Rachel Gawley's path to becoming CTO of Whitespace reflects a lifelong fascination with technology and its potential to transform everyday life. From creating e-commerce sites during university to founding her own MedTech startup, Rachel has consistently embraced technology's evolving landscape, eventually moving into AI where she now leads Whitespace's development of Collective, an AI-powered platform designed to enhance decision-making and drive productivity.
Working alongside Andrew McCartney, with whom she has tackled challenges over the past 20 years, Rachel has built what she describes as an "all-star" team. She recently shared her insights with Sync NI about building teams from the ground up, the importance of authentic mentorship, and why the tech industry benefits when it welcomes diverse voices and experiences.
Have you always had an interest in technology, and was there a specific person or particular event that led you into your current role?
I have always had a passion for technology. I love seeing the value it can bring to day-to-day life. I had personal tech projects during my degree. I’ve gone from creating ecom sites to sell bespoke t-shirts during uni, creating apps for my mum during my PhD days, to having my own MedTech startup. More recently, I moved into tech-enabled physical devices and then AI. I love learning and adapting to new things, tech is the ideal environment for those who love to continue to learn, grow and evolve.
Regarding Whitespace, I’ve worked with Andrew McCartney on some incredible challenges together over the past 20 years and had a lot of fun along the way. It’s good to be building the AI future with him.
What would you consider to be the most enjoyable and rewarding aspects of your job
I’ve been able to build what I call an “all-star” team formed of talented individual contributors that come together as a team to challenge the status quo, deliver results and have fun doing it while maintaining a work-life balance. Having worked with them individually in different contexts over the years, I’ve had the rare chance to shape a team from the ground up. Even our development approaches are bespoke to this team and the problems we are solving.
Day to day, I love the mix of executive, scaling company meaty challenges and then switching it up to work with the team to make sure research and engineering are aligned to our company goals. It’s great to work on a new and live product, and I love seeing the internal team use Collective, our AI-powered platform built to enhance decision-making and drive productivity, day to day, as much as working with clients.
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In terms of career development, how important is it to build a professional network and attend industry events?
It is vital. After running my own company, time at PwC and site lead positions, I returned to hands-on technical work, software engineering and consultancy through my boutique agency. I worked across London, the EU, and the UAE. Every single contract came through my network. Some of those conversations ignited after 8 years. A strong professional network cannot be rushed or bought. It takes time, patience and continued investment in it
How much impact can a mentor have on your personal development
A huge impact, you always need to have a mentor at every stage of your career. I’ma big fan of mentorship coming from outside your current company. Don’t be afraid to move away from a mentor, official or unofficial, if it is not working for you. Personal development is not just one thing, it’s a combination. I’ma big fan of executive coaching and accountability. The aim is to find a balance between support and challenge. Too many people these days are not up for the challenge and think mentoring should always be support, completely unchecked. This is not beneficial to anyone. I think we all have a responsibility to be both mentee and mentor. Giving back makes you see things differently.
What guidance would you offer to any young person on why they should consider a career in technology?
Just start. There is a lower barrier to entry to technology than ever before. There are free courses, AI and tools. You can start with just a computer. Technology comes in waves, and it’s good to remember we are in a booming AI wave; it’s easy to be swept up in it. When it passes, you will need grit and determination to continue to adapt to our world and stay the course.
What advice would you give to women considering a career change or return to work but are daunted by the prospect of working in what can be perceived as a male-dominated industry?
If you are already in the room, you don’t need to credentialise yourself. You are meant to be here, and the tech domain is better for it. Open the door for others who might need a helping hand. Find your people, if you don’t move on until you do. All background and experience add value; explore how to use them to benefit you in technology roles. If the people in the room don’t look like you, you need to be there more than ever and open the door to others who are not represented.
For those who may not come from a STEM background, what other career opportunities exist within the tech sector beyond software engineering
My most recent hire was from a mechanical engineering background. Right now, I would hire any kind of talented engineer with the right mindset and ability to leverage AI. From outside STEM, anyone with the ability to be creative and solve problems should consider technology. The future is that all roles will be AI-enabled. Even non-technical roles in Whitespace are augmented with AI from business operations, product delivery, etc.
Sync NI's Summer 2025 magazine celebrates women in tech across Ireland as we continue to encourage more women to enter the thriving sector and address the current gender imbalance. Read the Summer 2025 Sync NI Magazine online for free here.
