Women redefining data leadership through 'Give to Gain'

New Zealand data and analytics consultancy Flock Consulting is using International Women's Day 2026 to spotlight how women in technical roles are reshaping leadership in the sector, with an emphasis on mentoring, visibility, and deliberate hiring.

The Auckland-based firm has profiled four women in senior and mid-level roles. Their career paths span hospitality, recruitment, sales, public sector work, and governance. Together, their accounts highlight ongoing efforts to normalise non-linear routes into data and analytics and to embed knowledge-sharing into delivery work.

The profiles align with the International Women's Day 2026 theme, "Give to Gain". The women describe this through practical examples such as board work, coaching colleagues, and backing inexperienced candidates.

Career pathways

Senior BI Consultant Amanda Kwok entered data later in life after starting her career in hospitality. At 31, she moved into IT recruitment without formal qualifications. She used that role to learn the skills and jobs across the technology sector before shifting into business intelligence and analytics.

Kwok now mentors colleagues in data engineering and business intelligence. Even under time pressure, she focuses on showing others how to complete tasks rather than taking work off them.

"It takes longer, but I know in the long run it will enable them to be more independent and reduce bottlenecking in the team," said Amanda Kwok, Senior BI Consultant, Flock Consulting.

She links effective data leadership with clear communication and strong technical grounding alongside standard management skills.

"It requires the same qualities as any good leader with empathy, communication, drive but also a solid technical understanding. That's what bridges the gap between technical teams and the wider business," said Kwok.

Knowledge transfer

Principal Consultant Katie Double also took an unconventional route into data. Her background includes hospitality and an internship at electric vehicle maker Tesla. She later worked in IT administration and the public sector before joining Flock.

Double describes "Give to Gain" as a daily practice of explaining concepts and answering questions from less experienced practitioners. That process often strengthens her own understanding of tools and techniques.

"Sometimes talking through concepts helps you understand them better yourself," said Katie Double, Principal Consultant, Flock Consulting.

She also argues for substantive inclusion in senior roles rather than symbolic appointments. Hiring, she says, should focus on matching women to roles based on skills and experience, not representation targets alone-reflecting a wider industry debate about increasing participation without creating perceptions of tokenism.

Backing potential

Delivery Manager Renee Cumberland describes early sponsorship as a turning point in her career. She moved into a sales role without direct experience and was given control of a large portfolio. That experience now shapes how she assesses and promotes talent across delivery and client-facing teams.

"I am still amazed that someone backed me and trusted me to grow into that role in my own way," said Renee Cumberland, Delivery Manager, Flock Consulting.

Cumberland has since hired introverted women into sales roles and watched them thrive in client environments often seen as favouring extroverts. She now prioritises advocacy and peer support, drawing on her own experience to help colleagues navigate role transitions and negotiations.

Visibility and governance

Director of Advisory Marieke Mahoney has spent almost 20 years in data-focused roles. She describes her work simply:

"I help organisations figure out what to do with their data," said Marieke Mahoney, Director of Advisory, Flock Consulting.

Mahoney has worked part-time for 12 years while raising a family and has been recognised on a Part-Time Power List. She is open about these arrangements, offering a visible reference point for women considering senior careers that include flexible working patterns.

She also sits on the board of a non-profit organisation, building governance experience and contributing sector expertise in a different decision-making setting.

"I didn't take the role to gain anything, but I'm gaining regardless. When you give from genuine passion, the return takes care of itself," said Mahoney.

Her advice to people entering the data sector emphasises curiosity and interpersonal skills over technical perfection at the outset.

"Just go for it. Curiosity and judgement matter more than mastery. Be kind throughout," said Mahoney.

The four profiles sit against a New Zealand data and analytics market that is increasingly central to organisational strategy, more exposed to scrutiny from non-technical leaders, and more reliant on multidisciplinary teams. Flock says it will keep expanding a team structure that supports different working patterns, governance roles, and mentoring for staff.