4 min. read
From 28 years and 4 career phases to 2 years and 3 countries. From Software Engineer to VP. From Finance to Cybersecurity. Here’s what happens when you stop self-excluding — and start stepping up.
There’s no single path to leadership. Especially not for women in tech.
Some go deep in one domain and rise to VP. Others pivot across functions. Some relocate across continents while switching disciplines. Others build legacy over decades.
What do they have in common? They didn’t wait for permission. They didn’t self-exclude. And they found a company that gave them freedom to shape their own paths.
For International Women’s Day, we’re sharing the stories of four women at OLX who did exactly that.
Software Engineer → VP of Motors | Portugal | 13 years at OLX
Aniela was OLX Portugal’s first international hire in 2012. She joined as a Software Engineer from Romania. Today, she’s VP of Motors — leading the business that represents the majority of OLX’s EBITDA.
What kept her here? “What’s kept me here isn’t tenure. It’s scope.” The problems she works on keep getting bigger, more complex, and more consequential. When her team needed a career development framework, she didn’t wait for HR — she built a competency matrix that was later adopted company-wide.
Over 13 years, she’s led Motors, scaled into Real Estate, and returned to Motors with a mandate to lead OLX’s highest-impact business at its most ambitious stage.
“OLX gives you freedom to shape things beyond your immediate role. The scope kept expanding because the opportunities kept appearing, and I kept saying yes to the harder ones.”
What she’s most proud of: The people she’s developed. “So many of them are still growing within the company, leading their own teams, taking on bigger problems.”
Head of Finance → Global Compliance and Fraud Lead | Portugal | 9 years at OLX
After 4.5 years in Finance, Patrícia had a choice: Finance Director (the obvious next step) or move into Cybersecurity.
“I’ll admit I had doubts. I kept asking myself: Am I technical enough for this?”
Four years later as Global Compliance and Fraud Lead, she has her answer: “You don’t need a purely technical background to make an impact in cybersecurity. Business insight, critical thinking, and the ability to ask the right questions are incredibly valuable.”
Her finance and audit background — especially her work on risk, controls, and compliance — became her superpower, not a limitation.
“Don’t self-exclude. We often think we’re not ‘technical enough’ when in reality, diverse experiences are a huge strength.”
Patrícia is nearly 9 years at OLX now, across two very different roles. Proof that “staying in your lane” is optional.
Junior FE Developer → Middle FE Developer → Product Management | Poland → Portugal | 2+ years at OLX
Yuliia fled Ukraine in February 2022. She joined OLX Poland in December 2023 as a Junior Frontend Developer.
In just over 2 years: she was promoted to Middle Frontend Developer, relocated to Portugal, and is now transitioning to Product Management.
How? When her team didn’t have a PM for 6 months, she stepped up. She covered the role while continuing her engineering work. That’s when she discovered she loved it. She found a mentor, studied for 6 months, has been practicing for 10 months.
“The relocation took 8 months of bureaucracy. The promotion took 10 months. Learning a new discipline while doing all of that? It takes energy.”
But here’s what she learned:
“There’s never a right time. There’s always something. Set a goal, take the steps, and work toward it. Everything is doable when you have company support.”
Telesales → Finance → Operations → HR Business Partner | South Africa | 28 years at OLX
Zelda has spent 28 years at OLX South Africa — across four completely different functions.
Her roadmap:
→ Telesales (learning the market)
→ Finance (learning risk management)
→ Operations & Customer Support (learning to lead teams)
→ HR Business Partner (using 28 years of insight to build the future workforce)
“After years in sales, finance, and support, I realized my most impactful wins weren’t hitting targets. They were the moments I helped an employee grow.”
That’s when she moved into HR. Now, as an HRBP, her lived experience is her superpower. “When I’m in a room, I’m not speaking from a textbook. I’ve done the sales calls, chased payments, managed support queues. That changes how people listen.”
“This company is a playground for curiosity. You aren’t stuck in your lane unless you choose to be. Applying internally allows you to take your legacy with you while reinventing your daily life.”
Their paths couldn’t be more different. But they share something fundamental: they didn’t self-exclude, even when they doubted if they were “ready” or “technical enough.” They stepped up before being asked, creating solutions rather than waiting for permission. They were patient with complexity — whether that meant a 10-month promotion, a 13-year journey, or a 28-year career. And when OLX gave them freedom, they didn’t just appreciate it. They used it.
These stories are powerful. But they can’t be the only ones.
At OLX, we’re committed to:
📍 Building diverse leadership at all levels
📍 Making internal mobility accessible and transparent
📍 Supporting women through career transitions — especially unconventional ones
📍 Creating space for women to step up before they have the title
