WIT Allies initiative

This new initiative aims to bring more men into the dialogue on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in tech – not as bystanders or supporters from the sidelines, but as active participants, co-creators, and leaders of change.

Rather than the typical WIT panel filled with women and non-binary leaders, the WIT Allies session featured four senior male executives from Sweden’s tech and business landscape. The intention? To challenge the norm, model allyship in practice, and explore what responsibility looks like when you’re part of the majority.

Moderated with nuance and sharpness by journalist and author Andreas Ekström, the session brought together four influential voices:

• Patrik Nylander, CEO, Accenture Sweden
• Stefan Alariksson, CEO Northern Europe, Dun & Bradstreet
• Pär Johansson, Country Manager & Head of Credit & Wealth, Tietoevry
• Peter Strömberg, CDO, Foxway

Here’s what we learned from their honest, sometimes uncomfortable – and absolutely necessary – conversation.

1. Diversity is a talent imperative, not just a moral one

All four speakers underscored the same core truth: talent scarcity is real, and ignoring half the population is simply bad business. Whether it’s recruiting women into engineering or creating pathways into leadership, inclusion is directly tied to performance, innovation, and competitiveness.

“I’ve led teams for 30 years. I’ve worked in female and male-dominated environments. I’ve seen it: diverse teams perform better. But only when they share values and have strong leadership.”
– Stefan Alariksson, Dun & Bradstreet

2. The bias is built in and it takes work to undo

This kind of invisible bias, buried deep in everyday processes, is exactly what keeps systems from changing. Several panelists reflected on the need to systematically review everything from job ads to performance frameworks – and to start over when outcomes aren’t inclusive.

“We brought in coaches to observe performance reviews. Turns out we used different language when evaluating men versus women – and we didn’t even realise it.”
– Patrik Nylander, Accenture

3. Inclusion starts with culture and culture starts with leadership

It’s not enough to count gender numbers. True inclusion is about everyday behaviours, how teams function, who gets heard, and whether people feel they belong. And that culture – as several speakers noted – is always set by leadership.

“You can recruit for diversity, but if people can’t be themselves at work, they won’t stay.”
– Pär Johansson, Tietoevry

4. Privilege is a platform for change

Rather than feel guilt or defensiveness about privilege, the conversation challenged men to use their positions to create access and raise new voices. From inviting underrepresented candidates into conversations, to designing services for real inclusion, the opportunities are tangible.

“I’ve learned to use my privileged position to amplify other perspectives and invite in the unexpected.”
– Peter Strömberg, Foxway