Women at the Helm: A Fireside Chat with Three Influential Leaders
Get ready to be inspired by the wisdom, and experiences of Lisa Hobbs, CEO of Etymon Projects, Simone Seiler, Global GM of FCM Meetings & Events, and Jacqui Challinor, Group Executive Chef of Nomad Group. These remarkable leaders have not only climbed to the top of their fields but have also uplifted and empowered those around them, driving positive change and redefining what it means to be a woman in leadership.
Lisa Hobbs
CEO of Etymon Projects
How did you get into the hospitality industry?
In 2010 I took the opportunity to step out of financial services and into hospitality when an opportunity arose with a growing restaurant group. What appealed to me was the excitement and challenge of working closely with the business owners to define a scalable operating model to achieve growth. I already had passion for the industry, however in making the change I realised how much I loved working with a people business and being a leader in an environment that is guest centred and service focused.
How did your career path take you to becoming a leader within the industry?
I was a product manager and developer in financial services at a Vice President level and managed teams. In hospitality I stepped in as a COO and 4 years later became the CEO. Leadership is where I can use all of my strengths and I lead wholeheartedly. The greatest rewards I have had so far in the industry is building teams, uniting them around vision and values and watching them thrive and grow.
If any, what are the challenges facing female leaders within the industry?
There are not enough female leaders or females who see their long-term career in hospitality. That is changing particularly with more opportunity through small to medium and larger groups in the industry. Females need to see other females leading the way to know there are opportunities and there is support to get there. I think this is happening and will simply take time for the gender balance at the most senior levels.
Is there anything you would like to see change in the industry to encourage more females to take up leadership positions?
More support for females in the industry to take up leadership positions. This could be in the form mentoring or coaching or in the form of including females at the table to learn with their colleagues. I would also like to see more females take up the challenge and back themselves to take up opportunities in the industry.
In 2021, 30% of hospitality leaders were female. Do you see a route to get more representation for female leaders within the industry?
We need more female leaders at the most senior levels, we need time and we need all leaders to champion women.
What style of leadership do you think works best within the industry?
Depends on the type of business within the industry. I would say Visionary and Transformational work well especially for growing hospitality groups.
What are 3 characteristics that make you a successful leader?
- Integrity and accountability
- Vision and the ability to unite your team around it
- Being brave and daring to lead
Simone Seiler
Global GM of FCM Meetings & Events
How did you get into the events industry?
I made the move to the MICE industry segment in early 2017, after 17 years in the leisure and corporate travel divisions of Flight Centre Travel Group. It was an exciting change at the time to build a new product stream for the business I joined, and of course it's always fun learning something new and working with different people. The last 7 years has been full of surprises and unexpected experiences, most importantly lots of laughs.
How did your career path take you to becoming a leader within the industry?
I have been very fortunate to be in various leadership positions over the last 22 years, and no single role has been the same! As opportunities presented themselves to take on new challenges whether it be to build a new business or turnaround existing ones, I was always ready to jump in and roll my sleeves up. I believe that you don't need to wait for a leadership title to lead, to make a difference and have a positive influence on those around you. Most recently, I have taken on the Global General Manager role for FCM Meetings & Events, once again I find myself at the beginning of an epic journey full of possibility, growth, and big plans for the future.
If any, what are the challenges facing female leaders within the industry?
In our industry we are surrounded by many talented women achieving amazing things. I believe that as women we can still be our own worst critics when it comes to our careers and realising our full potential. However, what I love is that we are very good at banding together to support and elevate each other. I am privileged to have worked and still work with many successful women over my career, and I can see the shift in mentally around celebrating and harnessing our feminine power more confidently. Certainly, there are ongoing challenges around salary gaps and the number of women in executive positions to continue to rise against.
Is there anything you would like to see change in the industry to encourage more females to take up leadership positions?
I'd like to see us continue to be more confident in what makes female leaders often the more suitable choice in the world we live in today, and the types of leaders that the next generation are inspired by and want to follow. We build confidence by investing in our personal & professional development, pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones, storytelling, and advocating for each other.
