Katie Howe Browne

“I co-founded the EE Women in Tech community two weeks after joining the company”

Part of the Tech Women Celebration 50 – a curated list of some of the most inspirational women working at all levels of tech

Katie Howe Browne - I like to build things - relationships, culture, clients, connection, commercials. The outcome? A company full of engaged, happy and fulfilled humans doing interesting and challenging work to realise real value for my clients.

Outcome focused, leading with heart and energy to enable others to achieve their goals. Exceptional communication is at the core of everything I do. Highly motivated, thrives under pressure and places great importance on personal and team development with a focus on achieving and surpassing targets. Endlessly curious. I spent the first half of my career working in Comms & PR, driving people to engage with brands and now I get to help build the technology that keeps them coming back. I love being able to see both sides of the organisation.

Tell us about your biggest achievement to date

I co-founded the EE Women in Tech community in June 2025, two weeks after I joined the company. Four of us own the roadmap for a network of about 150 women. We run quarterly events with a focus on fostering psychological safety and working towards a real set of common purposes and goals.

I challenged myself this year to get out there are speak more to be part of the change I want to see. I hosted a panel at the Empower Women in Tech Conference this May, speaking to a room of 300 attendees.

In my day job, I like to creating spaces where everyone can connect and get things done. I regularly host office co-working days so people can connect, network, improve accessibility and visibility to senior leadership for peers and clients. Additionally, a big part of my day-to-day role involves leading key client relationships and holding my own at a senior level.

In previous organisations I have also set up the Women in Tech communities and mentor programmes to support people on their career paths. I also mentor three women from various programmes - Reed Women in Tech, La Fosse Unbound and informal mentoring too.

What is the most significant challenge you have overcome?

Losing my job while on maternity leave was a real career low for me. I was already suffering with a change in aelf perception and identity and then got the call three months into having my first child that I wouldn't have a job to come back to.

After a lot of soul searching and someone taking a leap of faith on me, I joined the world of tech and have never looked back.

My experience taught me a lot about how I want to lead, and how I want to support people who are considered a 'minority' for whatever reason in this industry. I really believe in the idea of paying it forward and regularly go out of my way to help others. It brings me a lot of joy to see people get their spark back and give them the confidence to do something, when they might not have it for themselves.

Tell us something about you people would find surprising

Two years ago, I decided to swim the Channel in a relay swim with three others. I hadn't done front crawl in almost 25 years and had to relearn that, and master the art of cold-water swimming, all while building a sense of team when 50% of the team lived in another country.

We completed the swim on 17th July 2024 in 12hrs and 48mins. You can do anything if you just get started!