Yukako Tanaka is an expert in flash memory process integration, currently working at Kioxia's Yokkaichi plant in Japan. Together with her team, she has implemented AI technologies in the early stages to enhance the production quality of flash memory. Notably, Yukako has achieved remarkable accomplishments by winning the Best Paper Awards at the International Semiconductor Manufacturing conferences in 2019, 2020, and 2021. She lives in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture with her husband, three children, and a cute cat.

Tell us a little bit about what you do at KIOXIA?
My main responsibilities include analyzing data to enhance product quality and actively exploring the latest AI technologies alongside my team. In particular, my team focuses on sophisticated data to improve our infrastructure.

Tell us about your career journey and one of the accomplishments you are most proud of from your time at KIOXIA? 

During my initial years at KIOXIA, I had the opportunity to engage in diverse work roles, such as design, product engineering, and process management. However, it was in my eighth year with the company that I experienced a significant turning point. It was during this time that I developed a yield improvement mechanism and successfully convinced others to adopt it into their workflow.

How do you balance your work life with your family life?
I prioritize scheduling my family's tasks first. With that consideration in mind, I develop strategies and plans to meet the required deadlines for my work tasks.

What motivated you to step up and become a leader in the organization?
I believe in the effectiveness of language. As a leader, I believe it is our responsibility to articulate the unseen world through words. For engineers, new discoveries and aspirations for the future serve as motivation. I aim to verbalize how the application of new technologies, such as AI, can make the work of engineers increasingly fascinating and inspire their minds. This desire today serves as my motivation.

Do you feel confident enough to raise your opinions at work?
Certainly. The people at my workplace respect my status as a woman and listen to my opinion.

Andrea Junker has almost 40 years of experience in the international IT sector.

Starting her career in computer science and IT in the late 1980s, Andrea worked in several national and international companies as an IT developer, specialist and project manager. In addition, she is highly experienced in project management and trained in Six Sigma (Master Black Belt) and ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library).

In 1997, Andrea joined Toshiba Electronics Europe as an external contractor and secured a permanent position as Senior IT Specialist two years later. She moved from Toshiba Electronics to Toshiba Memory, which became KIOXIA Europe GmbH in 2018.  Andrea has gained a lot of experience and skills in the supervision, motivation and management of various IT teams as a team leader.

Today, she is responsible for managing all IT at KIOXIA Europe GmbH and its other European offices, including IT infrastructure, architecture, and applications.

In addition, she is the acting Information Security Officer, which includes supervising the security of data and systems with the highest possible availability and alerting all employees to the daily dangers of cybercrime.

Tell us about your career journey and one of the accomplishments you are most proud of from your time at KIOXIA?
I became the Senior Manager and Head of Business Solutions & IT Application at KIOXIA Europe GmbH in 2018. At the same time, I took on the additional role of Information Security Officer.

I am very proud that, together with my great team, I have succeeded in managing the considerable challenge of building a complete and independent IT infrastructure and architecture within a very short time after the new foundation of the company.

What do you think is the biggest issue women in the workplace face today?
The engineering and science and technology sectors, like IT, for example, are still predominantly male. Unfortunately, women often face prejudices and limited career opportunities. Although this has often been publicised and discussed, women still earn less than men for the same or similar work, even when factors such as experience and education are accounted for.

The bar is set very high for women, they have to prove themselves more often and to a much greater extent than their male counterparts.

How do you balance your work life with your family life?
I don't think it is easy to achieve a perfect balance.

For me, this is more a matter of prioritisation, coupled with also having the flexibility to change priorities depending on the urgency in my professional or private life and communicating this accordingly in both areas.

It is important to me that this flexibility to change priorities is not taken for granted, especially at work. For me, balance is not about perfection, but about creating a certain harmony that is in line with my wishes and responsibilities.

What motivated you to step up and become a leader in the organisation?
I was very happy to accept the challenge of taking on a management position at KIOXIA and contributing all my experience to the company and especially to my team.

In my many years of professional experience, I have repeatedly experienced situations in which I thought: "If you had been responsible for this, you would have done it differently or better". My motivation today is putting this into practice, developing further and remaining open to new ideas. I currently manage a team that consists of eight male employees. None of them gives the slightest impression that they have a problem with having a woman boss, which motivates me and gives me hope that this will no longer be viewed as exceptional in the future.

Do you feel confident enough to raise your opinions at work?
Yes, I feel confident raising my opinion at work, especially when I believe that my point of view or idea can contribute to a better result or decision.

It’s important for me that I always endeavour to express my opinion with respect, reinforced by well-thought-out reasoning.

What advice would you give your 20-year-old self?
I would advise my 20-year-old self to trust in your abilities and articulate your opinions with respect. Seek out individuals who inspire and encourage you, but also present you with challenges. Have the courage to request guidance or support should you find yourself at an impasse. Remain authentic and faithful to your values, as these are the attributes that define you and underscore your strengths.

Li-Fan Bartsch has been a Product Manager at KIOXIA Europe GmbH since 2018. Her main role is making sure that KIOXIA products are positioned correctly in the company’s customer product portfolios.

She regularly provides guidance to the sales team and ensures the competitiveness of KIOXIA’s products in the European market. Identifying problems and providing solutions promptly is also part of her daily job.

Li-Fan was born and raised in Taiwan. She studied Business Administration (BA) in the US and the UK before moving to Germany.

A growing interest in the IT industry led to her completing a Master's degree in E-Business and Innovation, combining both Computer Science and Business. Today, this education allows Li-Fan to think like an engineer while maintaining the creativity and flexibility needed for sales. This is especially useful in enabling her to bridge the communication gap between the engineering and sales teams effectively.

What do you think is the biggest issue women in the workplace face today?
Women tend to be shyer about voicing opinions, especially in industries where the workforce is predominantly male. We should recognize that working in a male-dominated environment is already a big achievement. Women now need to build their confidence and express their own opinions.

How do you balance your work life with your family life?
I prioritise all incoming work and make sure that those tasks that have a higher urgency are completed first. I found that identifying the deadlines in advance ensures each one of the tasks can be finished on time without putting unnecessary pressure on myself. It is not always possible to prevent working overtime but luckily, I have a husband who fully supports my career and always gives me time and space to achieve my goals at KIOXIA. I also ensure I spend time on sports and for my family in the evenings and on weekends.

Do you feel confident enough to raise your opinions at work?  
Absolutely! I prepare myself well in advance, so I understand the topics and the goal of the discussion. Of course, I was not born with the confidence to speak up. Training myself not to be shy and to be prepared gradually enabled me to express my opinion naturally. Today, I have no problem raising my opinion when I see the necessity.

I am Lucy Gao, taking care of KICN HR function as local Director.

I’ve been working for KIOXIA/Toshiba for around 26 years and feel so lucky to grow together with the company during years where there has been rapid development in China.

What motivated you to set up and become a leader in the organization? Our company provides a supportive and inclusive environment for all employees, including women. Rooted in a respectable Japanese culture, we prioritize fairness, employee well-being, and mutual respect among all team members. This empowering atmosphere fosters women's growth, which in turn also contributes to the company's success.

Tell us about your career journey and one of the accomplishments you are most proud of from your time at KIOXIA?
My journey at our company has been both pleasant and rewarding, thanks to the support of many kind colleagues who have helped me along the way.

How do you balance your work life with your family life? 
For women, work and family life are deeply connected. I believe that building confidence through my efforts at work not only enhances my career but also enriches my personal life. This balance helps me grow and become a better person.