Ruza Sabanovic is a globally recognized leader with 29 years of experience driving digital and telecom transformations across Europe and Asia. A senior executive at Telenor Group, she specializes in technology, procurement, cybersecurity, and AI, leading innovation and strategy across global teams and markets.

In a recent interaction with Global Woman Leader Magazine, Ruza shares insights on leveraging AI and automation in telecommunications for inclusivity, addressing gender bias, promoting women leaders, and shaping the future of quantum computing through female-driven strategies.

How can leadership in telecommunications leverage AI and automation not just for operational efficiency but also to create a more inclusive workplace?

AI is not only transformative; it is revolutionary, touching and changing every part of our lives, industries, and society as a whole, reshaping industries and empowering people to achieve greater impact. We should not panic, but join the party, sooner than later. That is what Telenor did in 2020 and pioneering ‘’touch-free’’ operations in network, IT, finance, and HR across an entire organization. The power of advanced AI and machine learning across these functions redefined how services would be delivered, becoming predictive, intelligent, and automated. We created a network that anticipates, learns, and adapts in real time, securing a seamless customer experience that consistently meets high standards. These changes led to substantial liberating our teams to innovate rather than managing repetitive tasks. Today, more than 2,500 use cases are automated, reducing manual processes by 60% and improving customer experience through 98% predictive incident resolution and 100% auto work-order completion.

Innovation leads to sustainability as well, saving up to 225,000 kilometers in annual drive testing and leveraging AI to optimize energy use. Our strategy also involves embedding diversity and equity through technology. AI revolutionizes hiring and promotions by eliminating biases in opportunities and enhancing work environments; in particular, of women and caregivers. Technology allows us to challenge the old 9-to-5, face-time culture. Through remote work systems and AI-supported workflows, we empower employees to manage work and life on their terms.

Initiatives such as Pakistan's *Naya Aghaaz* empower women to return to the workforce, digital literacy programs promote inclusive participation in the digital economy, and the fusion of innovation with social impact continues to challenge norms, building equitable teams and communities. Leadership no longer is merely about results and innovation, but about tangible transformational change and leading in social impact—demonstrating that telecom can be a force for equity just as much as it can connect people.

How can technology be used to remove bias in identifying and promoting future women leaders within the tech space? Can technology be the tool that finally creates a level playing field for women in leadership?

Innovation is most crucially created through diversity within teams, not to at least match increasingly diverse customer bases. My team reached this milestone through a global team with 11 nationalities and 30% women representation, reflecting our commitment to inclusion, as well as to our ability to meet and anticipate the needs of our customers and innovate fearlessly. Between 2016 and 2021, Telenor systematically increased female representation within the organization-from 33% to 38% of total employees and from 22% to 32% in senior leadership roles. Women in the General Executive Management team also increased from 25% to 50%, which naturally points to the success of intentional diversity efforts.

AI and data analytics can play a leading role in removing the biases that create inequality for women in leadership positions. Properly implemented, these tools will help organizations make balanced decisions, as they can identify disparities in leadership development, such as less mentorship, training, or project share allocated to women and introduce corrective measures. Tracking diversity goals through AI will contribute to making firms accountable by explaining why women are failing at a lower scale compared with their counterparts and suggests ways of improving it.

To ensure fairness, it is essential that organizations train AI on diverse datasets, regularly audit algorithms, and prevent bias. Only inclusive leadership, underpinned by data-driven insights, can redefine stereotypes and induce egalitarian representation, ensuring technology becomes a catalyst for effective and long-term change in issues of gender equity.

Do you think there is a unique leadership model that could emerge from this transformation that not only drives technological innovation but actively empowers women in leadership?

For telecom companies undergo in digital transformation, diversity in leadership, including gender diversity, should be seen as a driver of innovation. Research shows that diverse teams are more creative and perform better and thus making diversity a key metric for success.

I like to say I’m true representative of diversity in one—an exciting blend of nationality-Montenegrian, a civil engineering background, unique experiences in Europe, Asia and USA, and, of course, gender working at male-dominated environment. This background shapes how I see leadership, especially in today’s fast-paced digital world, where a more agile, inclusive and dynamic model is essential.

