Global
Celebrating our Global Retail Leaders
06 Mar 2025
This year’s International Women’s Day campaign is focused on “Empowering today, Transforming tomorrow”. We are proud to feature the women who participated in our recent Global Retail Leaders programme as the faces of the campaign – embodying talent, passion and diversity. They include:
Aisha Al Habsi, CPOO Muscat Duty Free; Claire Breathnach, Senior Retail Concessions & Development Manager, ARI Ireland; Efi Alexiou, Sales Manager, Cyprus Duty Free; Israa Othman, Training & Marketing Manager, Ahlan Avenue Duty Free; Kari Scantlebury, General Manager, ARI Caribbean Inc.; Marie-Lise Manoukian; and Sarah Farrelly, Retail Director, Portugal Duty Free.
As part of our campaign with The Moodie Davitt Report to celebrate International Women’s Day, some of these inspiring ladies shared some of their insights and opinions on the progress that has been made in DE&I, and the work that is left to do. Here are some of the highlights:
1. What does this year’s IWD theme ‘Accelerate Action’ mean to you in the context of gender equality and leadership?
It stuns me that until 1973, women in Ireland were required by law to resign from their jobs when they got married. We look back now in disbelief and ask ourselves ‘how did we allow that to happen for so long?’. By now, it’s an accepted fact that achieving gender equality is something that must be done. However, what we are grappling with is not if change happens but when. For me, the theme ‘accelerating action’ means tackling the issue now, so that in another 50 years’ time we don’t look back on other imbalances such as our gender pay gap and ask, ‘why didn’t we do something sooner?
Senior Retail Concessions & Development Manager, ARI Ireland
2. Can you share a moment in your career where you had to take decisive action to drive change or create an opportunity for women in the workplace?
A key moment was when I spearheaded a mentorship program aimed at supporting and developing female talent within the organization, ensuring they had access to leadership training and career growth opportunities
Training & Marketing Manager, Ahlan Avenue Duty Free
3. If you could implement one bold, transformative action today to advance gender equality in the workplace, what would it be?
It has been noted that women in business are judged primarily on proof of previous successes, whereas their male counterparts are judged more on their future potential. Assessments on both previous successes and future potential could be worked into performance and talent reviews, allowing for a more balanced view across the genders. I think this would transform the hiring process; aid succession plans and help to provide more opportunities for women to shine in the workplace.
Retail Director, Portugal Duty Free
4. How can leaders ensure that diversity is not just a checkbox but an active driver of innovation and growth within teams?
With diverse hiring practices at the core, creating a culture that supports collaboration through social interaction, open communication and recognition can successfully drive innovation and profitability within organisations. By allowing individuals with varying perspectives to work together, creative solutions can be formulated to address challenges.
General Manager, ARI Caribbean Inc.
As a first step diversity should never be just a “checkbox” point in any organization. It is important that leaders embed diversity into the core of company culture by creating an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives and ideas are valued and considered in the decision-making. Leaders should also ensure diversity and gender equality, brings healthy competition within a workplace, that will bring innovative ways of working and thought process.
CPOO Muscat Duty Free
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