Relevelling the playing field
At Valtech, equity sits at the core of the diversity and inclusion strategy, with ongoing work of relevelling uneven playing fields so everyone has the ability to succeed.
Across most leadership teams, there's still an imbalance between majority and underrepresented groups, and shifting that trajectory means building a genuinely diverse pipeline of future leaders.
The Elevate program's goal is to nurture the talent Valtech already has among underrepresented colleagues and help them grow into future leaders, with progress tracked through protégés' own sense of growing confidence and their ability to share ideas with peers and leadership. Because we are a global company in 20-plus countries, we define underrepresented per location, because we know diversity is different around the world.
In Elevate, a protégé is paired with a sponsor who sits within their vertical, expertise or has a career background similar to theirs. The relationship flows for 12 months, where it focuses on constructive feedback, advocacy in the rooms the protégé is not yet in and access to their sponsor’s network.
It is a two-way relationship, with learning on both sides. Protégés also join key learning sessions on topics such as finding your network in a remote company, personal branding, public speaking, sharing your ideas with leadership and more.
Since 2022, Elevate has impacted more than 320 protégés across the organization
It's within this framework that Anais Liu and Ivan Jiao's story took shape.
Anais has been with Valtech for three years, building on more than a decade in international enterprise consulting and project management. Her academic background is in optoelectronic information, which she says gives her "a slightly unusual, tech-first lens" on business problems. She also speaks French and business English, useful in a global team.
Today, she works at the intersection of business and tech, currently deep in a digital transformation project spanning API data sync, member profile permissions, online check-in with OCR, and mobile key workflows.
As a Business Analyst, I sit at the intersection of business needs and technical delivery. I work closely with clients to understand their pain points, translate them into clear requirements, and make sure our delivery teams build the right thing.
But it's the business-facing side of her role, shaped through Elevate, that has grown the most.
Ready for the room, not yet in it
Before Elevate, Anais describes herself as excellent at her craft but limited by visibility, not ability.
I had been in consulting for a long time and I was good at my craft, but I felt a ceiling, not in ability, but in visibility and access. I noticed that the next stage of growth wasn't about getting better at requirements; it was about being in the room where business decisions happen.
The structure of the program, and its grounding in Valtech's D&I commitment, mattered to her as a woman in tech consulting. "When I heard about Elevate and how it pairs you with a senior sponsor who actively champions you, I knew that was exactly what I needed,” she says. “... Having structured support to break through invisible barriers mattered a lot to me."
Going in, Anais was clear-eyed about what she wanted from the relationship. It wasn't just about picking up new skills or getting feedback on her performance. She wanted someone with influence who would actively use it on her behalf.
Honestly, I hoped for two things. First, access ... Second, perspective ... I didn't just want advice ... I wanted someone who would actively open doors for me and speak up for me when I wasn't in the room.
12 months of hands-on sponsorship
The relationship with her sponsor, Ivan Jiao, was more active than Anais expected. It moved from shadowing to full ownership.
Ivan made a point of bringing her into rooms and explicitly naming her expertise in front of clients and colleagues.
He would explicitly introduce me and frame my expertise: 'Anais has deep experience in hotel loyalty systems, she should lead this part.' That kind of public endorsement changes how others see you.
The most transformative moment came through a client bid presentation, where Ivan gave her real ownership rather than a passive seat. Anais says she was trusted to deliver, and afterward she sat for a debrief that she describes as "brutally honest and incredibly constructive."
A shift from delivery to contributor
For Anais, the biggest change wasn't a new skill so much as a new self-perception. "It's a mindset shift from delivery executor to business contributor," she says. "Confidence and visibility came along with it, but the core shift was internal."
She names the "visibility gap" as the biggest obstacle Elevate at Valtech helped her overcome. "I was doing strong work, but it was largely invisible to the people who make career advancement decisions," she says. "... It's not that I couldn't do the work, I just needed the door opened, and Elevate at Valtech did that."
Asked to define the difference between a mentor and a sponsor, her answer is direct.
A mentor gives you advice; a sponsor gives you opportunities. A mentor might say, ‘You should get more client-facing experience.' A sponsor actually invites you to the client meeting and introduces you.
The Elevate program and Valtech's approach to D&I
Anais sees Elevate as proof that Valtech's D&I commitment goes beyond language.
"Elevate at Valtech embodies Valtech's D&I commitments because it doesn't just talk about equity," she says. "It structures it. ... Elevate deliberately creates structured sponsorship relationships that give underrepresented voices access to senior advocates and high visibility opportunities."
Being part of a global cohort of protégés added another layer of perspective.
Understanding how colleagues in EU, APAC, and the Americas approach their careers and their client relationships has made me a better, more culturally intelligent consultant.
The sponsor's perspective: Ivan Jiao
For Ivan, the value of the relationship ran in both directions, not just from sponsor to protégé.
What made our relationship particularly valuable was that we often approached the same question from different perspectives: How do we create meaningful value?
Ivan describes their differing lenses as complementary. "Anais naturally tended to view this through the lens of delivery and organizational effectiveness. ... My perspective, on the other hand, was often shaped by customer and business considerations."
Rather than helping Anais fix a career plan in place, Ivan pushed her to think about future market needs. "I challenged her to ask, 'What capabilities will customers and the industry need tomorrow, and how can I position myself to create value in that future?'"
His advice to other leaders considering sponsorship emphasizes humility as much as advocacy.
Sponsorship is different from mentoring. It is not simply about sharing advice. It is about actively advocating for talent, creating visibility, opening doors, and providing opportunities that might otherwise be difficult to access. All leaders should approach sponsorship with curiosity and humility.
Make Elevate at Valtech work for you
Anais's final advice to colleagues considering Elevate at Valtech this year is to go in with intention.
Don't wait for the perfect moment or for someone to nominate you. Be clear with yourself about what you want to get out of it, and be equally clear with your sponsor. ... Don't underestimate the value of the cohort. Build relationships with your fellow protégés, because they become your network for life.
Looking ahead, Anais says she wants to keep bridging technical delivery and business strategy in hospitality digital transformation, while paying the sponsorship forward. "I've become someone that other colleagues come to for advice on navigating their own careers, I can pay forward the sponsorship I received," she says. "That ripple effect is something I'm really proud of."
Join Valtech
Inspired by Anais and Ivan’s story? If you’re looking for a workplace that values authenticity, collaboration and personal growth, Valtech might be the perfect place for you. Check out our open roles, and be part of the journey.
