Central Securities Depository Of IRAN

On International Girls in ICT Day, April 24^th, we asked Mojgan Safari Moghadam, a leading director at Central Securities Depository of Iran. In this insightful interview, she shares her personal journey, her vision for a more inclusive tech future, and her empowering message for young girls eager to make their mark in ICT.

• Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today, especially as we reflect on International Girls in ICT Day on April 24^th. As the Support and Operations Management Director at Central Securities Depository of Iran (CSDI), you're in a unique position to comment on the role of women in the technology-driven world of customer service.

• Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure to be here and to discuss such an important initiative.

• For those who might be unfamiliar, could you briefly explain the significance of International Girls in ICT Day?

• Absolutely. International Girls in ICT Day is a global effort spearheaded by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to encourage and empower girls and young women to consider studies and careers in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). It aims to bridge the gender gap in the tech sector and highlight the exciting opportunities available.

•  Where did your career path begin with CSDI?

• I joined CSDI in October 2014 as an Information Technology Expert. In January 2019, I was promoted to Senior Expert in charge of Information Systems. Subsequently, in 2021, I was appointed as the Director of Support and Operations Management. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence from Amir Kabir University of Technology. I specialize in ITIL, the three-layer support framework developed at CSDI based on ITIL architecture, process analysis, and information systems design. I also have experience in academia, having taught Incident Management in Intelligent Transportation Systems at Amir Kabir University of Technology.

• And your responsibilities?

• My key responsibilities include managing and supporting all information systems and operational platforms, as well as monitoring the            performance and availability of all services and infrastructure. I also oversee the operations of CSDI’s Contact Center (1569), which provides  essential services to stakeholders across the capital market.

• What attracted you to enter the IT field and?

• I have personally been interested in technology and problem solving since always. I am fascinated by how software tools could simplify complex processes and increase organizational efficiency. My career path began with working in technical and programming departments, and gradually, as I gained experience in monitoring, fixing bugs and providing solutions to improve system performance, I moved to managing 'CSDI systems' support.

• As a woman in tech, what challenges have you faced and how have you overcome them?

• I have always tried to focus on my strengths instead of obstacles. My perseverance in learning, active involvement in projects and consistently delivering accurate, reliable solutions, gradually gained the trust of the teams I worked with and my managers. I attempted to effectively interact and build constructive relationships with other departments to create a professional environment where expertise and performance were the only criteria for evaluation, not gender.

• Did you have a role model in mind to inspire you?

• There have always been people in my life who have been inspiring in some way, but one of the most influential figures for me was Dr. Maryam Mirzakhani. I learnt from her that limitations only exist in our minds, and that with self-belief and consistent effort, we can carve out our own niche and be influential.

• CSDI is one of the main pillars of Iran's capital market infrastructure. What role does 'Support and Operations Management' Department play in this key institution?

• This department plays a vital role in ensuring system performance and operational stability. This is where real-time monitoring of systems, analysis and resolving errors, bug management and granting access are carried out with high precision and sensitivity. The support team is not only responsible for maintaining the stability, but also contributes to the continuous improvement of the systems by identifying the root causes of problems, accurate documentation and effective interaction with other departments.

• What developments in technology and digitalization have taken place in your department in recent years?

• Occasions as such are actually an effort to break the glass ceiling and rise to the top. We can motivate girls and women to imagine themselves in technical and decision-making positions. Highlighting successful role models, raising awareness among family and society and providing learning infrastructure for women are all effective in changing this course. From my perspective, as long as some girls remain hesitant to pursue this path or feel like not having equal opportunities, we need to mark such occasions.

• What is your message to young women interested in technology but hesitant about entering the field?

• I would like to say that if you're passionate about something, that passion itself is the biggest reason to start. The path might not be easy, and you might encounter people around you who create doubt, but what's important is to believe that you can. Technology is a place where every step you take creates a new world – and that’s truly empowering."

• How do you see the impact of presence of women in management roles on future generations?

• I believe this isn't just a personal success; it's a message to future generations that 'becoming' is possible. When teenage girls or young women see successful women in decision-making positions, it uplifts their self-confidence and the scope of their dreams and choices expands. This presence doesn't just impact individuals; It also leads to a shift in cultural and organizational perspectives on the role of women. When women are in management positions, their different leadership styles, attention to details, empathy and a more human-centered approach enter the management structure. It's precisely this diversity in approaches that leads to healthier growth for organizations. Indeed, every woman who steps onto the path of management makes the way a little smoother for the women who follow her. And this is an important and valuable form of social responsibility that has an impact beyond organizational boundaries.

A Look into the Future

• What opportunities do you see in the future of Iranian technology for young women?

• With digital transformation, diverse opportunities have emerged for launching startups and innovative businesses. This allows women in Iran to play a more prominent role in the technology field and compete effectively in this arena.

• If you could give your younger self just one piece of advice, what would that be?

• So often, that inner voice that asks, 'Are you sure you know how?', 'Are you sure you're in the right place?', makes you step back. But the reality is that learning, growth and success always happen right within these doubts. I would tell myself that "No one expects you to know everything from the start; I just need to take the first step, ask questions, make mistakes, and rise up again."

• At the end, please choose among one of the following:

 ☐ “Girls in ICT: A Story of Leadership, Data, and Determination”

☒ “Building Trust Through Tech: A Conversation with CSDI’s Support and Operations Management Director”

☐ “From Algorithms to Accountability: A Woman’s Journey in the Heart of CSDI”

☐ “In the Frontlines of Digital Infrastructure: A Woman’s Role at CSDI”

☐ “Tech, Transparency, and Tenacity: Celebrating Women in ICT at CSDI”

☐ “Girls Belong in Tech — And Here’s the Proof”

Release Date: 4/21/2025

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