INSPIRING AND DRIVING WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT

Q: What is it about working at Hayleys Aventura that inspires you?

A: At Hayleys Aventura, the Finance Director’s role is more than managing financials since nonfinancial pillars are now considered equally important value capitals.

As a finance professional, effectively managing and staying ahead in a diverse range of sectors necessitates a continuous process of learning and unlearning whilst injecting a sense of excitement into my role.

Hayleys Aventura provides a comprehensive range of topnotch global industrial solutions to diverse sectors including the supply of industrial raw materials to the food and beverage (F&B), coatings, paint chemicals and polymers sectors. Additionally, we supply healthcare equipment and power engineering products, and have also ventured into the renewable power and energy sector.

The company has established its global footprint in Bangladesh and the Maldives, and has plans to enter Singapore and Indonesia for regional business development.

Q: How do you see gender diversity and inclusion being implemented in your workplace?

A: Hayleys Aventura predominantly operates in ‘male dominated’ clusters. However, we see many females driving sales and services in leadership roles in the company, particularly in engineering and science-based business verticals. For example, we have a female electrical engineer who operates our hydro plants.

Meanwhile, across our Industrial Raw Materials division, all technical aspects are driven by a female salesperson. Also, females represent the majority of our central corporate functions such as procurement, digital marketing and finance.

Q: In your position of influence, how are you able to mentor other female employees?

A: I see more women entering the finance field, and we also have female representation in the supply chain and procurement, corporate development and digital marketing divisions.

Females need to have more courage and passion to push themselves out of their comfort zones. Along with a positive mindset, this will lead them to be more resilient in today’s highly disruptive business landscape.

Once women ascend to leadership roles, they are handed an influential platform through which they can mentor, inspire and drive women empowerment. As a female leader, this becomes a heightened responsibility. At a certain level on the corporate ladder, your voice becomes powerful and you can make a critical difference to the women that come after you.

Thus, on the occasion of International Women’s Day in March, Hayleys Aventura is facilitating a women’s health initiative and cancer awareness initiative for female employees with the message ‘Fight – Believe – Hope.’

Q: What support structures need to be in place for women to juggle their personal and professional lives?

A: It’s important to provide a platform where women’s voices are heard, and for them to receive due recognition based on their skills and capability. Investment in career progression, learning and development, and increased female representation in technical and sales verticals are some mandatory initiatives.

As a mother, wife and working woman, I juggle my duties whilst prioritising with the support of my superiors, who have allowed me to manage these roles. I’m also lucky to have a supportive immediate family.

However, I firmly believe that this support should not be misused and professional responsibilities need to be fulfilled. Wearing multiple hats is tough, and requires tremendous energy and determination. It’s your choice whether to consider motherhood an excuse or inspiration.

In my life, motherhood is the key role that keeps me pushing towards the heights I have achieved or want to achieve in my life as I want to inspire my kids as much as they inspire me. Despite being relatively young, they clearly understand that their mother works just like their father with the shared goal of securing a better future for them.

Q: How do you envision inspiring other women to reach their potential?

A: Firstly, I’m a strong believer that before you inspire and empower others, you need to be empowered yourself. Therefore, every girl should build self-confidence, and assess her strengths, values, virtues and flaws, and convert weaknesses into opportunities.

It’s a must that you have an ambition and a purpose to dream big! You need to have the guts and confidence to find your own glory!

Furthermore, it is important to realise that to succeed, you need to work hard.

Finally, as women, we cannot shine in silos: we have to be adaptable and flexible. Women have to think and act differently, because we are blessed with an authentic set of values and virtues.

– Compiled by Yamini Sequeira

 

COMPANY DETAILS

Telephone: 2628400 | Email: info@hayleysaventura.com | Website: www.hayleysaventura.com