From Finance to IT: How People Fall into IT

Debbie Loke’s path to becoming the Chief Information Officer and Director of Digital at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust was far from traditional. She began her career in finance, working for NatWest Bank and then Anderson Consulting (later Accenture).  She didn’t have A levels or a Degree but her work ethic was good and she was able to demonstrate her ability to develop, undertaking her accountancy examinations at night school.

A pivotal moment in her career came when she was asked to support teachers within Nottingham’s inner city schools with technology, providing equipment and essential learning to improve IT skills.

“I really, really enjoyed the programme of work. It was so rewarding, and I decided at that point that accountancy and finance wasn’t really for me.  This was far more exciting as you could see the transformation that it enabled and the changes in the way teachers were able to work and support their students” Debbie recounts.

Navigating a Male-Dominated Field

As Debbie transitioned into the IT field in the 1990s and early 2000s, she encountered the challenges of navigating a male-dominated industry. “I remember in my early leadership roles, it was very much commonplace that if you were a senior female leader in IT, in a room, people would come in and ask you to make two coffees and a tea, which was laughed off in the main.  Fortunately, I haven’t suffered this for some time, but it really was a sign of the times and one we must never see again.” she recalls.

However, Debbie found a different experience when working with Safaricom in Kenya, where she supported the company with their data warehouse and analytics programmes.  She was met with respect and admiration as a female leader. “They were not only supportive but really valued my experience and skills in the technology space.  Working with them on their data warehouse design was one of the most satisfying projects I have been involved with.”

The Impostor Syndrome Hurdle

Despite her accomplishments, Debbie faced the common challenge of imposter syndrome, particularly when applying for the CIO role. “I definitely got imposter syndrome and I know during my interview process that I crumbled a number of times,” she admits.

Overcoming this obstacle required a mindset shift. “I just had to think if I don’t get it, I don’t. But this is what you will get from me if you take me on in this role,'” Debbie explains.  “We all have days where we are winning, and over delivering on a piece of work or leadership requirement.  Taking that in the room with me and remembering a day when I was winning really helped”

Balancing Career and Family

Debbie’s journey was further complicated by the need to balance her career ambitions with starting a family. She faced the dilemma of wanting to progress in her career while also desiring to be a present mother. “I didn’t take a long time off. I think it was about five or six months when I decided to return to work on both occasions just because I felt I needed to be back in work, focusing on me, doing something that I loved, building my career,” she says.  “Yes you feel guilty for that, but part of being a parent is feeling guilty for the decisions you make so I tried to focus on what we gained from that decision and not focus too much on feeling bad about it.”

Debbie’s professional development was undertaken as a mature student, and she sat her MSc in Health Informatics over 3 years whilst also balancing a career and small children.

Tragically, Debbie’s husband passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2019, just before she was applying for the CIO role. This devastating loss added another layer of complexity, as she suddenly found herself a lone parent. “That was a really difficult time because I was now a lone parent, heading into COVID and there was very little help” she reflects.  “ I have the most amazing children who navigated that loss and COVID whilst still supporting me and understanding the need for me to focus on my career as well”

Despite the numerous challenges and setbacks she faced, Debbie remained determined to keep moving forward. Her resilience and perseverance ultimately led her to secure the CIO position at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust and she is also a Vice Chair on the CIO advisory Panel for Digital Health and a member of the CHIME teaching faculty, supporting other digital leaders with their career development.

Advice for Aspiring Leaders

Drawing from her own experiences, Debbie offers valuable advice for those aspiring to leadership roles in the NHS and beyond:

• Work holistically: “Too many people work in silos in their own role, and don’t push themselves outside of that. My advice is to think about those teams that you work with and work outside your own role to understand how you can support each other and think more holistically as a service.'”
• Plan your professional development: “You need to work out from an academic point of view where you need to develop. Sitting a Masters with small children was hard, but it has opened so many doors and I wouldn’t have been shortlisted for senior roles without it.”
• Project manage your career: “Don’t leave it to fate, set your career goals, whether its 10, 20 or 30 years ahead and map out how you will get there.
• Challenge the status quo: “Challenge process, challenge people. Do it clearly, respectfully and kindly, but challenge because if you can do that and support people to think differently you naturally create innovation as a result. Not only is it exciting, but that’s what helps you then get that job satisfaction and continue to move forward.”

Debbie’s journey serves as an inspiration for aspiring female leaders in the NHS and beyond. Her story highlights the importance of perseverance, resilience, and a willingness to challenge traditional norms. By sharing her experiences and insights, Debbie encourages others to embrace their ambitions, plan their professional development, and never let setbacks or societal barriers stand in the way of their goals.