Women in Tech Series Q&A

1.??????Ruth, what inspired you to pursue a role in the tech industry?

I began my career working as a part-time marketer for the food and beverage industry while studying Economics and History in Ireland. After graduating, I discovered my passion for Investor Relations (IR) and moved from Europe to the Bay Area. I found that technology companies greatly valued company culture, rewarded employees based on performance (vs. longevity) and had no shortage of development opportunities. I started my career at AMD in Investor Relations and, in the last decade, had a clear goal to expand my role. I began to volunteer and raise my hand for new opportunities and took on Communications in addition to IR. By continuing to seek out new opportunities, I also took on responsibilities overseeing HR, Strategy, Marketing, Integration (among others) – leading to my current role as Senior Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Human Resources.

?2.?????As someone who engages with a variety of stakeholders, how does DE&I influence your work, and how do you apply it across each audience segment? ??

One of my core responsibilities is to attract, acquire, develop and advance an engaged and diverse workforce. At AMD, we?intentionally grow our global teams to include as many unique voices as possible – what we like to call our “multi-voice” culture. We strive to address and answer the eternal question of, “Whose voice is not included?”.

Stakeholder engagement is incredibly important to my role, as I am in a unique position to oversee employees, customers and investors. By including internal and external stakeholders prior to developing DE&I plans, these individuals can stay informed as to how DE&I maps back to AMD’s values, missions and strategy. ???

?3.?????Building on that, what does it mean to exercise a “multi-voice” culture, and how can leaders do so to drive change management?

“Multi-voice” acknowledges all the facets that make us unique and brings value to our work at AMD. This approach incorporates every aspect?of each employee - multi-cultural, multi-gender, multi-generational, and multi-perspective. Our goal is to create a workplace where all employees feel empowered to be their authentic selves. Not only are our differences respected, but they are celebrated for the diversity they bring to the organization.?Representation is key to supporting the growth of diversity in technology.

While the technology industry has taken steps to make progress, there is still work to be done. That is why all leaders across the board should continue empowering junior talent and early-career professionals through “MAC” – mentoring, advocating and coaching. For example, each of us in our industry can play an important role in supporting women from all backgrounds or providing avenues for them to seek resources for career advancements and development. Whether through university partnerships, volunteer programs or mentorship opportunities, there are a plethora of opportunities to empower the women leaders of tomorrow.

?4.?????How is this next generation of female leaders showing up in the tech space?

I have the privilege of serving on the Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA) Women’s Leadership Council where we work with the next generation of women leaders and am also actively involved in a new AMD program, “Advancing Women in Technology,” for early-career female engineers.

From what I’ve witnessed in these roles, the next generation of women are investing in building strong relationships and understanding their peers on a deeper level – which is lovely to see. Participation in mentoring programs is on the rise to find similar voices and allyship within the tech sector. Through these relationships and mentorship opportunities, we are seeing a more regular cadence of asking for help from peers and experienced professionals. In addition, there’s less of a focus on “how” to achieve the next career level and more focus on seizing immediate opportunities.

?5.?????What are your tips for current leaders to enhance engagement with the next generation of leaders?

Any leader should be curious and model empathy. The world of work continues to shine a light on what it means to build connections and show up for others. It is important for leaders to understand the different learning styles utilized by the next generation and adapt when necessary. For example, the next generation of leaders is ready to enact change and seek support for navigating challenges and opportunities. This leads to better collaboration and opens the door for ongoing dialogue. Offering personal touchpoints or formal check-ins can enhance relationships between current and future leaders while building trust. Being intentional with how we show up for others and developing an inviting “norm” will create a trickle effect on the generational leaders to come.

?6.?????This is one question I always ask: What’s a piece of advice you’d give your younger self?

Make time to reflect on lessons learned from previous projects. By reflecting on both successes and areas for improvement, you can differentiate yourself from your colleagues and look for ways to push the envelope in future projects. Embrace personal and professional growth and do so in an informed way while utilizing the tools available for learning and development as you practice the art of “Replay and Reflect” – an exercise of retrospective self-reflection.

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Short Bio:

Ruth Cotter is responsible for unifying and aligning the AMD brand and people for success. With record revenue growth over the past five years, she supported scaling marketing programs and increasing brand awareness through its “together we advance” brand, strengthened thought leadership positioning of AMD Executive Team and increased engagement and commitment among global AMDers. She has led the HR team during a period when AMD doubled the size of its workforce with a strong focus on diversity and inclusion through improved company policies, benefits and community engagement.

In her previous role, Ruth oversaw investor relations where she led a proactive investor outreach campaign that resulted in AMD being among the best performing stocks on the S&P 500 and winner of 2023 Institutional Investor Magazine Most Honored Large Cap Semiconductor Company.?Cotter also successfully led the AMD Integration Planning Office following the company’s acquisition of Xilinx in 2022 and led a multi-disciplinary COVID-19 team, ensuring employee safety and support for AMD employees.

Cotter is Executive Sponsor of the AMD PRIDE and Women’s Forum Employee Resource Groups. She serves on the Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA) Women’s Leadership Council where she is active in initiatives that provide inspiration and sponsorship for the next generation of women leaders. She was honored as the Irish Technology Leadership Group (ITLG) 2023 Distinguished Leader and was named a 2023 Top 100 HR and Communication Professionals by National Diversity Council.

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