Ayesha Khanna

Founder, Amplify

Remember the “glass ceiling” that prevented women from reaching top levels of leadership? It’s the relatively recent “broken rung” phenomenon that’s the issue these days – when women encounter disproportionate difficulty securing their first promotion into management roles. This is a major barrier to achieving gender diversity in leadership roles and advancing women in the workplace, particularly in traditionally male-dominated industries like tech and AI.

Tech entrepreneur Dr Ayesha Khanna had already been inspiring thousands of young girls to explore coding and AI through her previous initiative, 21st Century Girls. Reflecting on her own career in the industry, Ayesha knew it was time to alter her focus.

“I realised that many women faced obstacles in mid-career due to cultural biases, the rapidly evolving tech landscape, and a lack of accessible, focused skill development opportunities,” she shares. “As a result, companies miss out on valuable talent and diverse perspectives in their leadership teams,”

Determined to address this issue, Ayesha launched Amplify, a new initiative to empower mid-career women. “Amplify’s mission is to provide AI and tech-specific education and mentorship, helping women reskill, upskill and build the confidence needed to navigate career transitions or advancements,” she says. Programmes are designed to prioritise flexibility, relevance and community, recognising that professional development is not just about acquiring skills but also about gaining confidence, expanding networks and feeling supported on the journey to success.

Amplify aims to be a destination for mid-career women eager to grow their expertise in tech and AI. Through the platform, Ayesha is dismantling barriers and creating pathways for women to ascend to leadership roles. To be sure, AI will disrupt many professions. To succeed professionally is to know how to leverage it as a tool.