With a background in wholesale and export operations, Miriam joined Toshiba Electronics Europe GmbH in 2017 and moved to Toshiba Memory Europe GmbH (now KIOXIA Europe GmbH) in 2018, where she managed Global Accounts and B2C customer portfolios.

Since 2020, she has led Customer Service professionally and since 2025 also disciplinarily, acting as the central interface for all Customer Service topics across KIOXIA and driving cross-functional initiatives and company-wide projects.

Have you ever received support or a learning opportunity from a female colleague that positively impacted your career? How did you pay that forward?

My career would look very different today if it hadn't been so strongly supported by female colleagues who challenged me, supported me, and opened doors early on. That experience showed me the power of intentional support, and I now try to pay it forward by mentoring, sharing opportunities, and advocating for others whenever I can.

What new skills, knowledge or insights have you gained from your female colleagues, and how have you applied that learning?

Working closely with female colleagues has deepened my understanding of how structural inequalities continue to shape the workplace. I've gained valuable insights into strategic communication, adaptability, and effective leadership under constraints. I apply this learning by mentoring with greater intention, advocating for fair recognition, and helping foster environments where contributions are assessed based on impact rather than perception.

How can we ensure that our "giving" extends to supporting marginalised groups of women, including those with different abilities and backgrounds?

Ensuring inclusive "giving" starts with listening. By taking individual experiences, abilities, and backgrounds seriously, we can better understand diverse realities and design support that is empowering, accessible, and sustainable rather than one-size-fits-all.

Montserrat Broto is a long-standing Executive Assistant currently at KIOXIA Europe GmbH. She began her career at Toshiba Electronics Europe GmbH in 1992 in the Public Relations Department. In 1997, she moved to Memory Marketing as Group Assistant, and, five years later, became Management Assistant to the VP in the SBP Department. In 2018, Montserrat became Executive Assistant to the President of Toshiba Memory Europe GmbH, now KIOXIA Europe. More recently, she moved to the Corporate Staff Department as Executive Assistant.

For over 34 years, Montserrat has been passionate about helping people reach their potential. Throughout her career in management, she has learned that true success comes not just from achieving results but from empowering others, listening with empathy, and creating environments where every voice is valued.

She takes pride in partnering with diverse teams to collaborate effectively and driving initiatives that make a meaningful impact. Inclusion, trust, and shared growth aren't just ideals – they are the foundation for sustainable success in any organisation.

If we were to look back a year from now, what impact would you hope our collective GiveToGain efforts have had?

In a year, I hope we can say GiveToGain went beyond fundraising and actually changed people's lives – by opening doors and creating equity, particularly for women who usually don't get those chances.

What new skills, knowledge or insights have you gained from your female colleagues, and how have you applied that learning?

Working with female colleagues has taught me to listen more deeply, think more inclusively, and make decisions with a stronger awareness of how they affect people. I now try to apply this by considering broader perspectives and real-world impact before acting.

What is a specific, actionable step our Company can take in the next year to accelerate progress toward gender equality?

A strong, actionable step our Company can take in the next year is to formally embed gender equity into leadership decision-making – by setting clear equity metrics, reviewing major decisions through a gender-impact lens, and holding leaders accountable for progress.

Valentina joined KIOXIA Europe GmbH in 2020, following her studies in 2019. In her early years at the company, she was responsible for procuring and allocating various flash memory products to B2B customers across Europe. She later assumed a dual role in Marketing Operations and Global Accounts Marketing, supporting U.S. customer business in Europe as a Senior Marketing Specialist.

During her bachelor's degree, Valentina worked as a student assistant and completed several marketing internships in Germany and Brazil. KIOXIA provided her with the opportunity to gain experience in an international environment and fostered her strong interest in combining marketing with data-driven analysis. She completed her Master's Degree in Marketing and Communications while working at KIOXIA in 2025.

What is a small, everyday act of support you can commit to that would help foster a more inclusive workplace?

I believe that small, everyday actions can play a meaningful role in fostering a more inclusive workplace. One commitment I can make is to actively support stronger professional networks, particularly by encouraging women to engage in mentoring relationships. Simple gestures, such as having lunch with new colleagues, checking in regularly, or offering guidance and support as a woman in a senior position, can make a real difference for younger or less experienced employees.

These actions help create a welcoming and inclusive culture where individuals feel valued and supported. In turn, this makes the company more attractive to women and diverse talent and contributes to a more positive, respectful, and less stressful working environment. When people feel seen and connected, collaboration improves, motivation increases, and the organisation benefits from stronger engagement and mutual trust.

In what ways do you challenge stereotypes or question bias when you encounter it?

