‘Humbling’, an EMBA student's experience on launching Apple's pioneering Vision Pro, and her message for women

Commenting on what has been most valuable throughout her career, she said, ‘It is the drive to continually learn. Technology is constantly evolving, and it is increasingly important to evolve with it. This is essential for staying ahead of the curve. There is a saying that building the future is the best way to predict it.’

En Kelly is no stranger to breaking records, and her impressive career has seen her at pivotal moments in emerging tech history in the world’s most innovative firms. Prior to Apple, she worked at Microsoft on the first-generation HoloLens, the world's first fully untethered holographic computer. Her motto - ‘If you’ve found what you know you want to do, compare yourself to the best in the world' - best explains why she is often one of few female technologists creating the world’s future apps.

Ahead of International Women's Day on 8 March, she reflected on the current female representation in tech, and what it takes to succeed, saying, ‘Work ethic and grit can take you farther than you can imagine. Many of us grew up without female technologists as inspiration. We did not see ourselves as computer scientists, technical project managers, or anything else. It is astounding what you can accomplish if you pick a dream and consistently work towards it Every. Single. Day.'

Elaborating on her work ethic and grit, she said, ‘Lots of people pick a dream but never have the discipline to create a plan and work towards accomplishing it daily. You can study anything. You can learn anything. You can become anything. The only question is, what are you willing to give?’

Homeschooled until she first stepped into a classroom at age 15 at university, she shared what has helped inform her career choices. ‘The saying, ‘If you're the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room’ is very true, and the most valuable thing to me is that in the last 10 years, I have never come close to being the smartest person in the room. There is always more to learn.’

Her quest to learn is also borne out of her education experience, which has seen her, while at Oxford Saïd, gain a distinction in the Oxford Executive Diploma in Strategy and Innovation and part of the School’s team that competed in the final six presentations at the 2021 Map the System with the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship. Reflecting on her ongoing Oxford Saïd experience, she said, ‘Oxford excels not only in its academic rigour, but in bringing people together from all walks of life. I think it’s the best university in the world at that.’

The Oxford EMBA, currently ranked fifth in the world by the Financial Times, and first for 'aims achieved' by students, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

On what she has learned about herself in the process, she added, ‘I will never be the smartest person in the room, and that is something I look forward to every single day. There isn’t a single day at work where I walk in feeling l was the one with all the answers, and that is what makes it a never-ending adventure.’

It is her perspective that has perhaps, contributed most to her remarkable success. Describing her Apple Pro Vision experience, she notes, ‘Humbling… remarkable things are never accomplished alone. I’ve had the joy and privilege to work alongside some of the most brilliant people in the world while building Apple Vision Pro. It takes a village, and I feel honoured to have been with them on the journey.’