My firm believes is that evolving leadership model is all about inclusivity, making it possible for diverse individuals to thrive and lead, regardless of where they’re based or what responsibilities they carry. Technology is a great equalizer here; it allows us to recognize, promote and celebrate people based on their contributions, not just their traditional path or proximity to HQ or gender. For women, this means removing barriers like geographic limitations or out dated hierarchies, giving them space to innovate and lead impactful projects.

A data-driven, collaborative approach also helps ensure decisions are fair and transparent. A key aspect of this leadership model is leveraging technology to democratize leadership opportunities in practice; it would involve transparent, merit-based development and promotions, flexible work arrangements, knowledge sharing, continuous reskilling opportunities, and a culture of collaboration. Through such a leadership approach, organizations can ensure that their digital transformation is both innovative and inclusive, making diversity in leadership a strategic priority. With ongoing reskilling, mentorship, and flexibility, we’re creating an environment where leadership isn’t just inclusive—it’s strategic and more deeply human-centered.

How can women leaders influence the direction of these cutting-edge innovations? What might a "female-led" quantum technology strategy look like, and how could it reshape telecommunications?

I truly believe, that quantum computing together with intelligence -AI are a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reimagine our world—but only if we lead it responsibly and inclusively. With my background spanning diverse nationalities, education, and global experience, I see firsthand how diversity fuels innovative, equitable solutions. Our world is balanced nearly 50-50 between men and women; it’s time we mirror that balance in how we develop and apply breakthrough technologies like quantum computing.

A diverse quantum strategy can bring fresh perspectives to telecom. Imagine innovations that don’t just serve the usual big markets but actively close the digital gap—quantum-secure networks that prioritize privacy and data protection for all, not just the biggest players.

Diverse leaders excel at blending technical insight with ethical impact. We’re not just after cutting-edge technology; we want it to serve everyone equitably. Quantum should fuel and enhance global connectivity through scaling and efficiency, helping underserved regions gets online and driving digital equity and intelligence on a massive scale. Quantum computing holds the promise of vastly improving processing power and efficiency and helps telecom and other companies develop energy-efficient networks, reducing the environmental footprint. To get there, we need diverse teams and inclusive innovation ecosystems, with strong partnerships across academia, industry, and government.

Our leadership must be as inclusive as the technology we’re building. We should be driving upskilling programs, especially for women and underrepresented groups, to prepare for the quantum era. And we should be leading with a focus on sustainable, energy-efficient quantum applications that minimize the industry’s environmental footprint. That is essential. We’re not building tech for tech’s sake—we’re shaping a fair, connected, and secure world for everyone.

How do you see women leaders in telecom reshaping social norms? Could they lead the charge in using telecom platforms to challenge traditional roles and enable more flexible work environments for women?

Absolutely, with telecom’s reach, we’re in a prime position to challenge and permanently breakout dated norms and establish flexible, inclusive workspaces that value impact over conformity, social impact over financial results and redefines what real leadership looks like. As technology reshapes every corner of society and is into every aspect of our lives, it’s time to leverage it for true equity, including gender equity,

By democratizing connectivity, telecom has become the backbone of modern change It’s not just about massive accessibility; it’s about using our platforms to empower every individual—especially women—to take ownership of their futures. This is about freeing productivity and showing that real leadership isn’t tied to an office or a rigid schedule; it’s defined by impact and adoptability.

Technology positions us to advance flexible work to a whole new level. Telecom isn’t just a medium; it’s the engine driving a future where location doesn’t limit opportunity, where leadership isn’t about presence but about action but it doesn’t stop at work policies; we can amplify voices and share stories that break stereotypes, casting women as engineers, innovators, and leaders, instead of just support roles. This is a reinvention.

Our responsibility is bigger than business metrics. Through global digital inclusion, we can bring critical education, healthcare, and economic opportunities to people and women in underserved areas. That’s the future we’re building—a world where leadership and innovation know no bounds, unrestricted by outdated norms.

As an outcome, there are more and more women leader in telecom having very critical position that drives changes and are already dismantling the traditional, male-dominated model of leadership. By championing empathetic, collaborative styles, we’re proving that leadership can be powerful, inclusive, and, most importantly, impactful. This isn’t just about diversity; it’s about setting an example that inspires others, changes perceptions, and builds an industry where everyone can thrive for better.