If I encounter stereotypes or bias, I address them respectfully and express clearly that I do not agree with views based on generalisations. In my personal experience, women are still often underestimated in certain professional fields, which can present obstacles to career development. For this reason, I believe employers should place greater emphasis on encouraging female employees to share their expertise, build confidence, and strengthen professional networks. Creating these opportunities helps challenge outdated perceptions and supports a more equitable and inclusive workplace.

What new skills, knowledge, or insights have you "gained" from your female colleagues? And how have you applied that learning?

I have gained a great deal from my female colleagues at KIOXIA, who welcomed me very warmly when I joined the company six years ago. As a fresh graduate, I benefited from a thorough onboarding process that provided valuable insights into professional life, while also teaching me the importance of strong social skills and respectful, collaborative interaction.

I am particularly grateful for the example set by our female manager, who consistently places trust in the team and genuinely listens to our opinions and ideas. This leadership style has shown me the value of open communication and psychological safety, which I actively apply in my own work by sharing ideas openly, supporting colleagues, and encouraging constructive dialogue.

Moreover, seeing the many strong and professionally successful women at KIOXIA continue to inspire me. They serve as role models which motivates me to seize new opportunities, build confidence, and commit to continuous personal and professional development.

What is a specific actionable step our company can take in the next year to accelerate progress toward gender equality?

A concrete step the company can take in the next year to accelerate progress toward gender equality is to actively address pay disparities related to maternity leave. In Germany, there is ongoing discussion about the gender pay gap, particularly the fact that women often do not return to the same salary level as their peers after maternity leave because they miss out on salary increases and adjustments during their time away.

These disparities should be addressed more effectively by companies. In addition, offering stronger re-entry support, such as part-time leadership options, flexible working hours, and clearly defined career paths after parental leave, would enable mothers to reintegrate successfully without long-term career or income disadvantages.

These measures would promote equal career development, reduce long-term income inequality, and demonstrate a strong commitment to gender equality.

Lena has been working in the IT industry for 20 years. Before joining the Marketing Communications department at KIOXIA Europe GmbH, she spent several years as a Marketing Manager for an international software company.

She studied American Studies, History, and Business Administration, earning three M.A. degrees, and gained valuable international experience at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles).

In what ways do you challenge stereotypes or question bias when you encounter it?

I actively strive to remain objective and open-minded, ensuring that personal biases or stereotypes do not influence my professional interactions or decisions.

The theme reminds us that giving is a form of multiplication, not subtraction. How can we better foster a mindset of abundant giving and collaboration on our teams?

For me, it starts with mutual respect and honest communication. When people feel heard and valued, collaboration becomes natural and generosity grows within the team.

How can we ensure that our "giving" extends to supporting marginalised groups of women, including those from different abilities, and backgrounds?

By integrating inclusive hiring practices and providing an equal, respectful, and safe working environment that enables all employees to contribute meaningfully.

How do you actively give support to your female colleagues? What have you gained from these efforts?

We support each other through openness, kindness, and knowledge sharing. This creates trust and helps all of us grow professionally and personally. I also believe this attitude should be shared by everyone, regardless of gender.

Stephanie joined Toshiba Electronics Europe GmbH (later KIOXIA Europe GmbH) in 2015, where she is part of the Customer Service team, looking after B2B and Global Accounts.

She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and is applying her knowledge and experience to provide excellent customer support and continuously improve work processes and tasks.

How do you actively give support to your female colleagues? What have you gained from these efforts?

In the past, I have had the opportunity to deliver training sessions for other team members, allowing me to share my knowledge and experience. I also make a conscious effort to remain approachable and available for questions and brainstorming discussions. Through this exchange, I have gained valuable insights into different processes and ways of working, including approaches beyond my own role, which have broadened my perspective and strengthened collaboration within the team.

Have you ever received support or a learning opportunity from a female colleague that proactively impacted your career? How did you pay that forward?

A major career opportunity arose during the transition period, when our company separated from Toshiba to become KIOXIA. At that time, I was offered the chance to take on responsibility for supporting the transition of our Global Accounts business. This role exposed me to a wide range of new processes and products that I had not previously been closely involved with.

Throughout this period, I received significant support from my manager, whose guidance was instrumental in navigating the challenges of the transition. Her trust and encouragement played an important role in my professional development and helped me progress to where I am today. I have since paid this forward by offering the same level of support and guidance to colleagues who joined the Global Accounts business later, helping them build confidence and succeed in their roles.

The theme reminds us that giving is a form of multiplication, not subtraction. How can we better foster a mindset of abundant giving and collaboration on our teams?

I believe fostering this mindset starts with being open-minded and recognising that everyone brings different skills, perspectives, and experiences to the team. Viewing collaboration as an opportunity rather than an obligation encourages people to share knowledge freely and learn from one another. When teams value learning, trust, and mutual support, giving becomes a natural part of how we work together and ultimately helps everyone grow and improve.

