Porsche Celebrates Women Driving the Future

Six women leaders at Porsche are shaping the future of the iconic sports car brand.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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Porsche is celebrating International Women's Day by highlighting six women leaders across the company who are driving innovation and progress in engineering, IT, marketing, and more. From the brand's first female CIO to a product owner integrating the latest digital features, these women are redefining customer experiences and inspiring the next generation.

Why it matters

Porsche is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture that recognizes talent and expertise regardless of gender. By elevating the stories of these pioneering women, Porsche is demonstrating how diversity strengthens the company's innovative capacity, performance, and long-term viability.

The details

The six women profiled include Maren Springmann, the CIO overseeing Porsche's digital backbone; Anna Zahlava, a product owner integrating charging solutions into the My Porsche app; Samantha Balzano, a manager in interior body engineering who was the first woman appointed as a team leader in Porsche's production department; Ayesha Coker, the VP of Marketing at Porsche Cars North America and the first African American woman to join the company's Executive Committee; Carolina Maag, an overall HMI project leader responsible for the driver experience; and Nina Braack, the Manager of Esports at Porsche Motorsport leading the brand's factory sim racing team.

  • International Women's Day is celebrated annually on March 8.

The players

Maren Springmann

The CIO of Porsche who oversees the digital backbone of the iconic sports car brand, leading a team of about 700 people.

Anna Zahlava

A product owner for the My Porsche app, leading the integration of charging solutions and connecting developers, designers, and managers to create intuitive customer experiences.

Samantha Balzano

The manager of interior body engineering at Porsche, who was the first woman ever appointed as a team leader in the company's production department.

Ayesha Coker

The Vice President of Marketing at Porsche Cars North America, who became the first African American woman to join the company's Executive Committee in 2022.

Carolina Maag

An overall HMI project leader at Porsche, responsible for everything drivers see and touch on the screens inside the vehicle.

Nina Braack

The Manager of Esports at Porsche Motorsport, leading the Porsche Coanda Esports Racing Team competing at the highest level of sim racing.

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What they’re saying

“Growing up, she never focused on stereotypes. Whatever I wanted to do, she supported.”

— Maren Springmann, CIO

“Tennis taught me that momentum can change quickly. You learn to refocus and move forward.”

— Anna Zahlava, Product Owner

“I've only ever experienced a strong culture of respect, collaboration and a genuine interest in diverse viewpoints.”

— Samantha Balzano, Manager, Interior Body Engineering

“Innovation doesn't happen in isolation. It's driven by curiosity, the courage to think differently and the teams we choose to believe in and develop.”

— Ayesha Coker, VP of Marketing

“My biggest skill is being a translator – bringing different personalities and hierarchies together to deliver the best product for the customer.”

— Carolina Maag, Overall HMI Project Leader

The takeaway

Porsche's commitment to diversity and inclusion is driving innovation and progress across the company, as demonstrated by these six inspiring women leaders who are shaping the future of the iconic sports car brand.