Women's Month Special: "Find Your Voice and Know That You Can Really Make a Difference" Robin Sutara, Chief Data Officer, Microsoft UK

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(US and Canada) Robin Sutara, Chief Data Officer, Microsoft UK, talks with Della Shea,Chief Data Governance and Privacy Officer, Symcor, about her journey as a woman in technology, data, and business.

Sutara admits that many times she is one of the few women in the room and at the table. “It's definitely been an exciting journey,” she says. She thinks many organizations are now starting to realize the power of a diverse team.

As she creates teams within the organization, she is intentional about hiring people who bring a strength where she has a weakness, or bring a different gender, cultural, or ethnic perspective.

Sutara says most of her career roadblocks were self-imposed. Sometimes family took priority over her career. And she regularly suffered from imposter syndrome: What was she doing at the table? Did she have a right to be there?

She emphasizes that many of her roles before joining Microsoft, such as active duty in the U.S. Army, for example, gave her the background, experience, and unique perspective necessary to solve a lot of issues in the business world. “As women, we each need to realize that the value we bring into a business isn't replaceable. Find your voice and know that you can really make a difference."

She describes her career as “eclectic,” noting that she always wanted to learn something new and gain a variety of perspectives. Hence, her moves from technology into business and vice versa were always because there was something new that she wanted to learn. “Follow your passions,” Sutara advises. “Find what you want to learn or where you think you can really make a difference, and then push the boundaries. Be comfortable with asking questions and bringing that fresh perspective to the table.”