On a rainy morning in May, a packed room gathered on the top floor of our London office to celebrate women in aviation. It was great to see that, despite the weather, the room was filled with women and men, junior and senior, who worked across a range of industries. The bustling guests, chatting between a croissant and a coffee, struggled to quiet when Georgina Field introduced the illustrious panel. The speakers, a remarkable group with different backgrounds, reflected on their careers and shared some of the lessons from their journey. 

The importance of mentors

One of the key takeaways was the importance of good mentors and an effective support system in the workplace. For instance, Zayba Drabu, Norton Rose Fulbright, mentioned that her team is filled with incredible female mentors who became role models for her throughout her career. Hearing Zayba say this, who I work with every day and who is a mentor for me, was particularly resonant. Anna-Cendrine Laflaquiere, Airbus, described how the right mentors push you outside of your comfort zone, with the initially intimidating experience of speaking to more senior men with deep engineering backgrounds, ultimately being very rewarding. This was a reminder of the importance of being a good peer and mentor. It was impossible not to realise that the speakers, perhaps thanks to the those they learnt from, have become great mentors themselves. 

Being flexible: opportunities and work-life balance

The importance of being flexible, whether that means adapting to new situations to seize opportunities or adapting around life outside of work, was insightful. Victoria Goodenough, SMBC Bank International, told us that her first project was the first ever financing of an airbus. Victoria adapted to a new challenge and never stopped learning throughout her career. Being flexible also means adapting to life, for instance working four days a week to be a parent and deal with life outside of work like Zayba. This was a valuable lesson and one which industries should embrace to be more open.

The future of women in aviation

A final takeaway were the valuable reflections on how to further increase the number of women in the aviation industry. Ana Urien, Stratos, outlined that 52% of her team were women – crediting this to the support systems in the organisation. This ranged from a culture that facilitated both men and women alike to pick up children from school during “traditional” work hours and then to continue work from home at times that suit their schedule and responsibilities. Ana also made the poignant point that companies can partner with educational institutions to spread awareness of what the industry does. Clearly, organisations need to provide support to their employees and interact with entities in other spheres of society to further inculcate the message that it is possible for anyone to flourish in the aviation industry, no matter their background. 

Overall, learning about their careers was inspiring for me, given I am towards that start of my own. I learnt of how they adapted to the challenges that life threw their way and took valuable lessons that I can use for my own development. Most of all, it was an insight into how organisations can and must create the right environment to institute and maintain positive change. 

Authored by Leone Astolfi, Trainee Solicitor based in our London office.