 9%. The proportion of female students in business informatics is twice as high, but it is not increasing either. Indeed, I believe that there is a lot of bias when it comes to educating women and many still believe that this is a “men’s” industry. There are however encouraging signs and there are many younger women around me at Oracle today with a promising IT career before them.
What is in your view the most important change over the last 4 decades for women ?
Even if the number is still low there is a growing trend when it comes to women’s representation across industries. Looking around us we see more and more women occupying key leading positions as the acknowledgement that diversity in the workplace fuels productivity increases.
What is in your opinion the most important change still to come/implement over the next years for women development?
Women are increasingly stepping up. We need to sit at the table, participate at the public debate and decision making. It’s great to see more and more women earning their seat at the table!
How can women across generations leverage each other?
We have an important role to play in nurturing, guiding and inspiring future generations of girls and boys, while at the same time carrying the enormous responsibility of becoming collectively part of the solutions needed to the problems that increasingly confront our world today.
I’m strongly convinced that solidarity among women is key. Women need to support women, cheer for each other’s success, share knowledge, insights and connections. Only together, we can make a meaningful difference!
What would you like to share across generations?
Follow your heart, be patient, work hard and have faith!