NASHEEN LIU
Contributor to You’re On Mute: 13 Lessons for Women Frustrated with the Tech SectorÂ
About Nasheen
Nasheen Liu is Partner & SVP, CIO Strategy at The IT Media Group, where she leads initiatives shaping Canada’s tech executive community. With more than 20 years of experience, she co-founded the CIO-focused media firm in 2011 after a successful tenure at three Fortune 500 tech companies.
A champion for diversity in leadership, Nasheen chairs a cross-industry CIO Advisory Board and serves on global advisory boards including HBR, Women in AI, and AI Future Leaders. She is also a Limited Partner at Women’s Equity Lab, prioritizing women-led ventures. Having lived on three continents and fluent in three languages, Nasheen mentors professionals at every stage of their career, giving back through pro-bono coaching and sponsorship.
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Nasheen's Chapter:
We Really Love You, But… Breaking the Pattern-Matching Cycle in Sponsorship and Investment for Women
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Nasheen’s chapter pulls back the curtain on the hidden biases that shape careers, sponsorship, and investment for women in tech. She recounts her journey from studying German Literature in China and Germany to breaking into Canada’s tech sector with persistence and resilience — even when her résumé didn’t fit the mold. Her mantra, taught by her parents, was simple: put your head down and work hard. But as her career advanced, she discovered that hard work alone wasn’t enough.
She shares candid stories of being repeatedly told, “We really love you, but…” after losing leadership roles to male candidates who fit the familiar mold. These moments revealed a crucial truth: women are often excluded not because of lack of capability, but because of pattern-matching — decision-makers choosing candidates who “look like” past leaders.
From this realization, Nasheen reframed her approach. She emphasizes the difference between mentorship and sponsorship — and the importance of asking directly for what you need. Her chapter explores how women can cultivate sponsors, break away from biases, and disrupt the cycle that keeps leadership and investment homogenous.
Ultimately, she challenges readers to stop waiting for recognition, to actively seek sponsorship, and to build systems where diverse leaders and founders don’t just survive but thrive.
“In short, a mentor will show you where the table is and tell you who’s already sitting there; a sponsor will stake their name on the fact that you should have a seat as well.”
— Nasheen Liu, You’re On Mute
About the Book:
You’re On Mute: 13 Lessons for Women Frustrated with the Tech Sector
You’re On Mute: 13 Lessons for Women Frustrated with the Tech Sector is a bold anthology by women in tech, sharing unapologetic stories of resilience, exclusion, and transformation. From global leaders to grassroots innovators, these chapters are lessons and rallying cries that challenge the systems holding us back and imagine a more inclusive future. In a moment where AI is reshaping everything, this book reminds us that real change won’t come from technology alone, but from community, care, and collective action.