Naureen Ahmeds Initiative Inspiring Women in Hospitality launches program for Women in Hospitality

To establish a global network of women working in the hotel industry, Naureen Ahmed developed the website Inspiring Women in Hotel. She has started the Inspire Programme inside this group, which will employ events and mentorship to strengthen ties and develop a pool of future female industry leaders.

"The goal is gender balance across the hospitality industry," said Naureen. We are aware that it exists at ground level, but as you move up the ladder, it decreases. We can determine the causes of this and take steps to remedy them by working together.

"Over the last year, I've traveled the globe, hosted Inspire roundtables, produced podcasts, and listened to women and industry concerns. The two areas where I believe we can make a difference are mentoring and community.

"This inspired me to develop a curriculum that would foster genuine connections, long-lasting relationships, and a forum for dialogue on subjects where we can support one another. We are all adept at expressing our problems over a glass of wine, but we need to work together to find answers.

The Inspire Programme begins with six to eight-person group seminars that meet in person or online and cover a wide range of subjects, such as networking, family life, values, and personal finance.

Members may learn from one another and get to know one another via sharing stories, viewpoints, and experiences in the group workshops. Participants will be matched up after the courses to start their peer-to-peer mentoring connection. Regular meetings will be held to review the group's progress.

"The program is open to anyone at any stage of their career, and the participants will be given a structure and guidance to help ensure the program is successful and helps facilitate those crucial conversations," added Naureen. We can have a greater impact on other aspects of our lives and those in the industry the stronger our community is.

Before working at the Landmark London Hotel, Naureen began her professional life at the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne. She most recently held the position of director of marketing for the worldwide business at STR, where she worked for 12 years in various roles.

"I have met amazing women in our industry over the course of my 16-year career in hospitality, but I felt we did not have enough visibility for our voices to be heard," she added. Working with men, women, and the companies they work for is essential if we want to see the change in the industry.

"We want to reach a point where we can see a balance at every level as you move up the hospitality ladder because when you have a variety of thinking and leadership, you get more satisfying jobs and more successful enterprises.