On Tuesday, May 5, we gathered at Antwerp Management School for an inspiring #WomenofCIONET Circle event on “The Female Edge in Digital Transformation.”
Successful transformation is rarely about technology alone. First and foremost, it is about people, culture, and the ability to continuously adapt. This is the main of many powerful insights that emerged from the conversation with our stellar panel:
💥 Graciela Da Costa, VP Transformation & Enterprise Architecture at TVH
💥 Ariane Berckmoes, Chief Digital Transformation Officer at Ethias
💥 Annemie Marien, Business Unit Director ARNO at Acerta & Associate Partner at xplus
Digital transformation is never a straight path. It requires constant adjustment, the ability to navigate unexpected challenges, from organisational shifts to even cyber incidents, and even resilience. True transformation means rethinking the organisation and the foundations of your business as a whole, not just optimising parts of it.
One recurring concern was transformation fatigue. Large-scale programmes can feel endless. Breaking them down into smaller, value-driven steps makes progress tangible and keeps teams engaged. Small wins matter, and they build momentum.
We also explored the human side of transformation. The biggest gap between ambition and readiness does not necessarily come down to reskilling, but rather to changing habits and addressing power dynamics. Without the allocation of true ownership, transformation simply does not stick.
A key signal of success? When the team members themselves become the ambassadors of change.
Respecting the title of the event, we also reflected on the female edge in digital transformation. The success factor of transformation journeys is often linked to empathy, alignment and inclusion. Though these “female” traits are often a real differentiator in practice, any referral to “soft” skills risks undervaluing the role. There was a unanimous consensus that leading transformation is fundamentally about taking risks, making difficult decisions, and driving change despite resistance. Far from being “soft”, the women leading these agendas are actually defined by courage: willing to challenge the status quo, absorb pressure, and stay committed to the outcome even when the path forward is unpopular or uncertain.
A heartfelt thank you to our speakers and participants, as well as to our supporting partners, De Cronos Groep, Deloitte, MuleSoft, Stefanini Group, xplus and The Nine. We are particularly grateful to Antwerp Management School for hosting us and creating the perfect environment for this exchange.
We look forward to continuing our commitment to lead the change together with our remarkable circle of female leaders.
📸 Photos by Shruti Mehta
#WomenOfCIONET #CIONET #CIONETBelgium #FemaleLeadership #DigitalTransformation #WomeninTech #LeadTheChange #TheFemaleEdge
