The Invisible Ladder: Why Black Women Remain Underrepresented
in Tech Leadership
THE STATE OF US
This article began with a simple test: a search for Black female UX designers across 30 companies with hundreds to thousands of employees and global influence. Despite refining filters and keywords, only 20 Black women were identified. Only a few of those found held senior or directorial positions. While a more thorough examination may reveal more profiles, this rapid scan speaks volumes. If representation in UX is so limited in UX, what might it look like across the broader tech landscape?
BY ONYANIOSE OBAITAN
25 July 2025
In a joint report by CIO, the British Computer Society (BCS), and Coding Black Females (CBF), 12 Black women from various industries and levels shared their experiences in the tech sector. Their stories were filled with resilience, but also exhaustion, frustration, and deep questioning.
Despite their competence, many are still viewed as exceptions rather than expectations. The numbers confirm this: only 0.7% of IT professionals in the UK are Black women, despite making up 1.8% of the workforce. Globally, women hold just 22% of IT roles. For Black women, the challenges multiply—racial and gender bias, tokenism, limited sponsorship, and exclusion from critical opportunities.
This is not a pipeline issue. It’s a systemic design flaw.
Why representation still lags
CSB study revealed that women of colour occupy just 4% of C-suite positions, with Black women holding only 1.4% therefore remaining underrepresented in management. Many of these women believe it takes more than strong performance to move up—they need extra skills, more experience, and often far more effort than others just to be considered. Even for some who advance, they encounter a scarcity of role models with similar backgrounds, contributing to a continued racial and gender gap at higher organisational levels.
For many, the path to advancement is far more challenging. Faced with ongoing resistance, the options are often limited: remain and continue to push against the barriers, or leave in pursuit of better prospects. For a significant number, the strain becomes unsustainable. Research shows that over 40% of women in this position leave the tech industry within ten years, compared to just 17% of men, often citing workplace conditions, negative stereotypes, and undermining behaviour from peers as key reasons for their departure, along with feeling stalled in their careers.
Companies where 30% of leaders are women experience a 15% increase in profitability compared to similar firms with no female leaders, demonstrating that diversity in leadership is not just a moral imperative but a business advantage. The result is a higher level of organisational success, greater creativity, problem-solving, innovation, and growth.
“My key to becoming a CIO was moving into new roles. I couldn’t go one line up at an organisation to become CIO, because you get pigeonholed. To reach the CIO position, I had to move into a new role quickly.”
Solutions that move the needle
Redesign hiring and culture from within
Bias often begins at the recruitment stage. Companies must audit their hiring pipelines, job descriptions, and promotion practices to identify and root out exclusionary patterns. Leaders should model inclusive behaviour and embed diversity into organisational values, not just HR policies.Champion inclusive leadership programmes
Initiatives like Adobe’s Leadership Circle and Salesforce’s BOLD Force provide peer coaching, mentorship, and executive sponsorship to elevate high-performing women into leadership roles. These frameworks work when backed by intentional investment and accountability.Close the Pay & Opportunity Gap
According to McKinsey, Black households stand to lose over $350 billion in tech wages by 2030 if income gaps persist. Equal pay, equal opportunity, and equitable project distribution must become non-negotiables, not diversity checkboxes. This gap isn’t just unfair, it is expensive. Fair pay is crucial for fostering a more equitable industry. Projects with visibility should also be fairly shared so everyone has the opportunity to succeed.Support through structured mentorship & sponsorship
Programmes like MLT (Management Leadership for Tomorrow) and Microsoft’s BAM (Blacks at Microsoft) foster long-term support systems that accelerate career growth and visibility for Black professionals in the tech industry.Create employee resource groups with power & purpose
ERGs like Intel’s Black Leadership Council aren’t just social circles—they’re strategic hubs for professional development, advocacy, and visibility. When done well, they shift company culture and help retain talent that might otherwise leave.Foster psychological safety and transparency
Black women often lack safe spaces to voice concerns. Open dialogue, transparent reporting structures, and visible accountability are essential for building trust and reducing attrition.
Final thought: Where do we go from here?
It remains troubling that Black women still need “special committees” and panels just to be seen, while others move freely through the system. These efforts are not optional. They are survival mechanisms.
To leaders, the question is simple: Who are you overlooking and what will you do to change that?
Progress means ensuring access, agency, and advancement. It means designing systems where Black women not only thrive but also survive and flourish. The work is far from finished, but it begins with the decision to do more than perform equity. The tech industry must evolve to reflect the diversity it claims to value truly.
