Today marks International Women’s Day, which Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) is marking with the next chapter in its Women in Aviation campaign, a celebration of influential women in the industry, and their impact therein.
Comprised of 10 female leaders from the world’s biggest airlines and suppliers, the campaign includes a report that explores their experiences and successes, and their insights into the aviation industry through the lens of female diversity. Some of the industry’s leading female professionals have taken part, including Vivian Lo, general manager of customer experience and design at Cathay Pacific; Jo Rowan, associate director at PriestmanGoode; Elina Kopola, founder of the Green Cabin Alliance; Shawn Duffy, senior vice president at Viasat, and more. The campaign also revisits participants from the original 2019 campaign, highlighting the notable changes and progress made over the past five years.
The report, now available online, can be downloaded for free here. In the report, the participants share the journeys of their careers, imparting advice and anecdotes to help other women working in or seeking to work in aviation.
Vivian Lo from Cathay Pacific emphasises the importance of uniqueness and staying true to one’s self, commenting: “As you work more and more, you realise that standing out has its cons, but also pros. Being the minority allows [you] to be more outspoken and respected for what [you] say.”
Echoing Lo’s advice is Kathryn Doyle, associate director at Collins Aerospace. She states: “Confidence, authenticity, an openness to learn, and a genuine passion for the industry tend to help you shine through. I’ve never tried to be anything other than myself, and I strongly believe that being genuine is critical to developing positive relationships and establishing you as a leader.”
The report also delves into current industry trends, touching on diversity and being female in a male-dominated industry. Jo Rowan at PriestmanGoode believes gender does not determine success, but instead it is achieved by pushing boundaries and breaking the mould. She said: “Women may see things differently, they may approach challenges differently, but it isn’t about being male or female. It is about having the right skills for the project and matching skillsets to the task needed.”
Speaking about the Women in Aviation report, Polly Magraw, event director of Aircraft Interiors Expo, said: “Once again, we are incredibly proud of the Women in Aviation campaign this year. Being able to pull together the diverse and fascinating insights from the leading women driving the industry – imparting their knowledge onto others – is a huge privilege. It’s promising to see that not only is the industry making positive progress, but that gender needn’t determine one’s success.
“AIX is the home of conversations that influence the industry of tomorrow, and by highlighting the achievements and challenges of these women, we can carve out a clear path to even greater diversity in the industry and encourage more influential, ambitious women to help drive it forward.”
