WE STILL NEED MORE FEMALE LEADERS ESPECIALLY IN INDIA AND SOUTH ASIA: KERRIE HANNAFORD

'WE STILL NEED MORE FEMALE LEADERS ESPECIALLY IN INDIAAND SOUTH ASIA'

Being well versed with Accor’s processes and systems in sales, marketing and distribution, Kerrie Hannaford, VP- commercial, Accor India & South Asia, strives to integrate and capitalise on the current team strengths to Accor in the best interest of their hotels network in India. In an interview with Akshay Nayak, Hannaford reiterates that the Indian hospitality industry still needs more female leaders

How has the hospitality industry changed over years in terms of inclusivity of women in leadership roles?

It has changed considerably since I started years ago. A female general manager was unheard of and the best a female executive could hope for would be an area or regional director of sales and marketing. Now we have women who are CEOs, SVPs & VPs of operations, finance, development, legal and commercial units – with global and country responsibilities. We still need more female leaders especially in India and South Asia.

Being VP Commercial, what challenges and opportunities do you face looking at such aclarge market?

Opportunities are boundless if you think definitely and behave with courage. Being part of Accor gives me global strength but also the autonomy and authority to act locally. One challenge to overcome is the vast size of the country and multiple cultures - to be able to respond quickly to changing markets in different regions. Also, responding to unanticipated setbacks like Coronavirus – we are lucky in some respect India has its own domestic economy - we hope to weather this global storm with national pride and Indian’s conducting business at home and supporting local business.

How do you manage worklife balance?

Like most new executives in their first 90 days, its hectic but then after if you plan well, life finds its rhythm again, you can start to balance work and home life. It’s important for me to switch off completely, recharge and then bounce back in again. It does require discipline though.

What steps have you considered to break the glass ceiling?

Be authentic and be you, have the courage to position yourself as a leader, do the hard stuff but always keep learning and step out of your comfort zone.

Your mantra to keep yourself motivated and empower more women to join the hospitality force.

Clichéd but my motivation comes when I see potential in people, that they can’t see, encourage them to do better, be better and then succeed. Most people have enormous talent they just don’t know how to harvest and harness it. Helping them do that is most rewarding – it’s like when your favourite team or player wins the World Cup, it is exhilarating. Kerrie Hannaford

Most people have enormous talent; they just don’t know how to harvest and harness it. Helping them do that is most rewarding - it’s like when your favourite team or player wins the World Cup, it is exhilarating

Sakha Consulting Wings at IGI Airport launches women-driven cab service for women travellers

EF&H Staff New Delhi

IN A FIRST SUCH initiative at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Sakha Consulting Wings has tied up with GMR at the IGI airport to provide women driven cab service for women travellers. Women passengers travelling alone now have a safer commuting option from the airport.

The initiative has been launched by Sakha Consulting Wings under its brand name ‘Women With Wheels’. All the women drivers are experienced and have been extensively trained in driving and self-defence by its strategic partner Azad Foundation. The cabs are available for hire 24×7 from Sakha “Women With Wheels” exclusive booth at Arrival Forecourt T3, opposite Gate no: 6- near Pillar no: 16.

Travellers can also book a cab online. Women passengers can head over to the company’s website to pre-book the cab before arrival. There are two helpline numbers which will take bookings from the travellers. The fares are similar to other taxi services, which work on a distance-travelled model, along with a 25 per cent additional charge for night hours (10 pm to 5 am)

Commenting on the occasion, Arvind Vadera, CEO, Sakha Consulting Wings, said, “It is one of the biggest milestones in the journey of Sakha yet. A dedicated space at the Indira Gandhi International Airport not only assures women travellers of their safety, it will also go a long way in generating bigger employment opportunities to the women from marginalized communities. We are thankful to the airport authorities for the opportunity.” “We are also deeply grateful to NHFDC (National Handicapped Finance and Development) Foundation for financing vehicles through a partnership that will also generate returns for persons with disability,” he added.

Sakha works together with Azad Foundation to ensure “livelihoods with dignity” for resource poor women. Azad delivers professional driving and chauffeur training to marginalised groups of women. It creates support ecosystem needed for these women to enter the world of work as professional drivers and undertakes research and advocacy for the same.

Sakha Consulting Wings has been providing women driven cab services for over a decade and has managed to provide employment to over a thousand women as professional chauffeurs and also provided more than 1.5 million safe rides to women clients through its cab hire services in Delhi NCR, Jaipur, Kolkata and Indore.

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Rajesh Chowdhury — Head of Business Development India & Subcontinent PH +91-9-620-777757 • rchowdhury@tsbrass.com

Siddharth Baluni — Area Sales Manager North & East India PH +91-96200-00355 • sbaluni@tsbrass.com

Yash Anand — Area Sales Manager West & Central India PH +91-7709586000 • yanand@tsbrass.com