Through research, innovation and determination, these six women exemplify success in the Industry 4.0 space.

If you are in an Industry 4.0 career then you know just how quickly the sector can transform and change. Some of the ways people in this area stay up to date include making an effort to attend industry events, engaging with learning opportunities via online courses, shadowing more experienced colleagues, and carrying out personal research and projects to advance skill.

Another useful and highly effective method of staying clued in is following the careers of talented, skilled and notable professionals who have played a role in making the ecosystem what it is today through their contributions and insights.

If you intend to move into an Industry 4.0 role, or want to better understand the potential of committing to a career in this area, then make sure you are following the careers of these six women.

Jennifer Kelly

With more than 20 years of experience as an international director and senior manager across a range of multinational companies and sectors, Jennifer Kelly is the co-founder and COO of WrxFlo, an Irish SaaS platform tailored for manufacturing and logistics operations.

She has significant experience working within the global supply chain space, with large teams, top multinationals and SMEs. She has worked globally throughout Europe and the US on acquisitions and on multi-complex projects and has significant insight into the key challenges and opportunities that often arise in the industry. 

Cynthia Breazeal 

Considered by many to be a pioneer of social robotics and human-robot interaction, Cynthia Breazeal is a professor of media arts and sciences at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the founder and director of the Personal Robots group at MIT’s Media Lab. She is the dean for digital learning at MIT, with vast experience leveraging emerging digital technologies, business, research and strategic initiatives.

With a deep interest in AI literacy, she is the founding director of MIT’s Initiative on Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education, which is a research and outreach effort that aims to improve opportunities and education in AI for young people and adults in the workplace. Her ‘Day of AI’ programme has brought AI literacy education to more than 1m students in 170 countries. She also co-founded the consumer social robotics company Jibo, where she served as chief scientist and chief experience officer.

The recipient of multiple commendations for her work, she is also an author, has sat on several high-profile boards and has vast experience speaking at key industry events such as TED, the World Economic Forum, the UN, SXSW, CES and top academic conferences. 

Dr Sabina Jeschke

Dr Sabina Jeschke is the CEO of KI Park, a Berlin-based organisation that aims to accelerate AI innovation across Germany and wider Europe, with the larger goal of making the continent a global leader in AI by 2030.

Jeschke’s primary focus is in the areas of highly innovative technologies such as AI, digital twins, 5G and 6G applications and quantum computing software. She is a consultant and a non-executive board member for several organisations supporting companies in their digital transformation. She also develops automation strategies for robots and cobots, in a landscape that is changing globally.

Jeschke has been recognised by her peers and been the recipient of a number of commendations and awards, including from the German Informatics Society and the International Society for Engineering Education. 

Dr Tara McGuire

An emerging figure in the Industry 4.0 space, Dr Tara McGuire is a postdoctoral fellow at University College Dublin (UCD).

She was actively involved with a team of researchers from the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences that recently developed a new 3D implant solution to help heal spinal cord injuries. At the time, McGuire was a member of RCSI’s Tissue Engineering Research Group.

Currently, as a postdoctoral researcher in UCD’s neuromuscular systems and neural engineering group, her work focuses on the computational modelling of deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease, with the goal of creating better simulations and treatment strategies. McGuire’s work has led to high-impact publications in the bioinformatics and bioengineering spaces and she has been recognised for her insights at both national and international conferences.

Bronagh Riordan

An AI and data partner at EY, Bronagh Riordan helps deliver data, analytical and AI-powered strategies and solutions to help users meet global business needs. Before joining the organisation, she held senior roles across the industry at companies such as Primark, Evanta and Deutsche Bank, where she was largely responsible for developing strategies, transforming data, analytics and AI capabilities and delivering impactful technology products.

In 2023 and 2024, she was recognised as a Global Data Power Woman, which acknowledges the recipient as a successful woman holding a leadership position in a prominent global organisation. She also featured in the Top 100 Influential Women in Irish Tech in 2025 and was named the Analytics & AI Data Leader of the Year in 2023.

Riordan regularly speaks at industry events and is particularly passionate about serving as a role model for other women in the space.

In 2022, she became the first female board chair of any technology centre in Ireland after being appointed to the Industry Steering Board at CeADAR – Ireland’s Centre for Applied AI. She is also a member of the Government of Ireland’s Artificial Intelligence Advisory council. 

Emma McKenna

Emma McKenna is the head of sustainable manufacturing at the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre.

She has a wide range of experience working within the public and private sectors with the goal of accelerating the shift to a circular economy, working towards net zero and tackling real-world challenges to achieve a sustainable and inclusive future.

Her previous experience includes work as the head of net zero at Innovate UK Business Connect, a circular economy business adviser at ReLondon and a sustainable cities engagement project officer for the Peterborough Environment City Trust. In 2025 McKenna, alongside colleague Dr Lauren McGarry, was recognised at the 2025 Northern Ireland Women in Tech Awards for her work and leadership in manufacturing innovation.

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