Iris Huang is a certified executive coach who led a very successful operational career across several countries with large scale food and beverage organisations, encompassing both R&D and Technical Operations- she has some great practical ideas from the shop floor as well as wider thoughts on the importance of networks and advocates.
What inspired you to pursue a career in Supply Chain- particularly R&D and technical operations? My journey into R&D began at home. Growing up, I watched my parents build businesses out of necessity, adapting constantly to provide for our family. Their resilience and ability to create opportunities shaped my mindset.
In school, I developed a passion for chemistry and math, thanks to an inspiring teacher who introduced me to chemical engineering. What drew me in was the idea of turning curiosity into practical solutions—approaching problems systematically and finding answers.
That entrepreneurial spirit and problem-solving approach continue to guide me today. A technical career allows me to ask, “What if?” and “How can we make this better?”—and then do the work to make it happen
What advice would you give to any young women considering a career in R&D and Operations? Three things come to mind that helped me through my career:
1. Don't let anyone make you feel like you don't belong in technical spaces. There will be moments when you're the only woman in the room, I've been there many times, but your perspective and your ideas are just as valuable. Your perspective can bring something different to the conversation because we ask different questions, see different problems and having this perspective leads to better solutions.
2. Find your champions. Seek out mentors, allies, advocates, sponsors and other women in technical fields who can support you. It makes such a difference to have people who understand your journey and can offer guidance and advice. As you progress in your career, pay it forward, be that person for someone else.
3. Trust your curiosity. If you're drawn to solving problems, if you love figuring out how things work, if you get excited about the 'what ifs'; that's exactly the mindset you need in technical fields. Don't second-guess whether you're 'technical enough' or 'smart enough.' Those doubts are often louder for women, but they're not based in reality.
Technical careers can take many forms. You don't have to fit into one narrow definition of what an engineer or scientist looks like. Your unique background, your way of thinking, the questions you ask—all of that makes you better at what you do and that’s how I built my career across R&D and Manufacturing.
Where do you see the industry going in 5 years and what skills do you consider will be most important then? The next five years will differ significantly from the last. We are witnessing major shifts: AI and machine learning are becoming standard tools in R&D, sustainability is moving from optional to a core business requirement, disciplinary boundaries are increasingly blurred, and regulatory changes are accelerating alongside technological advances.
To succeed, professionals will need a strong foundation in technical expertise combined with the ability to leverage AI-driven tools. Above all, adaptability will be critical. Rapid changes in technology, regulations, and market dynamics demand professionals who can learn quickly, pivot effectively, and apply their knowledge in new contexts.
An entrepreneurial mindset is essential - reading the landscape, embracing new approaches, and avoiding attachment to outdated practices. Technical fundamentals will remain important, but the ability to evolve with the industry may matter even more.
Where you offered support/mentorship as a woman in this space- and what impact did it have on you? I've been fortunate to have support from managers, colleagues, and friends, a network that it takes time to build. But mentorship isn't just something you just receive; it is something you give back, and that exchange makes it powerful.
I've been involved with the Society of Women Engineers, mentored interns, participated in recruiting, and launched a non-profit supporting middle school students from underserved communities to improve their math skills and launching STEM ERG’s to foster connections and support for our careers, skill building and mentorship.
What's interesting is that giving back builds your own confidence too. The people you support become your advocates, championing you in rooms you're not in yet. It's this balance of receiving and giving support that's shaped my career and created a ripple effect where we all lift each other up.
Have you noticed a shift in how companies support women in tech and operations? What still needs to change? There's been some progress, but we’re nowhere near where we need to be, especially in manufacturing and operations. Look at plant manager roles, the representation is still extremely low; women are still only 29% of leadership positions in manufacturing globally and in some regions it is even worse.
What still needs to change? We need equal opportunities and infrastructure that actually acknowledges women work in these spaces. Companies need to create environments where women genuinely thrive, from the plant floor to the executive suite.
Sometimes it's the basics that show how far we still have to go. Consider providing free menstrual products in the bathrooms or lactation rooms in manufacturing setups. When you're working 8-12-hour shifts with limited breaks on a plant floor, those are not perks, it's a basic necessity. Being able to listen and remove barriers for those who express what gets in the way of their work, is important.
