The difference a sponsor makes for women in tech

Having someone actively investing their personal capital in you is one of the biggest differences sponsorship makes, Commonwealth Bank’s Amilia Wilkinson says.

In technology careers, capability and visibility aren’t always the same thing. You can be delivering, solving and leading, but still not be front of mind when more challenging roles and opportunities come up.

For women working in technology, the challenges are compounded by ongoing under-representation in the industry. Sponsorship is one way to close that gap, actively positioning high performers for the next step.

Capability is not always visibility

Elle Griffin sits close to senior decision-making in CommBank’s technology operation as Chief of Staff in the Office of the CIO.

When it comes to career progression, she says, the gap is not talent, but whether the right people can see that talent at the right time.

‘She spent a lot of her capital asking people to invest their time in me’ - Amilia Wilkinson

She says mentoring and sponsorship fulfil separate roles. “They’re quite different, I think,” she says, saying sponsorship is practical support that shows up when opportunities are circulating, not just advice after the fact.

Like Wilkinson, Griffin was in the first cohort of Commonwealth Bank’s EmpowerHer sponsorship program. She was paired with, Executive General Manager, HR Business Partner for Technology Jane Adams. They meet monthly and Griffin says she brings the live challenges of the job to the meetings, as well as the bigger question that sits behind them: what does the next level of responsibility actually require?

“She also helps me with a much longer-term view of ‘Where am I going? What skills do I need?,” she says.

“As a sponsor, she’s helped me to position myself, doing things like making suggestions to others when opportunities that I might be a good fit for come up, or giving me opportunities to speak at leadership team meetings.”

Visibility and acceleration

Wilkinson also says a lot of the value in sponsorship is in visibility. “It does take time to build up your network and your profile in a place like CBA,” she says.

A Crew Tech Lead in institutional banking, Wilkinson says she went into the EmpowerHer program expecting something closer to mentoring, with a focus on advice and reflection. Instead, she says, it felt like acceleration.

Her sponsor, Distinguished Engineer Beibei Guo, “spent a lot of her capital asking people to invest their time in me,” Wilkinson says.

Guo says the relationship had an unusual beginning. “In our first meeting, her first question was, ‘Do you know how we got paired? I'm based in Melbourne. You are in Sydney. I'm aiming for a GM role and you are an individual contributor. How will that work?”

But she says what could have been a disconnect actually became a strength as they worked through it together. “The willingness to get out of our comfort zones is a mutually rewarding experience for both of us,” she says.

Expanding your network

Launched in mid-2025, CommBank’s EmpowerHer is designed to reduce the time it takes for high-performing women in tech to be seen, connected, and backed for bigger opportunities.

“We know capability exists, but visibility can be the missing piece,” says Griffin’s sponsor Jane Adams. “Programs like EmpowerHer help close that gap by connecting high-performing women with advocates who can accelerate their careers and ensure their potential is seen in the right rooms.”

For Griffin, the cohort itself also is a major part of the program’s success, providing opportunities for women to meet and network outside their day-to-day work.

“I wouldn’t necessarily have connected with these women because they’re not in my immediate stakeholder group for my role,” she says. But that network, she adds, becomes more important the more senior you get.

And Wilkinson says the relationships can last beyond the formal structure. Even after the formal part of their sponsorship relationship has ended, she and Guo still catch up.

Why it’s still necessary in 2026

Griffin describes a moment very familiar for women who work in tech. “You realise it straight away”, she says. “I’m the only woman in this room.”

When there are fewer examples in leadership, “it’s hard to see yourself there,” she says. “So I think that really targeted support is required to make sure that leadership pipeline is coming through.”

Asked why a targeted accelerator for women still matters, Wilkinson says “we don't debate anymore if we need diversity, but we haven't really cracked the nut in terms of how we get there”.

For women in tech, this kind of support can make a significant difference in their career journeys.