Women 1st announced today that the vp of the worldwide account team for Coca-Cola Refreshments, Susan Gambardella, will highlight the business benefits of women’s professional networks and gender-balanced leadership to the hospitality, passenger transport, travel and tourism industries, on the 2013 Conference. The ladies 1st Conference would be hung on 19 June on the London Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square.
Gambardella is currently the vice-chair of the influential Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF), headquartered in Dallas, Texas, whose mission it’s to advance women’s leadership within the foodservice industry throughout North America. WFF was formed in 1989 and has over 3,700 members. Its corporate members include McDonald’s, PepsiCo, Sodexo, and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. In February, the WFF met with the Obama administration to showcase the organisation’s efforts to support gender balanced leadership.
Susan Gambardella says: “The fact is that gender-balanced boardrooms make commercial sense. To secure senior director positions, you will need to know and meet the fitting people – and that’s where professional networks play a pivotal role. Organisations like Women 1st not just facilitate networking events to aid women meet others in decision-making positions, in addition they provide the learning and guidance to assist women maximise such events. The ladies 1st Conference is a must-attend for any woman keen to climb the career ladder.”
Following the conference, Women 1st will announce the winners of its annual Shine Awards, the sole awards devoted to celebrating the achievements of girls working in hospitality, passenger transport, travel and tourism. The awards evening also will see Women 1st induct 25 outstanding women into the celebrated Top 100 Club. The pinnacle 100 Club includes a few of the most influential women in hospitality, passenger transport, travel and tourism, who act as ambassadors and role models for the feminine leaders of tomorrow.
Sharon Glancy, founding father of Women 1st says: “We are very excited to have Susan speak at our conference. Actually, it was a WFF convention that inspired me to establish Women 1st. They demonstrated how women and their employers may benefit from effective mentoring, training and networking opportunities. i used to be keen to copy that here within the UK and now the delegates on the 2013 conference can hear first-hand the benefits of gender-balanced leadership and be inspired to drive change of their own organisations.”
Women 1st is the idea leadership, training and mentoring programme for the UK’s hospitality, passenger transport, travel and tourism industries. It was established after sector skills council People 1st found that whilst nearly 60 percent of the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism workforce is female, only six percent of director level positions are held by women.
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