Celebrate all women this International Women’s Day

Who’s your biggest supporter? We hear from some key women throughout the business.

International Women’s Day is March 8th, a global celebration of women’s achievements and a call to action for equality. To mark the event – and the surrounding month – all of the Ennismore family has gotten behind events and initiatives to empower and support women, from amplifying their voices to sharing their stories, starting with a shout-out to their greatest female supporters.

Alex Drinkwater, Head of Groups & Events at The Hoxton

“My strongest female influence is my Mum. She taught me the value of kindness and empathy. I think often in the corporate world, showing kindness or vulnerability can be perceived as a weakness, or that sentiment and tough decisions are mutually exclusive. Watching my Mum approach any situation with empathy and strength in the same breath, whether in her career or while caring for my Dad before he passed away, taught me that kindness shows strength.”

Aurelie Joy, Investment Manager at Ennismore

“In my first job, I met a woman who, to this day, is still my business mentor. She taught me that it’s okay to like contemporary art, sport, fashion AND excel spreadsheets. It’s better than okay; it’s powerful to be at ease with your inner diversity. For me, it doesn’t matter what gender you are, as long as you work hard, be professional and kind to everyone. Kindness is too often underrated.”

Eva Boelaert, Sales Coordinator at The Hoxton

“I don’t need to look too far in the Sales team either to find great female role models. We are led by Elaine Montagnani (Director of Sales), but more than that, the London/EU Sales team is 100 per cent female! It’s important to have role models you can identify with across all layers of the company and having a female manager and director is encouraging for all of us.”

Alex Dewar, Marketing Executive at Gleneagles

“I have a very close circle of childhood friends who are incredibly ambitious and motivated individuals, with jobs ranging from teaching, LGBT policy, clinical psychology, veterinary science and investment management. We all grew up together in a village in the Scottish countryside, followed different paths and continue to inspire each other.”

Lisa Harrower, Meeting & Event Sales Executive at Gleneagles

“I’m inspired by my very first ever manager Mrs Davidson from Champany Inn. As the owner of a successful business, she definitely encouraged me with my career in hospitality.”

Martina Luger, Chief Marketing Officer at Ennismore

“A woman who has been a huge inspiration to me is my mum. She came to London to escape the Prague spring in 1968 with a few quid and some cashew nuts in her pockets. She was not allowed to return home as Czech Republic closed down so started a new life in a new country with only letters home and not knowing anyone. She met my dad who also had just left Croatia and they built a life for themselves, starting her own business, raising my brother and me in London. I’m always in awe of how they managed to achieve so much with so little.”

Sally Glen, Regional Sales Manager at Gleneagles

“I have always surrounded myself with strong characters; positive and energetic people who have the ability to inspire and pick you up. I thrive from this. Over the years, I have worked (and still work) with amazing leaders who encourage me to grow and become the best version of myself.”

Jacqueline Broddell, Departmental Training Manager at Gleneagles

“One of my great aunts inspired me massively because of what she went through growing up through two world wars. Survival, despite loss and hardship, was the main theme of stories she told me when I was a child. It grounds me whenever I’m having a rough time.”

Melanie Carlos-Patton, People Advisor at Ennismore

“Magda, one of my closest friends, has made the biggest impact on who I am and who I continue to be. We are always at different stages of our lives and careers, but she’s always been my number one cheerleader. She inspires me to explore and try new things and to go after what I want. She always celebrates my successes as if it were hers. When things don’t feel great and I’ve been knocked down, she’s still there, dusting me off and getting me ready to stand back up. Without her, I wouldn’t be where I am today. In the words of Madonna: ‘Seek out strong women to befriend, to align yourself with, to learn from, to be inspired by and to collaborate with, to support and to be enlightened by.”

Elizabeth Forkuoh, Assistant Manager at Gleneagles

“My mother is the person who has had the greatest influence on my life. She has taught me to keep working hard for what I want and to be patient. Hard work does pay off! She has taught me to always be strong, both physically and mentally. To this day, I know that if I keep being as strong as my mother, I can do anything I set my mind to.”

Danielle Glaze, Product Design Coordinator at Ennismore

“The woman who has inspired me the most is my ma! She had me at 21 and settled in a country where she had no roots, educated herself and has an enviable work ethic that has allowed her to excel in her career. She instilled in me from a young age that being a woman meant that I would have to work hard to be recognised. She has always supported my decisions without (too much) scrutiny.”