A Proud History Supporting Female Professionals In A Male-Dominated Sector
Tuesday 8 March will mark the 111th anniversary of International Women’s Day.
A gathering that began on the streets of western Europe as a fight for female suffrage has grown into a worldwide movement celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women – without losing sight of the challenges ahead.
This year’s campaign theme is #BreakTheBias – a call to imagine a gender equal world; a world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination.
“It is relevant that all industries recognize the prerequisite of diversity and inclusion to drive the triple bottom line,” said Margaret Kidd, Program Director, Supply Chain and Logistics Technology at the University of Houston. “Enabling women today guarantees tomorrow is a better place for all.”
At Breakbulk Events & Media, we have a proud history of supporting female professionals in a male-dominated sector.
Our Women in Breakbulk networking platform brings together women from across the supply chain to share their experiences and talk about the challenges they have faced while building a successful career in the breakbulk, project cargo and maritime industries.
Make no mistake – the sector has made some brilliant progress.
From leading figures getting a seat at the top table such as DHL’s Sue Donoghue, to companies such as Saudi Arabia’s project cargo-handling King Abdullah Port that hires only women to staff its control rooms, women are making their mark and changing the industry landscape forever.
“The industry is more open now than it was when I started, there are more opportunities,” said Donoghue, DHL’s CEO of the Arab Cluster. “There is still a way to go, but there are a lot more initiatives and support for women to come in and get to board level.”
Sarah Schlüter, Hapag-Lloyd’s senior director of niche products with global responsibility for project, heavy and out-of-gauge cargoes, pointed to a shifting culture in the shipping industry.
“Shipping is not a traditional industry for women, but many industries are not and the chances to succeed become better and better as slowly but steadily we see more females in senior management positions,” the executive said.
A centrepiece of the networking platform is our Women in Breakbulk Breakfast, an event bringing female leaders together at the three annual Breakbulk conferences in the Middle East, Europe and the Americas.
This year’s event at Breakbulk Middle East in Dubai saw an inspiring line-up of six female executives outlining how soft skills such as leadership, creativity, resourcefulness, adaptability, critical thinking and teamwork are crucial for getting ahead in business.
Speaker H.E. Eng. Hessa Al Malek, executive advisor to the minister, United Arab Emirates Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, told audience members that key to successful leadership was understanding and getting the best out of your team.
“To be a leader does not mean you are on the top and you just give instruction. No, you are one of the team,” she said. “If you know what you want and you know your team’s capabilities, and the strengths and weaknesses of each one, if you work on supporting their weakness, they will deliver the best of them.”
Sanaz Taransari, managing director at Seaport UAE, spoke at the same event about the importance of resourcefulness.
“You must come up with solutions with what limited resources you may have. But if you work hard, you’re resilient and resourceful, you will always find a way to succeed.”
Breakbulk Europe 2022, taking place in Rotterdam from 17-19 May, will this year host its Women in Breakbulk Breakfast on the Wednesday morning, and will continue featuring #BreakTheBias as its key theme. Our speakers will be there and ready to engage with the audience, pass on their insight and rally the next generation of female leaders.
And that is the essence of International Women’s Day – doing our best today to create a safer, fairer and more prosperous world for tomorrow.
“It is incumbent on all of us to inspire,” said Georgine Guillory, the first female president at the Port of Beaumont Commission. “And to make sure that is a part of our every day.”
From all of us at Breakbulk Events & Media, we wish you a Happy International Women’s Day. We look forward to seeing you in Rotterdam!
