Podcast explores women's leadership in IT

Muscat: Progress led by technology means following the latest innovations without pausing, but due to the frantic pace one can stop learning from technology’s past. Kaspersky’s Fast Forward audio series examines trends shaping technology from the perspective of the recent past and explores women’s leadership in IT. It features guests from around the world working at the forefront of our newest technologies.

Fast Forward Season 1, which included episodes exploring supermarkets of the future and the new space race, was awarded in 2022 a prestigious Webby Honoree for Best Branded Podcast, and the silver award for Branded Podcast by the Content Marketing Association.

Season 2 is hosted by artist and director Ghislaine Boddington, a world-leading expert in digital identity, virtual presence and immersion experiences. She regularly inputs items and co-presents for BBC World Service.

Ghislaine introduces her perspective on the technologies impacting our lives in each 20-minute episode, and interviews global industry experts and academics. Original music and ‘binaural’ sound design create a hyper-realistic, immersive listening experience. Also on the program is ‘The Safety Zone’ segment, which advises listeners on how to keep themselves and their family secure online, with David Emm, Principal Security Researcher at Kaspersky Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT).

Technologies explored in season 2 include the metaverse, virtual fashion, technology in family life, digital health and augmented humans.

This season particularly focuses on how women are changing perceptions and leading the way in tech. Two episodes explore women and girls in gaming, and career paths for women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math). This focus underlines Kaspersky’s commitment to continue inspiring women to pursue careers in IT, highlighted in its first Sustainability Report released in March.

“I’m delighted to host Fast Forward and encourage our listeners to stop for a moment to consider the history and future possibilities of the technologies around us. It’s been fascinating to interview some of my favorite people around the world working at the forefront of pioneering technologies improving our homes, lives and work for this dream series,” comments Ghislaine Boddington, the series host. “As an equity advocate, I believe it’s vital we encourage debate about women working in the tech industry, and encourage the positive representation of women and girls in the technology we use every day.”