Coming Soon: 404: Women Not Found | A Career Playbook for Women in Tech | Dr Vanessa Vallely OBE
Before founding WeAreTheCity and WeAreTechWomen, our founder, Dr Vanessa Vallely OBE, spent 25 years building a successful career in technology and financial services, progressing from junior technology roles to becoming one of the Chief Operating Officers for Technology at Barclays.
Drawing on that corporate experience, alongside almost two decades of supporting hundreds of thousands of women through WeAreTheCity and WeAreTechWomen, and the findings of the Lovelace Report, Vanessa has written 404: Women Not Found – How Women Can Survive, Thrive and Shape the Future of Tech.
Publishing on 1 October 2026, the book is far more than a career guide. It is a practical workbook designed to help women navigate every stage of their careers, while also encouraging organisations to think differently about how they attract, develop and retain female talent.
Why this book?
After spending 25 years in the technology industry, followed by 18 years supporting women through WeAreTheCity and WeAreTechWomen, Vanessa has seen first-hand both the incredible opportunities technology offers and the barriers that continue to hold many talented women back.
Through conferences, leadership programmes, mentoring, coaching, research and conversations with women around the world, many of the same questions continue to surface.
- How do I build confidence?
- How do I become more visible?
- How do I find sponsors?
- How do I navigate office politics?
- How do I prepare for leadership?
- How do I continue to develop my skills as technology evolves?
These conversations became the inspiration for 404: Women Not Found.
The book also draws on the findings of the Lovelace Report, one of the UK’s most comprehensive studies into the experiences of women working in technology. Together, Vanessa’s own lived experience and the research provide a compelling picture of the challenges women continue to face, while offering practical strategies to help them navigate their careers with confidence.
More than a book, a workbook
404: Women Not Found has been written to be used, not simply read.
Structured as a career journey, the book takes readers through twenty chapters covering many of the topics that women told us mattered most during focus groups held before a single word was written.
Readers will explore mindset, confidence, skills, growth planning, crafting their story, visibility, strategic relationships, difficult conversations, mentoring, sponsorship and advocacy, navigating workplace politics, squiggly career pathways, future skills, giving back, sisterhood and becoming a role model.
Every chapter finishes with practical exercises, reflection points and actions designed to help readers apply what they have learned to their own careers. By the final chapter, they will have created a personalised career roadmap that can continue to evolve throughout their working lives.
Built with the help of 41 remarkable contributors
One of the things that makes 404: Women Not Found unique is the breadth of experience behind it.
Alongside Vanessa’s own insights, the book features contributions from 41 respected leaders, coaches and industry experts, each sharing their own experiences, lessons learned and practical advice.
Contributors include Prof. Sue Black OBE, Claudia Harris OBE, Sheridan Ash MBE, Debbie Forster MBE, Carol Stewart, Stef Sword-Williams, Suki Fuller, Birgit Neu, Dr Heather Melville CBE, Vivienne Artz OBE, Flavilla Fongang, Bianca Miller-Cole, Lisa Goodchild, Susie Ramroop, Sonya Barlow, Rav Bumbra and many more inspiring women from across the technology ecosystem.
The book also features a foreword by Edwina Dunn OBE, one of the pioneers behind the creation of Tesco Clubcard and founder of The Female Lead.
Endorsed by leading voices
Ahead of publication, 404: Women Not Found has already received endorsements from some of the UK’s most influential voices in technology and business.
These include Baroness Martha Lane Fox CBE, Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE and Anna Brailsford MBE, whose endorsements recognise the importance of creating practical support for women building careers in technology.
Why now?
Technology is changing faster than ever before.
Artificial intelligence is reshaping roles, new skills are emerging at pace and careers are becoming increasingly non-linear. At the same time, women continue to be underrepresented across many areas of technology and still experience slower progression, lower visibility and unequal access to opportunities.
404: Women Not Found acknowledges these realities while focusing on what women can do to navigate them successfully.
It is not a book about fixing women. It is about recognising the incredible talent that already exists within our industry and providing practical tools, strategies and insights to help women survive, thrive and shape the future of technology.
Whether you’re just beginning your career, looking to step into leadership or simply considering what comes next, this book has been written to support you wherever you are on your journey.
Pre-order your copy
404: Women Not Found – How Women Can Survive, Thrive and Shape the Future of Tech will be published on 1 October 2026 and is available to pre-order now.
You can pre-order your copy through Bookshop.org, Amazon, Waterstones, Foyles and other major booksellers.
To follow the journey to publication, behind-the-scenes updates, endorsements, podcast announcements and launch news, follow @404womennotfound on Instagram.
We look forward to sharing more over the coming months as we count down to publication and celebrate the launch of what we hope will become an essential career companion for women working across the technology industry.
