Clearview National February 2020 - Issue 219 | Page 27

WOMENININDUSTRY
Women in this industry are totally
underrepresented; across all the management
and wider industry, women are always
the minority. It is something the industry
absolutely needs to work on. I recently sat
on a panel which discussed how the building
industry can attract more women. Atthe
same time, it needs women in the industry
to step up and take on the opportunities
available.
Do you think women should be
treated differently in this industry? What are your short term and
long-term career goals?
I believe we should all be treated exactly the
same. I want to see equality because I want to
be treated the same as if I was I man. I would
like the same pay, benefits and job description
because I can do the job just as well. More
needs to be done to remove barriers to
women such as subconscious bias. This can be
done through training and greater awareness. I have been a big believer in hard work,
sheer determination and embracing new
opportunities when they come along. While
I am excited about my new role at Reynaers
and facing the challenges my role as Marketing
Director brings, who knows what the future
will hold.
Short-term: I am really excited about
applying a strategic approach to Reynaers
marketing and product management and
demonstrating what a leading player within the
industry can achieve. I’d like to think there is a
lot of value I can add to this organisation.
Long-term: One day I would love to use
my experiences, combined with my learned
skillsets, to undertake a doctorate and
complete my education. I would also like to
move to a Chief Marketing Officer role to
achieve my final career ambition.
Do you think fenestration is a
‘boys club’, please could you
explain why in either case?
100% yes! Why? Because it is so dominated
by men. And it doesn’t help that most of the
trade associations are chaired by men too. It’s
a male network which means women working
within this industry have to be particularly
strong to gain respect and recognition.
Have you faced any negative
attitude in your role, as a woman?
Most of my career, apart from when I was
at Next, I have operated in male dominated
industries and have consistently faced gender
bias. From the gender pay gap, to not being
considered for more senior positions, I have
had to face some rather negative attitudes to
date. However, I am proud to say that this has
never let me stop achieving my goals. In fact,
this negativity has probably contributed to my
determination to grow professionally.
Sadly, there is a lack of understanding that a
woman can be equally or if not more qualified
and capable of doing the job. It’s disappointing
and extremely backward thinking.
Do you think there should be
more women in fenestration?
Absolutely. Balanced decisions need to be
made by a mixed representation of both men
and women. Women shouldn’t be excluded.
I recently went to meet one of our
customers and was surprised to have a tour
with a senior fabricator who was a woman.
Brilliant. Women add so much value because
we are naturally organised, logical and are
adept at multi-tasking.
Do you think women are treated
differently in this industry?
Yes- but I don’t think it’s unique to this
industry. In my experience, UK businesses
could learn a lot from looking at how other
countries are attempting to tackle how
women can be recognised and respected, just
like their male peers.
What advice would you give yourself
at the start of your career?
To never lose focus and do everything within
your control to achieve your ambitions.
Who are your role models?
Baroness Karen Brady is someone I admire.
At a very young age, she went on to manage
a football team in what is (although this
does seem to be changing – slowly) a male
dominated industry. She’s achieved amazing
things in a man’s world, which I applaud.
‘I am very proud
to have achieved
one of my career
ambitions, which was
obtaining a senior
role in marketing’
Do you think men and women have
different qualities that make them
better suited to different roles?
No, definitely not. A good example is the
senior fabricator I mentioned earlier. There
is always this perception that a woman isn’t
physically strong enough. Physically some
of us may be a little weaker, but if we take
manufacturing, for example, so much of the
industry is becoming automated so physical
strength isn’t as much of a concern as it once
was.
What’s the best piece of advice
you’ve ever been given?
This piece of advice comes from one of my
recent bosses who told me to never make
assumptions. I am positive I have been given
other pieces of wisdom throughout my career,
but this particular piece has really stuck with
me.
What are you working on at the
moment that you’d like to share
with the Clearview readers?
Reynaers has strong growth ambitions
over the next three years. We have been
in the process of scoping out how we will
deliver growth. From having a clear vision, to
formalising a marketing strategy and being
open to change, it’s really exciting to be able to
work with a company that is on a journey to
deliver customer excellence.
In the next 12 months, Reynaers will be
introducing new products, channels, and
processes to enhance customer experience.
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