Genève Aéroport in partnership with the Lagardère Travel Retail group and the WiTR association organised its first " Women in Travel Retail " conference on Tuesday 14 October. During this inspiring evening, women leaders in the industry shared their thoughts on women's resilience and how it can transform the professional world. About sixty women in the sector responded to this invitation and participated in the debates.
Diversity as a driver of performance
"Like other sectors, Travel Retail is based on a traditional model and therefore quite male. Many women work there, but few reach management positions," said Kristina Mees, Sales and Development Director at Genève Aéroport. Yet, women's resilience can shape and transform the world of work. "The diversity of profiles is an essential lever for improving the performance of companies," noted Sarah Gamblin, communications manager at the professional integration association Découverte. "Women bring new points of view and think outside the box. They instil real organizational resilience. »
How can this change in culture be brought about in Travel Retail? Noelle Goris, VP Global Travel Retail & APAC at La Prairie/Chantecaille (Beiersdorf Luxury), was the first woman to hold this position within the group. "When I arrived in the company, the management was very vertical. Women have the ability to bring about profound cultural change, by establishing more autonomy, listening and collaboration. It is these values that make it possible to move the lines," she explained.
"Seizing opportunities"
The resilience of women in Travel Retail is an asset. This is even what helped Charlotte Delmas, Chief Operational Performance Officer and Chief Operating Officer Europe - Lagardère Travel Retail Group, in her career. "Women should not be afraid to seize opportunities, sometimes by provoking them, and to step out of their zone of trust. In any case, that's what allowed me to evolve in my career. You have to believe in yourself and take the initiative," she said.
While women are still not very present in the management bodies of Travel Retail companies, the situation is gradually changing. How could women's resilience shape the future of the sector? "In my opinion, it is the strength of doing things together, with more cooperation than competition, more dialogue, that will make things happen," explained Susanna Swann, Director of Human Resources at Genève Aéroport. She recalled that "all women who hold a position of responsibility in companies today are pioneers. They had to show a certain strength to be there. This self-confidence must never leave them! »
Two Geneva associations were honored, proving the strength of the links between the Travel Retail industry and the Geneva region: the " Découverte " association and the Geneva League Against Cancer.
This panel was followed by a networking cocktail, promoting exchanges between the three pillars of the Travel Retail ecosystem – airports, operators and brands. In today's complex and volatile context, the unifying aspect of resilience reveals its relevance for the future of Travel Retail.
See you next year to extend the exchanges!
A big thank you to the sponsors: Le Chef, La Prairie, Mavala, Maestrani, Caran d'Ache, Maison Noir, Rémi Cointreau, Choya and Valrhona.