Mentors

Zana A.

Zana A. EMBA, Dip. Corporate Governance
CEO & Founder, TechWomen4Boards | CIO & Managing Partner, Emrys Group

Zana is a governance leader, board advisor, and technology executive with over two decades of international experience spanning FTSE 250/500 organisations in finance, legal, managed services, and retail. She holds a Corporate Governance Diploma and has served as President of the Supervisory Board at SGS, Board Director at WIT® Croatia, and Advisory Board Member for the Finance & Fintech Group at the Institute of Directors, London.

As Founder and CEO of TechWomen4Boards, Zana is dedicated to advancing diverse, board-ready leadership pipelines, equipping executives with governance fluency, strategic influence, and cultural transformation skills. She combines her corporate governance expertise with deep experience in digital transformation, cyber resilience, and human capital strategy, enabling organisations to align innovation with ethical leadership and board-level oversight.

Recognised for her governance and advisory contributions, Zana founded and chaired the Women in Tech (WIT®) interest group at European Women on Boards, mentors C-suite executives through Connectd, and actively supports female entrepreneurship as an Angel Investor.

Through her board, governance, and advisory roles, Zana brings a rare combination of strategic governance expertise, technological acumen, and DEI leadership, making her a trusted partner for organisations preparing executives and boards for the future.

Yvonne V.

Yvonne – Mentor & Performance Coach

Yvonne is an accomplished Business Change Expert and the author of two respected books on change management: Cracking the Change Management Code and Managing Change: The Science of Happy Endings. She currently serves as Chair of the Finance and FinTech Group at the Institute of Directors (IoD) and is a strong advocate for women in Finance and Technology. With over 20 years’ experience delivering and supporting international programmes, business transformations, and organisational change, Yvonne has worked with leading global organisations including Credit Suisse, Unilever, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, Barclays, Travelex, Clifford Chance, BP, Schroders, and PwC and has also supported start-ups as NED.

Yvonne is deeply passionate about enabling transformational change both in organisations and individuals. Her mentoring and coaching background includes:

Mentor, Women in Technology Mentoring Programme – Reed Technology Leadership Practice (Apr 2021 – Mar 2024)
Performance Coach, London Metropolitan University (Nov 2008 – Jun 2009)
Independent Transformation Coach (2008 – 2014)

She is also a qualified Performance and Life Coach, dedicated to supporting emerging leaders, women in technology and finance, and professionals navigating career transitions or large-scale organisational change. Yvonne brings a warm, insightful, and practical approach to mentoring empowering others to grow, lead, and thrive.

Ana A.

Ana brings over two decades of international technology leadership experience to her mentoring role with TechWomen4Boards. As a communications engineer and researcher, she has navigated diverse technical environments across three continents, positioning her uniquely to guide women advancing in technology careers.

Ana holds a Master of Science in Telecommunications Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia and a doctorate from Telecom Paris, complemented by an international master’s in E-Learning Management. Her career trajectory demonstrates the strategic pivots and international mobility that many women in tech aspire to achieve—from research consultant at AT&T in New Jersey, to leading research projects at Vicom Tech Research Center in San Sebastian, to her current role as research specialist at Accenture Technology Labs in Sophia Antipolis, France since 2004.

A former member of IEEE and ACM, Ana understands the importance of professional networks and community engagement. Through her mentoring, she leverages her extensive cross-cultural experience, technical expertise, and understanding of corporate research environments to help women navigate career challenges, develop executive presence, and pursue board-level opportunities in technology organisations.

Ekta S.

Ekta is a leadership mentor and women’s career coach with over 20 years of experience driving technology-led transformation, business growth, and sustainable impact. A UN Women UK Delegate, TechWomen100 Winner (2022), and finalist for IT Strategy Leader of the Year (Women in Tech Excellence Awards), she is recognised as one of the most influential women in UK tech for last 2 years.

She has scaled businesses 4x, led major transformation and divestment programmes, founded a consulting firm, and supported startups in sustainability and AI. Passionate about inclusion, Ekta has played a key role in advancing diversity initiatives and actively volunteers with organisations supporting women and girls in STEM.

Accredited by Harvard Business School and the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, she mentors leaders with a strong focus on people, planet, and purpose.

Marielle L.

Mentor & Executive Mentor

I support executives, founders, and professionals in navigating career transitions, building confidence, and growing into leadership roles that feel meaningful. I draw on 18 years of international experience in talent acquisition, talent management, and diversity, equity & inclusion to provide practical guidance, a listening ear, and a trusted perspective.

I have attended the EMCC Mentoring Conference in Florence, where I deepened my understanding of mentoring practices, and I am trained through the Early Warning Europe Mentor Academy to support leaders and SMEs in transition. Fluent in English and French, I bring a cross-cultural perspective across EMEA, North America, and Asia.