STEM Demystified – Ria Kinsley (United Kingdom)

Welcome to another edition of STEM Demystified, a project to tackle women under-representation in STEM. This weekly Newsletter will showcase how women are conquering science, technology, engineering, and mathematics worldwide.

Today, I’m excited to feature Ria Kinsley as STEM role model. Born in India and fascinated by numbers from a young age, Ria pursued a degree in Business Management with a major in Finance. She then moved to the United Kingdom to forge a successful career in banking and finance. Nine years ago, Ria made a significant pivot into the tech industry, where she has become an expert in agile delivery, product management, and leading teams to deliver IT and business changes throughout the full product development lifecycle.

Passionate about solving critical problems and crafting ideal solutions, Ria leads with humility, empathy, and impact. She excels at forging strategic relationships, engaging, inspiring, and influencing her clients to build digital products that deliver outstanding outcomes. As a career changer with a diverse background, Ria is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion within the tech industry, particularly promoting women in tech leadership and mentoring those on their career journeys.

What was your trajectory from school to where you currently are professionally/academically?

Growing up, I was always fascinated by numbers, and I’ve always been a people person. So, pursuing a degree in business management with Finance seemed like the obvious choice for me. I decided to move to England to continue that journey and really enjoyed building my career in the Banking and Finance industry here. As a young girl, after completing my degree – I started as a cashier / financial adviser in an RBS branch as my first job, then moved to Bank of New York Mellon and RBS within Institutional / corporate banking, where I managed Operations Teams and led a few client onboarding / exit projects. And then purely by coincidence, worked with an Agile team to build a software for my team, and eventually decided to move into the IT sector about 9 years ago.

Prior to that, I had never considered a career an IT. Some of it was ignorance and a lack of awareness. I always associated IT with engineering / coding, without realising that it takes an army of roles and various skillsets, to bring a digital product to life, most of which are non-technical roles (For example, Business analysis, Delivery Lead, Design & Research, Product Management, etc.). It was not an easy decision to move into IT, having no network or friends in the industry, but it was something I was passionate about, so I took the gamble.

And it’s after these 9 years, I feel that I’ve reached the same career milestone now in IT, where I was in my Banking and Finance career before I moved. I feel that my gamble has paid off. I feel incredibly lucky to have built my network and have met & been supported by so many amazing people. As an industry, we don’t do enough to spread awareness about the various career paths within IT. So, one of my key missions is to spread the awareness of non-technical roles within IT, and support & inspire others who want to make that switch or build and progress their career in IT.

What motivated you to get into STEM? Did you have a female role model or anyone who inspired you? If so, who?

Not really. I didn’t know anyone in IT when I decided to get into STEM, especially not many women. Even now, I’m usually the only woman on my software delivery teams.

What motivated me to move into IT was the ability to build something, something that solves real problems for real people and something that I could be proud of. Also, I found the culture in IT quite refreshing. People in IT are generally very self-motivated and passionate about what they do, they are more open minded and open to learn and share, and much more fulfilled / happy. On the downside, there is stark lack of diversity with IT, especially senior women in Tech Leadership. Diversity is key to innovation and building great digital products for our diverse clients and customers. The aspiration of being able to change that, is also one of my key drivers and motivators.

What’s your most important professional/academic achievement?

Recently I was honoured to be one of the Finalist (1 of 6) for the Asian Women of Achievement Award 2024 – Tech and Digital category. The Asian Women of Achievement Awards were founded by Pinky Lilani CBE DL in 1999 and celebrates Britain’s remarkable Asian Women, and this year is its 25th Anniversary.

This was a huge recognition of my client work and the work I have done within Accenture to promote DEI initiatives and inclusive leadership, and great personal honour and privilege. I am also excited of the opportunities this network will bring, to inspire & encourage other women in STEM and make an even bigger impact.

Did you face any challenge throughout your professional/academic journey? How did you overcome it?

While there were lots of challenges over the years, the below 3 were key milestones, and have really shaped me as a person and where I am today:

Moving to UK as a 23-year-old girl from India, knowing absolutely no one – This was one of the most difficult times personally and professionally. Having never been abroad before and not knowing anyone in UK, I felt homesick and sometimes a lot of self-doubt, this was a really challenging time for me. There were so many times where I wanted to just give up and return home to India, but my tenacity and drive to make something on my own, kept me going.

My first manager role, under a very difficult manager – I’m a very self-motivated and positive person and leading myself came easy, whereas the responsibility to lead others, and especially with a  manager who was not the most supportive, that was a huge challenge. He was micro-managing me and very critical, and that led to a huge loss in my confidence and lots of self-doubt. It caused me a lot of stress and anxiety and it was a real struggle.

Somehow, I found the courage to go and seek my first mentor, someone who I had met during my work and someone who I admired and trusted. My mentor helped me process my thoughts and feelings and get through this very difficult time. He helped me believe in myself and to have the courage to lead based on my values. This experience built my resilience and shaped me into the leader I am today – always leading with humility, empathy and a continuous learning mindset. It is also one of the key reasons why I’m so passionate about mentoring others and supporting them with their career journey. I want to provide the support that I didn’t have, and it’s really rewarding personally and professionally.

Giving up a successful career in Banking & finance, to restart a new career in IT – This was a huge gamble, especially given I had no IT degree, or technical skills and I had no friends / colleagues in IT. It was a huge learning curve and I had to work really hard to build my knowledge and credibility. But on the flip side, it helped me build my resilience and gives me the confidence that I can make anything happen, if I want it bad enough. Find your passion and persevere!

In your opinion, what needs to be done to attract more women into STEM?

Firstly, there needs to be more awareness about the various career paths within IT (technical and non-technical) – information about the skills that are required as well as the benefits & rewards. As I mentioned previously, within the IT industry we do not do enough to spread awareness about the various career paths within IT. As the cliché goes, ‘Knowledge is power’. But this knowledge is really important, so that women are equipped to consider all the options when choosing a career for themselves and making an informed choice.

Secondly there need to be more female role models, especially senior women leaders in Tech – Women need to see and hear from other women that they can relate to and aspire to. As someone once famously said, “You can’t be, what you can’t see” and I truly believe in that. We need to celebrate women’s’ achievements and successes loud and proud and celebrate women who are thriving in STEM professions.

And lastly, provide support and promote active allyship. This could be in the form of mentoring, meet-ups, knowledge sharing, networking, etc. We all need support in various walks of life. This is about helping someone in need, giving them a lift and paying it forward. We can all be allies!!

Let’s create that ripple effect, where we all can encourage, inspire and support each other to succeed. It benefits us all.

What advice would you give to anyone looking into a career in STEM (or those who do not consider it)?

My biggest advice would be, do your research. Take the time to understand the various roles & options, investigate the pros and cons of each option and assess how they align with what you are looking for in a fulfilling career. I recognise that a career in STEM is not for everyone, but it’s worth exploring it with an open mind.

Look through various job descriptions on LinkedIn. Go to meet ups where you can connect with people who are doing the role. Understand the skills required, the trajectory and how that aligns with your personal goals, skills and ambition. Looking at it in an objective way will help you make the right decision for YOU.

Ria’s journey from finance to tech exemplifies the power of resilience, passion, and strategic career moves. Her ability to transition into a new field, excel in it, and advocate for diversity and inclusion is truly inspiring.

Ria’s story underscores the importance of taking risks, continuously learning, and supporting others along the way. Her commitment to promoting women in tech leadership and creating inclusive environments makes her a powerful role model in the STEM community. Ria’s message is clear: with determination and support, women can achieve remarkable success in any field they choose.