Profile

Read Elia's inspiring story below!

Expertise
What is your role, job title, and field of expertise?

My name is Elia Kouzari, and I am the Senior Manager/Management Consulting at KPMG Limited. I am working on Process Mining, Business Process Analysis, Project Management

Inspiration
What sparked your interest in this technology field and what path led you here?

I always knew that I wanted to solve problems. I clearly remember my school teachers describing a situation, and me instinctively drawing circles, boxes, and arrows to create a flow diagram for the solution. Since then, everything else fell into place. I studied Computer Science with a focus on Information Systems and discovered very early on that processes were the area that put me in my zen mode.

Career Growth
What skills and strategies have helped you succeed in tech?

My curiosity and analytical skills have definitely led the way in this field. On top of that, I discovered that the key is to remain up to date with the latest technological evolutions. Technology evolves at an incredible pace, and staying relevant requires continuous commitment to reading, studying, exploring new trends, and finding ways to incorporate them into day-to-day work life.

Memorable Achievements
Share a project or moment that reflects the impact of your work.

I’ve had the opportunity to work on numerous interesting projects in both the public and private sectors. It’s hard to choose just one, but if I must, I would select a public sector project where I was involved from the requirements definition phase, through the vendor selection process, and now, I’m closely monitoring its implementation. This project is digitally transforming a major public sector area and will forever change the way people are served and how employees carry out their work. It has been an honor to be part of this project in all its phases since 2019, and I am truly looking forward to seeing the final outcome.

Challenges
How do you stay ahead in a competitive field, and what obstacles have you overcome?

It’s definitely not always easy to keep everything under control. What I love about this path is that no day is the same. Of course, there are daily routines to manage (emails, scheduled calls, deliverables), but almost every day brings a surprise to tackle — a new project opportunity, a client request, or a deliverable that needs revisiting. Over the years, I’ve worked on mastering the art of remaining calm in such situations. While a healthy level of stress can be motivating, panic is the worst enemy and can cloud judgment. When a crisis arises, I take a deep breath, break it down into actionable steps, and then decide on the next moves. Another key factor is teamwork. I am blessed to be working with an amazing team, and the collaboration and trust we have built make it much easier to overcome daily obstacles together.

Work-Life Balance
How do you manage the demands of career and personal life?

Work-life balance has been essential for me. As a professional who loves her work, I sometimes find it hard to stick to the boundaries I’ve set for myself. The COVID era and remote work made those boundaries even blurrier. I try to embrace the belief that “we work to live, and not live to work,” and that requires a lot of planning — especially when juggling kids’ responsibilities and activities. I’ve found that a slow Sunday morning sets me up for a strong week: I write down both personal and professional responsibilities, set priorities, plan time for family, friends, and self-care, and visualize the week ahead. Of course, not every week goes perfectly, but keeping myself accountable helps me avoid overdoing it and maintain a healthier balance.

Personal motive
What’s your motto?

A favorite personal motto of mine is “thoughts become things.” Over the years, I have seen this validated again and again. But it’s not about wishful thinking — it’s about allowing your thoughts to fuel the drive you need to take action and get results. I don’t believe in luck; I believe in determination and dreams that shape the future. That’s why I wouldn’t want fear or misconceptions to stop anyone — especially young girls and women — from pursuing their dreams. ICT should not be a male-dominated field. It’s a field that requires passion, curiosity, and the belief that anyone can contribute to solving tomorrow’s problems. With the rise of AI and other emerging technologies, the younger generation must remain educated, engaged, and integral to building solutions grounded in solid foundations and ethical choices.

Future
How do you envision the future of technology and what role can gender diversity and inclusion play?

I envision a future where technology becomes even more seamlessly integrated into our everyday lives, enabling smarter decision-making, more efficient processes, and entirely new ways of working and living. With the rapid advancement of AI, automation, and data-driven solutions, the opportunities are endless — but so are the responsibilities. The future of technology will demand not only technical expertise but also strong ethical frameworks and diverse perspectives to ensure that innovations are inclusive, fair, and sustainable. This is exactly where gender diversity and inclusion play a vital role. Technology shapes society, and if the people designing, building, and managing these solutions do not represent the diversity of society, then we risk creating tools that work for only a few rather than for everyone. By ensuring that women and underrepresented groups have equal seats at the table, we bring in different viewpoints, lived experiences, and problem-solving approaches — and that ultimately leads to more innovative, balanced, and human-centered technologies. Diversity isn’t just a social responsibility; it’s a driver of excellence and creativity in ICT.