'The channel can drive real innovation in society, and diversity will help us' - Symantec boss Obang-Oyway

As CRN continues to champion diversity in our industry, one Women in Channel judge shares his insights around race and representation

US entrepreneur dynamo Malcolm Forbes used to remark that "diversity is the art of thinking independently together".

For one of CRN's Women in Channel judges, there is an additional proviso: that bringing together a variety of independent thinking extends far beyond gender and into other areas, including race, religion and sexuality.

Symantec's channel director of Northern Europe Apay Obang-Oyway is calling for other leading voices within the channel to recognise that measuring progress on whether there are fairer and more open opportunities for all within the sector is more than just counting the number of women in leadership roles.

"We need to ask, ‘what would it mean to our industry if we're not able to encourage a more diverse workforce to our industry?' he said.

"I think we'd find that ultimately, the products and services that we offer would start to struggle because they won't necessarily represent the customer base we're trying to reach.

"And this will become more important. We're now more than ever moving into a true services environment, so connecting with customers will become more vital. Part of developing that connection has to be based on understanding who they are, what their core values and beliefs are, as well as what they're looking for."

So what is the current state of play?

Being self-reflective, let's look at CRN's A-List 2019.

Of 139 tech leaders, 30 are women, five are of an Asian background, and just one is of an Afro-Caribbean background; Obang-Oyway himself.

Obang-Oyway emphasised that employees have a duty of care towards employees. For him, there is a responsibility to bring in a more diverse pipeline of new blood into organisations.

More than that, he added that tech leaders could use the increased focus on diversity to innovate as a business.

"We should ask ‘what can the channel do better with diversity?' I'm not one to preach around this because I think everyone needs to first figure out what diversity means to them as an individual, as well as an organisation.

"Secondly, horses for courses. My guiding principle has always been to focus on merit.

"Perhaps offering equal opportunity to employees will be achieved if we broaden the search in recruitment, and perhaps the way we recruit as an industry."

For some, one of the key nuances of this issue that can make people uncomfortable is the matter of positive discrimination.

"I don't ever want to be in a role just because of my background," Obang-Oyway said.

"I think that can be counter-productive."

In the end, for Obang-Oyway, the hope is that by continuing to have a public conversation around diversity, incoming employees to the UK tech sector will see it as a place to grow and thrive regardless of their background.

"The pace of change in the channel is extraordinary," he said.

"We are at a point where we can drive real innovation in society and diversity will help us with this."