8 March, International Women's Day, is a day to focus on and fully embrace gender equity. The theme for International Women's Day 2024 was Inspire Inclusion. When we inspire others to understand and value women's inclusion, we forge a better world. And when women are inspired to be included, there's a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment.
Chemring is a diverse organisation, and our success depends on us building understanding and developing and creating the right networks to support our global population. So, in recognition of International Women’s Day and to inspire inclusion, we caught up with some of our fantastic Chemring women to hear about their roles and achievements.
Alpna Amar is a Non-Executive Director on the Chemring Group Board, joining in June 2023. Alpna is the Corporate Development Director at Kier Group plc and has been a member of Kier Group’s Executive Committee since May 2021. A qualified Chartered Accountant, Alpna has over 22 years of experience in corporate and consulting positions.
What attracted you to Chemring?
Working with a business where you can make a difference is the number one motivator for me in any role. I put my heart into my job and want to feel that I can add value.
Chemring and the Defence industry appealed to me, and I felt my skillset and previous manufacturing and automotive experience would lend themselves well to the Chemring growth strategy.
Working at Kier, a similarly diverse and complex organisation, provides a unique mix of experiences across multiple industries, translated into environments in which Chemring operates.
It was a great opportunity and one I couldn’t miss!
What challenges have you faced during your career?
There are always challenges in every role. As an ethnic female, there have been times when people assume that the man in the room is the boss as opposed to me. The best way of dealing with it is to try not to care what other people think of you. It’s about having self-confidence and realising that if other people are unpleasant or judgemental, all that matters is how you react and not what those people think of you.
Can you give one initiative you would like to see more of in the workplace?
Mentoring. I believe that mentoring in the workplace is hugely beneficial. Having that person to celebrate the good news with and support you through any bad times is critical. Also having that person that you can bounce ideas off and test your theories. I can’t stress the value of mentoring enough.
Women can benefit greatly from having a mentor and male or female ally to support career development and discuss career pathways.
What changes have you seen in male leadership teams over your career?
There is more of a mix of men and women in the boardroom now. I also see a more diverse mix of cultures too. In my experience, diversity of thought can only be a good thing when making decisions. It stops ‘group think’ from becoming an issue and allows for different perspectives and challenges to make the right decision. Equally, I don’t believe in diversity for the sake of it. The focus should always be finding the right people for the right roles.
I think it’s an exciting time to be a female at board level.
What would you say to a female looking to succeed at board level?
Don’t give up, be yourself and don’t be afraid to maintain your femininity, even in a male dominated or traditional environment.
Things are changing. Set yourself the challenge and believe in yourself.