Diane-Lee Pretorius is a highly experienced engineering leader with over a decade of experience in software development, team management, and strategic execution.
As a Senior Engineering Manager at Europe’s leading business spend solution Pleo for over 3 years, Diane-Lee has played a key role in driving innovation and empowering teams to deliver exceptional results empowering her teams to achieve outstanding results while fostering a culture of collaboration and creativity.
For years, mentorship has been a cornerstone of career growth for women – a space where guidance, wisdom, and encouragement meet.
For years, mentorship has been a cornerstone of career growth for women – a space where guidance, wisdom, and encouragement meet.Yet, as the gender gap in leadership persists, so does the undeniable truth: mentorship, valuable though it is, can only take women so far. To drive transformative changes in women’s careers – to help them rise, lead, and break barriers – what’s truly needed is sponsorship.
This is where sponsorship takes centre stage. Unlike mentors who offer guidance, sponsors go a step further – they use their influence, networks, and reputation to actively champion a woman’s career. They don’t just cheer from the sidelines; they step onto the field to ensure she crosses the finish line.
In many industries, the unwritten rules of advancement still favour informal networks often inaccessible to women. Golfing trips, after-hours social gatherings, and exclusive “Boys Club” activities create opportunities not for the most capable – but for the most visible.
The truth is, women don’t face a lack of ability – they face a lack of access. Sponsors bridge that gap by ensuring women are visible. They recommend women for challenging assignments, introduce them to key decision-makers, and ensure their names are part of critical conversations.
For a woman from an underrepresented group like myself, this access is even more important. Facing biases rooted in race, culture or sexuality compounds the challenges women experience in visibility. A sponsor’s support can tip the scales, offering not just a seat at the table, but an equal voice once there.
This isn’t about encouragement. It’s about action. Sponsors actively advocate for women in high-stakes conference rooms, ensuring their achievements are recognised and their potential is championed.
This advocacy creates ripples far beyond an individual career. Each woman elevated through sponsorship becomes a role model for others, accelerating action and contributing to a chain of empowerment. As sponsored women ascend into leadership, they challenge the status quo, dismantling the systemic barriers that once held them back.
The responsibility to sponsor doesn’t just rest with today’s male leaders. Women in senior roles are uniquely positioned to offer this kind of support. Having navigated the complex pathways of workplace bias themselves, they understand what it takes to succeed and can pull others up with them.
It’s a profound act of solidarity – intentionally advocating for the next generation of female leaders. More women “in the room” means more diverse, inclusive workplaces where transformative change becomes not only possible, but inevitable.
To achieve this, sponsorship must be intentional. It’s not enough to quietly admire someone’s potential, it requires deliberate effort and action. And organisations must embed sponsorship into their culture, encouraging their leaders to actively sponsor women as part of their responsibility to drive equity.
At Pleo, we are deeply committed to creating spaces where women can thrive, share and lead. Our Women in Pleo active community is a vibrant and active network where women and allies come together to learn, collaborate, and support one another. It’s more than just a forum – it’s a place where authentic conversations happen. Here, allies gain valuable insights into what women in the workplace truly need to succeed, as members openly share research, experiences, and if needed, even frustrations, which helps to foster understanding and accelerate action.
One of the highlights of our diversity efforts is the role of sponsorship – an initiative we spotlighted at our internal Women in Pleo conference at the end of 2024. In an open and honest discussion, senior Pleo leaders shared why sponsorship matters for Pleo and as an organisation striving for equity and excellence.
These leaders didn’t just talk about sponsorship, they showcased how they are actively embedding it into our culture. They shared actionable steps they are taking to sponsor women within Pleo, whether by advocating for their work, creating visibility for their achievements, or opening pathways to leadership. The session also provided opportunities for women to identify potential sponsors within the company, turning ideas into meaningful connections that drive careers forward.
It’s time to turn mentorship into sponsorship and embrace empowerment in its most meaningful form – a reimagining of workplaces into a space where talent is celebrated and no potential is left unfulfilled.
It’s time to champion women. It’s time to sponsor.
