Electronic Specifier has announced that Jackie Mattox, Founder and CEO of WE United, will deliver a ‘State of the Union’ keynote to open its Women in Tech Forum at electronica 2026. The forum takes place on the morning of 11th November at the Future Tech Stage in Hall C6, as the global electronics industry gathers in Munich for electronica from 10-13th November.
State of the Union: where does the industry really stand?
Mattox takes the stage at 9:30am CET to share findings from WE United’s inaugural Lead Forward Report. The report examines six interconnected areas influencing leadership progression across the technology sector – representation, compensation, workforce participation, corporate initiatives, access to capital, and policy – giving attendees a benchmark for where the electronics industry actually stands, not just where it says it stands.
Among its findings, women represent just 26.7% of the global technology workforce, and 45% of those who leave tech cite cultural reasons for doing so – underlining the continued need to strengthen leadership pipelines and expand opportunities across the industry.
Jackie Mattox, Founder and CEO of WE United, comments: “electronica convenes people and organisations shaping the future of our industry, which makes it an important place to discuss relevant leadership topics and strengthen the workforce ahead. Our Lead Forward Report reinforces that advancing women and building balanced leadership pipelines requires a collective industry effort. I look forward to sharing these insights and exploring how we can move the conversation into meaningful action across the global electronics ecosystem.”
Mattox founded WE United in 2017 and has grown it from a grassroots initiative into an international platform for leadership development, mentorship, and industry collaboration. Its work brings together executives and emerging leaders from manufacturers, distributors, contract manufacturers, and technology companies. Drawing on a background in communication and a career in electronics sales and distribution management, Mattox speaks internationally on leadership, organisational culture, workforce development, and the human impact of technological change. She also hosts the Voices of Innovation podcast, interviewing executives and experts on the evolving workforce, career navigation, and the future of technology.
Panel: unpacking progress
At 10:30am, Electronic Specifier Managing Editor Paige Hookway will moderate the Women in Tech panel, joined by:
- Andrea Klein, Founder and CEO, Rand Technology
- Thomas Dudenhoeffer, SVP Human Resources, TTI Europe
- Carolina Tejle Hartmann, Germany and India Controller, Texas Instruments
The discussion will take an honest look at where the representation gap persists, which KPIs make a real difference, and what accountability looks like when commitments are backed by action rather than good intentions. Panellists will also share practical approaches to building high-performing, balanced teams.
Paige Hookway, Managing Editor, Electronic Specifier, comments: “Having Jackie open the forum with hard data sets exactly the right tone for the morning. The Lead Forward Report gives us an honest baseline, and the panel and quickfire sessions that follow are about what companies can actually do with it – the measures, the accountability, and the everyday decisions that build balanced teams. We want everyone to leave with something they can act on.”
Quickfire lessons from the top
From 11:30am, industry leaders will deliver short, practical sessions:
- Dan Deisz, VP, Design Technology, Rochester Electronics, will share his perspective on semiconductor chip design and why he has built a gender-balanced team
- Kristina Hodgson, Director of Digital Marketing & Communications, Littelfuse, will argue that technology doesn’t start and end in the lab – and neither should representation – making the case for inclusion across the whole value chain, not only in technical roles
Networking
The forum closes with a dedicated networking session at 12:00pm, giving attendees the chance to follow up with speakers, panellists, and peers face to face.
Register below for the Women in Tech forum:
The Women in Tech Forum is sponsored by:
Rochester Electronics
Rochester Electronics is the world’s largest continuous source of semiconductors – 100% Authorised by over 70 leading semiconductor manufacturers.
As an original manufacturer stocking distributor, Rochester has over 15 billion devices in stock, encompassing more than 200,000 part numbers, providing the world’s most extensive range of end-of-life (EOL) semiconductors and the broadest range of active semiconductors. As a licensed semiconductor manufacturer, Rochester has manufactured over 20,000 device types. With over 12 billion die in stock, Rochester has the capability to manufacture over 100,000 device types.
Rochester offers a full range of manufacturing services, including Design, Wafer Processing, Assembly, Test, Reliability, and IP Archiving, providing single solutions through to full turnkey manufacturing, enabling faster time-to-market.
Rochester is the Semiconductor Lifecycle Solution. No other company compares to the breadth of Rochester’s product selection, value-added services, and manufacturing solutions.
With direct sales and support staff in all major markets, Rochester aims to meet customer needs over the phone or via its e-commerce platforms anytime, anywhere.
For more information, visit: www.rocelec.com
Rand Technology
Rand Technology is a global independent distributor and supply chain solutions provider specialising in board-level electronic components. With more than 30 years of industry experience, Rand partners with OEMs, EMS providers, and other leading technology companies to secure critical components, resolve shortages, reduce costs, manage excess inventory, and support products from new product introduction through end of life.
Rand combines global market intelligence, engineering expertise, in-house quality control hubs, and advanced inspection and testing capabilities to deliver secure, flexible, and reliable supply solutions. Its Rand Certified quality program, supported by AS6081 and AS9120 certifications, helps customers mitigate risk, protect production continuity, and purchase with confidence.
Through strategic sourcing, cost reduction, inventory management, engineering support, global logistics, and asset recovery services, Rand helps customers optimise their supply chains and operate successfully through changing market conditions.
Rand’s mission is to unlock the flow of technology in the world by solving supply chain challenges when it matters most.
For more information, visit: https://randtech.com/
Analog Devices, Inc.
Analog Devices, Inc. is a global semiconductor leader that bridges the physical and digital worlds to enable breakthroughs at the Intelligent Edge.
ADI combines analog, digital, AI, and software technologies into solutions that combat climate change, reliably connect humans and the world, and help drive advancements in automation and robotics, mobility, healthcare, energy and data centres. With revenue of more than $11 billion in FY25, ADI ensures today’s innovators stay Ahead of What’s Possible.
For more information, visit: https://www.analog.com/
Littelfuse
Littelfuse is a diversified industrial technology manufacturing company shaping solutions for the safe and efficient transfer of electrical energy.
Across more than 20 countries, and with approximately 16,000 global associates, we partner with customers to design and deliver innovative, reliable solutions. Serving more than 100,000 end customers, our products are found in various industrial, transportation, and electronics end markets – everywhere, every day.
Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, United States, Littelfuse has been driving innovation and technology and building communities for a 100 years.
For more information, visit: https://www.littelfuse.com/