Despite three-quarters of the global events industry being women, men hold the majority of leadership positions at the C-suite, CEO, and board levels. Do you see a route to get more representation for female leaders within the industry?
To increase female representation in leadership within the events industry, I think we need to focus on; more leadership development programs for women, diverse hiring practices, equal pay initiatives, flexible work policies, promoting female role models, addressing unconscious bias, and stablishing support networks for women. These measures can foster inclusivity and diversity, driving more women into leadership roles.
What style of leadership do you think works best within the industry?
In our dynamic industry, a leadership approach characterised by a growth mindset, community spirit, transparent communication, empathy, creativity, and a touch of fun resonates deeply.
What are 3 characteristics that make you a successful leader?
Approachability, authenticity, and a results-driven mindset are three foundational characteristics that have contributed to my success as a leader.
Jacqui Challinor
Group Executive Chef, Nomad Group
How did you get into the hospitality industry?
I’ve always loved food and always knew my career would revolve around it, I just never knew what form it would take. If you ask my Dad, my childhood ambition was to become a sandwich maker, so I guess in some respect, I’ve achieved my dreams! As I got older, my sandwich making dreams progressed into nutrition and food science along with a keen interest in food styling, photography and media. When I finished high school, I enrolled in a commercial catering course at TAFE that covered a bit of everything and I found that the practical day in the kitchen was the one I looked forward to the most and the rest is history.
How did your career path take you to becoming a leader within the industry?
I never envisioned where my career would take me, I just loved cooking and being a chef so there was never any great ambition to lead kitchens, I just loved it. I’d like to think this is one of the reasons why I’m good at what I do. I think a lot of people these days focus on the glory before actually earning it, they’re looking for a fast track to the top without doing the hard yards and usually it’s this attitude that is glaringly obvious to the outside world. On the practical side, I’m a bit of a control freak and (I’d like to think) pretty organised so I think that’s what progressed me through the management lines in the kitchen pretty quickly. I’ve always treated any kitchen I’ve worked in like my own and I guess an attitude like that is noticed by the powers that be. I’d also like to think I’m a pretty cook 😉.
If any, what are the challenges facing female leaders within the industry?
As women, I think we stand in our own way sometimes. Whether it’s a confidence thing, imposter syndrome or just not wanting to inconvenience others or make a fuss; we don’t always stand up for ourselves or back ourselves like our male counterparts do. A personal goal for myself is to be more confident in my skills and what I can offer and to stand behind that. We can do more and we can ask for more, we are the only ones stopping ourselves, I think we will go a lot further by keeping this at the forefront of our minds.
Is there anything you would like to see change in the industry to encourage more females to take up leadership positions?
I think a lot of what I just mentioned will result in more females taking the bull by the horns and stepping up to the challenges of leadership roles. The reason I hesitated in applying for the head chef role at NOMAD was because I didn't think I was good enough, I thought the venue was too big for me, I didn't back myself creatively, I thought I was too young and most stupidly, I cared too much about what other people might think of me if I failed. My Dad told me that I would never know unless I tried and that if I didn’t succeed, then at least I tried; excellent Dad advice and something that I always try to carry with me.
In 2021, 30% of hospitality leaders were female. Do you see a route to get more representation for female leaders within the industry?
There are some really great and inclusive food communicators out there that do a wonderful job of representing and giving a voice to women in the industry so I think if they keep doing what they’re doing, our voices get louder. But we also have to continue to make some noise for ourselves and be confident in who we are and we contribute. At the end of the day, it is a male dominated industry but we are ultimately in control of our own destiny; be genuine in what you do and don’t be afraid to be proud of it!
What style of leadership do you think works best within the industry?
This is a tough one as there are so many different approaches! I’ve always led with firm and direct with a very worked minded focus, which I can acknowledge doesn’t always make me the warmest person in the room. I think I’ve always felt like I needed to be this way because I’m a woman; to hide the softer side and present a strong front. I think a good leader knows how to understand the individual members of their team and tailors their approach to each of them. Everybody works, behaves and responds differently so I think it’s important to learn how to get the best out of your team.
What are 3 characteristics that make you a successful leader?
- A genuine passion and love for food and restaurants
- A desire to lead by example
- Always striving for the best
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