Back when computers were the size of rooms and diversity was a conversation in its infancy, Avril Howes, Strategic Head of BCPlus+ team, was finding her way in the realm of technology.
The gender disparity in technology remains. According to the Skillsoft 2024 Women in Tech Report, less than a third of the world’s workforce in the technology sector is made up of women. In fact, this number currently stands at 25% globally. This is even less when it comes to artificial intelligence (22%) and engineering (28% of graduates are women).
These statistics don’t, however, reflect the fact that women feel more included within this sector and that those surveyed had more job satisfaction, were more likely to request a raise and had a higher sense of belonging. The sector may still be battling with finding gender balance, but those who work within it are increasingly satisfied with their roles and opportunities.
It is a reflection of change. Since the days when enterprise technology was in its infancy and computer operators were grappling with room-sized IBM machines, women in South Africa have been laying the groundwork for careers that have shaped the country’s technology landscape.
This proactive drive is a reflection of a broader trend in the business world: McKinsey and Company notes that “companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 15% more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.”
Even though South Africa’s statistics are not equal, they are higher than the average – the World Bank shows that 38.43% of ICT graduates are women and the Commission for Employment Equity showed that the technology workforce was comprised of 45% women.
Here, women having been pushing boundaries since the sector first began, quietly stepping into roles and opportunities that have shaped their careers and the industry. And it is where Avril Howes found her niche as she moved from a computer operator surrounded by giant IBM machines to her new role today as head of innovation and product development at Braintree. It has been, she says, an interesting journey.
“It was an era when senior executives were just learning to use a mouse and I found myself patiently teaching a German CEO how to navigate this new digital world,” said Howes. “Every time he moved the mouse, that little pointer moved over the border, and he couldn’t figure it out.”
Howes’ trajectory paralleled that of business technology. Starting with version 3.7 of Microsoft’s NAV – now Business Central – she progressed from basic implementations to architecting solutions that would power some of the country’s fastest-growing retailers. Her learning curve extended beyond the technical and into understanding business needs and fostering growth.
“More recently, I’ve helped the Otto Brothers with their expansion from 100 to more than 300 stores by ensuring their systems were relevant. The goal was to automate processes, enable business transformation, and transform access to insights from weeks into hours.”
In an industry dominated by men, Howes’ approach stood out. Instead of relying on authority, she led through technical excellence, mentorship and a deep understanding of business needs. Her impact is evident in the careers she’s shaped – she is now connected to a network of professionals globally, all of whom she mentored and supported. When they consider returning to South Africa, they look to Braintree first. Their careers have pivoted around the knowledge she shared – a testament to her training and mentorship.
This expertise has translated into Howes’ move into product development with the goal of helping Braintree transform its custom solutions into scalable products that benefit multiple customers.
“It’s about taking our IP and making it more accessible,” she said. “We’ve built similar solutions for different customers over the years. Now it is time to productise these solutions and make them more predictable and efficient. It is a shift not just in terms of our business, but how enterprise technology is being delivered in South Africa as a whole.”
Howes’ leaves behind a changed landscape. She has encouraged other women to take leadership roles, driven technology innovation as a leader in her field, and remains an inspiration to other women looking to make the move into the sector. Her career is proof that women can move through technology from start to finish and forge careers that not only make a difference to other women, but to the business landscape as a whole.
