"They think I'm the secretary, not the CEO": The women trying to break the glass ceiling in cybersecurity
An article in 'Calcalist' examines the challenges faced by women in the Israeli cybersecurity industry, based on comments from Assaf Rappaport of WIZ. Two senior executives, Shahar Bahat and Inbal Argov, describe stereotypes, difficulties in fundraising, and underrepresentation in management roles, alongside a slow trend of improvement.
An article in 'Calcalist' examines the challenges faced by women in the Israeli cybersecurity industry, drawing on comments from Assaf Rappaport, co-founder of WIZ, who said, "It's not easy being gay in the cybersecurity world, but it's harder to be a woman." The article interviews two women in key roles: Shahar Bahat, CEO and founder of Pluto Security, and Inbal Argov, VP Product Strategy at Mate. Bahat describes persistent stereotypes, such as the assumption that she is the secretary and not the CEO, and questions about pregnancy plans during fundraising. Argov highlights the difficulty of being "the only woman in the room" and notes that women tend to ask for fewer salary raises and promotions. The article presents data from the Israel Innovation Authority: women make up 26.3% of non-management employees in private cybersecurity companies, but only 15.5% of senior managers and 5.1% of CEOs. Both interviewees see a trend of improvement but emphasize that change must start in education and the military.