Seasoned Marketing Communications leader, Sandrine brings over 30 years of international experience in the memory industry. She began her career at Toshiba Electronics Europe GmbH, progressing through a wide range of roles spanning B2B and B2C marketing, sales development, and project management.

In 2018, she was promoted to Head of Marketing Communications at Toshiba Memory Europe GmbH (now KIOXIA Europe GmbH) where she led the successful launch of the new KIOXIA brand across the EMEA region. A key highlight of her career is building and mentoring a high-performing team to deliver impactful digital branding strategies, driving brand awareness and supporting business growth throughout EMEA.

Recognised for her strong leadership and ability to manage complex projects and diverse teams with efficiency, Sandrine has played a pivotal role in establishing and strengthening KIOXIA's brand recognition. She currently leads a multicultural team of four and is a passionate advocate of KIOXIA's corporate values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Balancing a career and family is never easy, but equity in the workplace can make it possible for both women and men to grow and succeed together.

Equity is often framed as something women should be grateful for. It is not. Equity is a right. And when women rise, everyone benefits. This is my personal reflection as a Senior Manager and Head of the MarCom Department at KIOXIA Europe, based in Düsseldorf.

Here, in Germany, shared parental leave was designed to encourage both parents to share caregiving responsibilities. In practice, however, when my children were very young and required much more care, this support was not readily available. I would have greatly benefited from the option to work from home with greater flexibility, or to temporarily reduce my hours while maintaining my role and responsibilities. That balance would have made managing both my career and my family significantly easier.

At the time, my husband wanted to take paternity leave to truly share the caregiving load. However, the prevailing mindset then was still quite conservative, and doing so would likely have had a negative impact on his career progression. As a result, most of the caregiving responsibilities fell on me, making professional growth more challenging.

This remained an ongoing struggle. Yet, thanks to the strong support of my family and both female and male managers who believed in me, I was able to continue developing myself and take on greater responsibilities. Their trust and flexibility enabled me to grow into a senior line role as MarCom Manager while balancing my family commitments.

Today, the landscape is improving. As a progressive company, KIOXIA offers home-office options and supports flexible working and parental rights. Still, true equity remains a work in progress. Policies can evolve quickly; cultural change takes time. Equity must be recognised as a right, not a benefit. I encourage all women to trust in their capabilities and talents, to challenge barriers, and to believe they belong in leadership and decision-making roles. At the same time, organisations have a responsibility to create an inclusive environment where everybody can thrive. When equity is actively supported, diversity becomes strength, inclusion becomes action, and success is shared across the organisation.

Louise Krüsell works in a hybrid role as Office Administration Manager for the Nordics and as a Marcom Specialist across Europe at KIOXIA Europe GmbH. Her varied work spans from ensuring that corporate taxes are reported and paid to web management and the coordination of exhibitions and events.

Throughout her career, she has primarily worked in global technology companies, gaining broad experience across functions and organisational levels. She has worked in various roles, including marketing and communications, sales coordination, office administration, finance, and management support.

She has studied Swedish with a didactic focus, as well as Intellectual History, History of Religion, and Strategic Communication.

As a woman in the corporate world, I have always had mixed feelings when female leadership, female innovation, and female achievements are brought into focus. There is something inherently bittersweet about International Women's Day.

Make no mistake – structural gender-based discrimination must continue to be addressed. We know that women, as a group, are expected to work harder, prove themselves more thoroughly, and often accept lower pay than men. We represent stability, support, and structure, both in our homes and within our organisations. At the same time, we are held to the same performance metrics, expected to deliver the same results, and carry the same responsibility. We bring the same sense of duty, the same competence, the same commitment – and that should be sufficient.

Yet alongside this, women are often expected to take on unpaid, supportive roles shaped by both external expectations and reinforced by our own sense of responsibility. Almost instinctively, we clear away someone else's unwashed coffee cup in the break room. Without thinking twice, we reorganise a colleague's chaotic calendar. When a child falls ill, it is usually us that the preschool calls.

Human beings are remarkably good at living up to expectations. And for women, those expectations can become one of the greatest traps. They contribute to higher rates of burnout-related sick leave. They help explain persistent pay gaps. They shape how women assess their own worth, capacity, and limits.

The challenge of continuing to highlight women's achievements is that it can unintentionally reinforce the narrative that women must repeatedly prove themselves.

I wish competence and performance were allowed to stand on their own. Instead of speaking about female leaders, female pilots, or female football players, we should simply be talking about leaders, pilots, and football players.

Women's achievements should not be framed through gender, neither diminished nor elevated because of it. They should be recognised for what they are, on equal terms.

KIOXIA's corporate values are grounded in diversity, equity, and inclusion. A concrete expression of this commitment is KIOXIA Corporation's ambition to double the number of female managers in FY2025 compared to FY2019 – a goal that reflects a clear intention to build balanced, representative leadership structures.