We can redesign systems to be more flexible without compromising results, the question is whether we are willing to do
What barriers- if any, have you faced as a woman in the industry? How did you push through them? Absolutely I faced some barriers. First, I want to say I’ve had incredible male leaders and peers who’ve supported and championed me throughout my career, not everyone creates barriers, and that support has been crucial.
But I have also faced challenges. I'm not always the loudest voice in the room, and in male-dominated environments, that has been used against me. Add my intersectionality as Latina and Asian, plus my petite stature, people have underestimated me, assumed I'm younger or less experienced than I am. I've faced visible bias more times than I can count.
But I learned early that I had to let my work speak for itself. I focused on building genuine relationships and delivering results. And honestly? I've always gravitated toward roles outside my comfort zone, which meant I constantly had to prove myself all over again.
What's interesting is that as I moved into leadership roles, the game changed. You can't know all the answers and pretending you do, is a trap. So, I surrounded myself with strong teams where I could learn constantly. That's what kept me engaged in technical roles. The barrier shifted from 'prove you belong' to 'build something bigger than yourself.'
The pushback doesn't disappear, but you learn to navigate it differently. You build advocates, you let your results do the talking, and you create teams where everyone's voice matters, not just the loudest one in the room.
Personally what do you think companies could do to attract more women into technical functions of the supply chain? Companies need to make women in technical leadership visible, let candidates meet them during recruitment so they can see their future in the organization. Create flexible systems, especially in manufacturing, that allow mothers or other care givers to advance their careers without impossible trade-offs.
Build psychologically safe cultures where women can voice their perspectives without fear of pushback and create opportunities for women to lift each other through mentorship and sponsorship programs. Ensure pay equity from day one, conduct regular audits and fix gaps immediately, not when someone has to ask. Invest in intentional succession planning to develop high-potential women for leadership roles early and actively sponsor their advancement.
Is there a stereotype about women in technical/operations roles that you would like to break? That women can't handle the physical demands or that we're too emotional for tough, male-dominated manufacturing or technical environments.
The reality is women are absolutely capable. The problem isn't capability, it's that we've created environments not designed with women in mind, then question whether they can succeed in them.
We need to normalize women in technical and operations roles, not create doubt about their ability. When you see one woman on a plant floor and assume she's the exception, that's the issue. When you have women in leadership, on shifts, running operations, it stops being remarkable and starts being normal.
Stereotypes break when we start treating women in these spaces as they should be, essential contributors and leaders who belong there just as much as anyone else.
Are there unique strengths that can women can bring to the broader Supply Chain that can go under recognised? Women often excel at collaboration, building teams where everyone's perspective is heard and integrated. We tend to approach problems from multiple angles, asking different questions and considering factors others might overlook.
In technical roles, the best solutions rarely come from one person working alone. They come from teams that can actually work together, where people feel safe contributing ideas and challenging assumptions. Women are often skilled at creating that environment and pulling those insights together into comprehensive solutions.
The results speak for themselves, teams with strong collaboration innovate faster and solve problems more effectively. But these strengths often go unrecognized because they don't fit the traditional image of technical excellence. If we only value the loudest voice or most aggressive approach, we miss what actually drives breakthrough results.
What does true inclusion mean to you- not just diversity, but inclusion? Inclusion is the art of making people feel they truly matter. It's not enough to have different voices in the room, inclusion means those voices are heard, valued, and integrated into decisions. It's creating spaces were differences fuel collaboration, not separation. Where someone doesn't have to choose between being authentic and being respected. Where asking questions isn't seen as weakness and challenging the status quo isn't career limiting. True inclusion means people can bring their whole selves to work and know their perspective makes the team stronger. It's the difference between being invited to the table and actually having a seat at it, where what you say influences the outcome.
Are there any communities or networks that you have worked with that you would recommend to other women in STEM?
Join the big established networks for reach and resources, tap into mentorship programs, but also seek out local communities. Find the people doing work you admire and show up. Those connections, where you can actually meet face-to-face and build real relationships, those are what sustain you through the tough moments. Some organizations that I would recommend are:
SWE (https://swe.org/)
Nextup (https://www.nextupisnow.org/)
Million Women Mentors (https://mwm.stemconnector.com/) and
Females in food (https://www.femalesinfood.community).