21st April 2026

Callie Cromer, director at Women in Tech, challenges the ‘confidence gap’ at Tech Show London

In a powerful stand for systemic change, Callie Cromer, Director at Women in Tech, took to the stage at Tech Show London to address the persistent barriers facing women in the industry. Participating in the high-profile panel, “Beyond the Glass Ceiling: Women Building the Future of Tech”, Cromer didn’t mince words regarding the industry’s habit of sidelining women’s professional expertise in favour of domestic stereotypes.

Pay us, don’t pathologise us

A central theme of the discussion, echoed in recent industry commentary, is the collective frustration with “soft” questioning. Callie Cromer and her fellow panellists highlighted a recurring issue: while men in tech are asked about systems architecture, scaling, and ROI, women are frequently redirected towards topics of childcare, work-life balance, and the so-called “confidence gap”.

Callie challenged this narrative directly, pointing out that the gender pay gap remains a significant operational failure that cannot be solved by “confidence coaching” or symbolic inclusion.

“The gender pay gap still exists, massively,” Callie stated, cautioning against diversity efforts that lack operational follow-through.

System design over individual adaptation

The panel, featuring leaders from Trainline, Starling Bank, and Next Tech Girls, shifted the focus from individual “grit” to systemic accountability. The consensus was clear: the industry must stop asking women to adapt to biased structures and start evolving the structures themselves.

Key takeaways from the session included:

The confidence myth: Panellists argued that the lack of progression for women isn’t a “confidence gap” but a system design flaw.
Visibility vs. value: The group discussed how “good architecture” often becomes invisible when it works perfectly, yet visibility remains the primary metric for promotion—frequently to the detriment of women delivering quiet excellence.
Operational inclusion: Cromer emphasised that inclusion must be an operational practice, not just a HR initiative. If it isn’t reflected in the payroll and the C-suite, it isn’t real.

Leadership as a systemic switch

The discussion at Tech Show London served as a stark reminder that leadership in tech is shifting. For Callie Cromer and the Women in Tech community, the message is clear: the industry needs to stop treating women as a “special interest group” and start treating them as the architectural leaders and engineers they are.

If we want to build the future of UK tech, we must stop asking women about babies and start rewarding them for their brilliance.