For women in male-dominated industries like tech, feeling like you belong and have permission to take up space doesn’t always come naturally. That’s why Hayley Crimmins, Ingenuity Partners’s chief operating officer and winner of B&T’s 2025 Women Leading Tech Awards Delivery category, has worked hard to ensure that women at Ingenuity feel supported and understood.
Winning B&T‘s Women Leading Tech Awards was an important moment for Crimmins. “To be recognised like that felt incredibly special, not just personally, but as a reflection of the work we do as a team,” she said.
“Awards like this matter because they help us recognise each other and lift each other up. The more we celebrate women doing great work in delivery and tech, the more we normalise women leading in these spaces,” she added.
Enter the 2026 Women Leading Tech Awards, Presented by Atlassian, now!
From early moments to finding a place in tech
“I’ve always been drawn to technology. Even from a young age, I loved understanding how things worked and what tech could make possible. In high school, there were only six girls doing IT in Years 11 and 12, and we had an amazing teacher who had real-life industry experience. She didn’t just teach the curriculum, she made it feel practical and exciting, and she really inspired me to see myself in that space,” Crimmins said.
“I’m someone who loves working with people, so my first role was an IT graduate business analyst role. It ended up being the perfect blend of tech and people. From there, I’ve taken on a range of different roles, tried different things, and always said yes to learning opportunities. I’ve found that being open, asking questions, and not being afraid to ask for help has shaped my career more than any single “perfect plan,'” she added.
To contribute to a more equitable future for women, Crimmins argues that the tech and advertising industry needs opportunities and flexibility. “Women need clear opportunities to grow into leadership and specialist roles, but they also need career structures that acknowledge the realities of life stages like motherhood,” she said.
That means flexibility isn’t treated as a perk; it’s treated as normal. Crimmins argues that support for women returning to work after parental leave needs to be stronger and more intentional, with genuine mentorship, clear pathways, and leaders who actively advocate for them, she told B&T. “If we get that right, we keep talented women in the industry long-term,” she said.
Reflecting on what allows women to feel like they belong in tech, Crimmins feels that it comes down to a combination of trust, support, and being able to show up as your full self. Women need to feel safe to ask questions, raise concerns, or say they’re struggling without fear it will negatively impact how they’re viewed.
“A lot of women tend to be heads-down and juggle everything; career, family, expectations, often doing this quietly. When there’s real support and trust from peers, both women and men, it makes a huge difference. It creates an environment where women don’t just “cope,” they thrive,” she added.
Enter the 2026 Women Leading Tech Awards, Presented by Atlassian, now!
How Ingenuity Partners fosters belonging
At Ingenuity, fostering diversity and belonging is part of the company’s fabric–it’s part and parcel of its approach to work and growth.
“We’ve gone from three women at Ingenuity to 24, and that growth didn’t happen by accident–it came from deliberately building a culture where women can succeed and stay,” Crimmins said.
Crimmins noticed a theme when several women were returning from maternity leave. The juggle and adjustment with work and kids takes navigating, and a few women were going through it at the same time. So, Crimmins created the Ladies@Ingenuity group, a space for women to support each other, share stories honestly, and give each other practical tips for the work-and-family juggle.
“It also become a place for mentoring, career development, and continuous learning. We’re all on this journey together, and we wanted to make sure every woman in the team feels like she has people around her who genuinely understand and back her,” she said.
Through that initiative, Crimmins realised how powerful it is for people to share what they are going through, and what they’ve learned along the way.
“It’s also about giving back —none of us get where we are without help, and I think it’s a responsibility and a privilege to turn around and support other women coming through. Mentoring has been one of the most important parts of my career, both being mentored and mentoring others. It keeps you grounded, connected, and growing,” she said.
Paving the way for fresh talent
Crimmins advice for up-and-coming young women in our industry? “You can do anything you put your mind to. Truly”.
“Be bold, ask questions, try new things, and don’t wait until you feel ‘100 per cent ready’ to go for opportunities, you learn by doing. Back yourself, and also back each other. The more women support women, the stronger the whole industry becomes,” she added.
Something she’s learned is that careers aren’t linear, and they don’t need to be. Some of the best opportunities in her journey came from giving something a go before she had it all figured out.
“I also think it’s important to say you don’t have to fit a template to belong in tech. Different strengths, different styles, different life paths, that diversity is what makes teams better and outcomes stronger. At the end of the day, I’m driven by two things, using technology to make a real difference, and doing it with people I enjoy working with. If you keep holding onto what excites you and stay open to learning, you’ll keep finding your way forward,” she added.
