Picture a little girl, eyes wide and heart pounding, as her grandmother recounts tales of survival from Auschwitz. Her chilling stories about the deafening silence of bystanders during the Holocaust landed hard. She made it abundantly clear: inaction in the face of injustice makes you complicit.

Those stories weren’t just tales; they were a moral blueprint, a heavy inheritance that shaped my life’s mission. My grandmother’s words, etched into my soul, taught me that silence isn’t golden; it’s lethal. It’s a lesson I’ve carried into every boardroom, every project, and every team I’ve ever led. I made a vow to never stay silent and to be a voice for those pushed aside.

But it wasn’t always easy.

In the early years of my tech career, I found myself in South Korea, leading a team of engineers. The customers we were visiting wouldn’t make eye contact with me. They spoke only to the men on my team—men who reported to me. “Would you mind getting the coffee?” they would ask. Regardless of title, I felt invisible. Every meeting became a battle for legitimacy, for a seat at the table that was never offered but had to be earned.

But my grandmother’s voice echoed in my mind.  So, I persisted. I spoke up and asserted my authority, no matter how exhausting or humiliating. I often felt like an outsider, yet I worked doggedly to prove my merit and earn respect. With perseverance and grit, I slowly cemented my place at the table, even in the most male-dominated rooms.

Yet, for all my outspokenness, I harbored a secret—I was gay. The fear of jeopardizing my hard-earned career kept me in the closet for over a decade. It wasn’t until I faced the prospect of parenthood that I grasped the sheer hypocrisy of my situation. How could I teach my children to be authentic and live freely if I wasn’t? With a shaky hand and a pounding heart, I came out. And just like that, the walls I’d built around myself crumbled, paving the way for a more authentic, more successful, and more fulfilling life.

And the strangest thing happened: my career didn’t collapse; it soared. My relationships deepened, my leadership matured, and the authenticity I brought to my role became a catalyst for change within the corporate culture.

Today, I use my platform to tear down the barriers that once stood in my way. From Qualcomm to Philips to Microsoft, I’ve hustled my way through the tech labyrinth, battling systemic biases, shattering glass ceilings, and jumping over glass cliffs.  Now, I’m using my influence to break through the same systemic barriers that have long obstructed women and minorities in tech.

I strive to foster safe spaces for people to bring their full selves to work. I’m on a mission to break down barriers so the next generation of diverse leaders can ascend unimpeded. Because if my story can embolden even one person to bring their whole self to their role, to speak up, and to lead authentically, then I’ve done my job.  And, in doing so, I hope I’m making my grandmother proud.

Liat Ben-Zur - Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Corporation

I am a force multiplier, seasoned Board Member, Fortune 50 executive, CEO coach and AI advisor. My superpower is being a transformational change agent for global businesses. What I bring to boards: AI Pioneer: I led the world’s first commercial GPT-4 product launch with Microsoft’s AI-powered Bing. I now advise CEOs and startups on their AI, IoT and data strategy. Public Board experience & CxO Leadership: 27 years operator and exec experience at Microsoft, Royal Philips, Qualcomm, with full e2e P&L ownership of $14B businesses. Public board service at Umicore ($10B+ global battery materials, automotive electrification company based in Belgium). Financial Acumen: Transformed Microsoft's declining Consumer Services business into a $14B market disruptor with double-digit growth in under four years, instilling new financial and operational discipline. Digital Transformation and IoT Expertise: Led Philip's Digital Transformation for their connected personal health strategy. Launched 31+ connected devices across all of Philips business units. Led Qualcomm’s IoT software strategy, and launched Qualcomm’s first open-source project, AllJoyn, which later evolved into the largest global IoT alliance, AllSeen Alliance. DEI Advocate: As a prominent LGBTQIA woman in Fortune 50 spaces, I push for true inclusivity. Global Leadership: Leadership roles across the US, Europe, and India, offering a global viewpoint. Broad experience leading engineering, product, strategy, M&A, PLG, and marketing, with a unique blend of B2B and B2C expertise. I bring a nuanced, global viewpoint to any boardroom or strategy session. I've been recognized as a - "Rising Star of Wireless" by Fierce Wireless, - One of "4 Women Making Waves in the World of IoT" by Silicon Republic - "The Female Mentors Making a Difference in Silicon Valley" by Mashable, - "One of the Fifty Most Inspirational Women in Technology" by Inspiring 50 Netherlands. Through my advisory work supporting startups from pre-seed to late stage, I have been able to stay steeped in both the enterprise and startup worlds.