Pallavi Deshpande

One of the Tech Women Celebration 50 - women changing the ratio of the tech workforce

Pallavi is a Technology leader with two decades of digital industry experience, presently Director - Portfolio Delivery at Pearson.

Winner of "Digital Leader of the Year - Enterprise" at the Computing Women in Tech Excellence awards 2022, Pallavi is known for building high performing teams, bringing in transparency and collaboration at work. She is certified AWS Cloud Architect Associate, AWS Cloud Practitioner and Microsoft certified professional.

In addtion to her day job Pallavi actively contributes to the Women in Technology (WIT) community at Pearson curating bite-sized content tailored for non-technical women to encourage first steps into the world of technology.

She also leads a Social Impact Program in the UK to help under privileged students to get a view of the technology world and visivbility of role models in tech.

What attracted Pallavi to technology in the first instance?

"While the allure of a respectful and high-paying job initially piqued my interest in tech," she says, "it was the genuine passion for creation, the promise of positive impact, the sense of community, and the excitement of continuous learning that truly sealed my dedication to this field. Embracing technology as my calling has been a rewarding and fulfilling journey, and I am eager to continue contributing my skills and ideas to shape a better tomorrow through technology."

In common with may of her female colleagues, Pallavi has had to build a career whilst also battling with the attitudes of some other people rooted in sterotypical ideas about gender and ethnicity.

"Overcoming challenges rooted in cultural biases and stereotypes is a journey that's all too familiar. As a woman in the tech field coming from India, I've faced underestimation and even battled imposter syndrome at times. However, these challenges have only reinforced my conviction that one's potential knows no boundaries. I've learned that the colour of one's skin or gender shouldn't define our worth; it's the intelligence, skills, and determination within us that truly matter. Embracing this realization has not only strengthened my resolve but has also empowered me to break barriers and contribute meaningfully to the tech community and beyond."

Pallavi has also championed the talents of exceptional women seeking to re enter the workforce after career breaks.