Tell us a bit about yourself… 

My name is Jennifer, I was born and raised in North Wales. I’m married with one daughter – Scarlett who’s 12.  I’ve definitely become a ‘dance mum’ as she is an avid ballroom and latin dancer!

In my spare time I love cooking for friends and family and making jewellery.

I started in the Automotive industry in 1997 and worked my way through a series of roles in Bid Management, Customer Service and Sales, landing in KINTO six years ago, where I am now proud to be Director of Sales and a member of the management board.

Why do you think it is important to celebrate international Women’s Day? What does it mean to you? 

Celebrating International Women’s Day gives us all a moment to reflect and recognise just what we can achieve, no matter what our life choices and backgrounds are. Together we have the power to make a positive difference!

This year’s International Woman’s Day theme is #EmbraceEquity, what does this mean to you?

It’s about recognising our differences and that we don’t all start from the same place! With that in mind, it’s about allocating the right resources and opportunities so that we can all thrive and succeed.

What barriers have you faced in your career? And, how did you overcome them?  

Earlier in my career, I did face quite a few occasions when others in the industry would make assumptions about my seniority and role. For example, I attended a manufacturer launch event and took along a male member of my team as a reward for a project they completed. On arrival, a Fleet Manager approached us, turned to me and said: ‘Isn’t it nice that your boss has brought you with him’. I learnt that the bias was not intentional, it was an instinctive assumption therefore you can only control your response in the moment!

What is the most important piece of advice you have been given?  

I’ve watched a super TED Talk by a lady called Carla Harris from Morgan Stanley, and it really resonated with me. She said it’s vital to find a business sponsor – someone who will have you’re best interests at heart. They need to be in a position of power to get things done and have exposure to your good work. She also said there are two types of currency ‘performance currency’ which raises your visibility in an organisation and ‘relationship currency’ with a business sponsor who will present you in the best light, with the right people to help you progress.

In other words, a business sponsor is someone in your corner ‘speaking for you’ and we all need someone like that!

What advice would you give to women in our business hoping to make an impact in KINTO? 

Be yourself, be always professional, and embrace all opportunities to build your network and understanding of our organisation.

How can we encourage more women to pursue senior leadership roles?  

By improving the promotion and visibility of women in senior leadership roles to the rest of the organisation, so that aspiring women can identify potential paths to success and what can be achieved.

Is there anyone that has inspired you in your career? Who was it and why did they inspire you?  

Yes – Natasha Kaplinsky and Katie Ledger (both were anchor women for the BBC and Channel 5 News). I had the pleasure to spend a couple of days with them on 1:1 training for presentation skills and delivering key messages with impact and gravitas. They’ve showed me that there is a real art to engaging and truly connecting with an audience. I firmly believe that it’s better to be remembered than forgotten!

Why do you think diversity and inclusion in the workplace is so important? 

It’s important so we can attract the best talent to the organisation and create an environment with enhanced creativity and innovation, and a more engaged, happy and productive workforce.

If you could have dinner with any inspirational woman – dead or alive – who would it be and why?  

Michelle Obama. She shows great resilience and commitment and is a powerful advocate for women and girls around the world. She uses her skills to be a positive role model and to inspire girls to work hard and flourish in the face of judgement, opinion, or injustice.

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Tell us a bit about yourself… 

My name is Rachael and I’m the Senior Manager, Commercial at KINTO UK. I’ve been with the business for 15 years now, but started here as a temporary employee on a 6 week contract!

I’m married and have 2 children.

Why do you think it is important to celebrate international Women’s Day? What does it mean to you? 

International Women’s Day celebrates how far, as a society, women’s rights and gender equality has come. It’s a day where we can celebrate this, but we also need to use it to highlight that there is still more that needs to be done and that progress doesn’t happen by accident.

International Women’s Day isn’t just for women, it’s for everyone. It’s a day dedicated to celebration, unity, reflection, advocacy, and action for all women around the world that are fighting to have their voices heard. So, even if you don’t feel discriminated against, if you don’t want to celebrate it for yourself, consider celebrating it for those that need our help.

This year’s International Woman’s Day theme is #EmbraceEquity, what does this mean to you?

Equality is the goal, and Equity is how we get there. We can achieve this through fair treatment and being given equal opportunities.

For me #EmbraceEquity means embracing diversity and inclusion, to be unified in our goals and help drive success for everyone.

What barriers have you faced in your career? And, how did you overcome them?  

Back in 2020 I was diagnosed with Endometriosis and adenomyosis, and over the past 3 years I have been on a long journey to manage the conditions. Whilst this may have been a barrier for some, I have been extremely lucky to work for a business and management who have supported me so well throughout!

What is the most important piece of advice you have been given?  

The only person that will hold you back is yourself.

What advice would you give to women in our business hoping to make an impact in KINTO? 

Believe in yourself and your abilities, trust your own judgement and don’t be easily swayed by others’ opinions.

Do what is right, not what is easy.

How can we encourage more women to pursue senior leadership roles?  

Provide women with access to mentors. Offer development programmes to actively prepare women for leadership roles.

Be an active member in the Automotive 30% club and One Toyota networking events.

Why do you think diversity and inclusion in the workplace is so important? 

Being a diverse and inclusive workplace means that we will be able to attract and retain the best talent in the industry, increase our employee satisfaction which will improve our performance. A diverse range of people leads to better discussions, decisions and outcomes.

If you could have dinner with any inspirational woman – dead or alive – who would it be and why?   

Mary Shelley – she created the catalyst for the science fiction genre, without Frankenstein, we wouldn’t have many of the great stories what we have today.