#1 British female rally driver Sara Williams lights up ‘Women in the Motor Industry’ at Car Dealer Magazines Conference and Expo 2015
- British female rally driver Sara Williams lights up ‘Women in the Motor Industry’ at Car Dealer Magazines Conference and Expo 2015
Tuesday 9th June 2015 saw rally driver Sara Williams take to the stage at Car Dealer Magazine’s Conference and Expo at Silverstone – but this time to explore and offer wisdom on what it means to be a woman in the automotive industry.
Sara joined a panel of three other prominent women and their host, acclaimed motorsport journalist Louise Goodman, for an hour long invite only session entitled ‘Women in the Motor Industry’. The workshop was a female only event, where professional women were invited to discuss their experiences and provide advice for thriving in what is traditionally a male dominated sector. Fellow panellists included Caroline Lake (owner of Caroline’s Cars), Nagla Thabet (of the Women’s Breakthrough Network) and Jane Hargreaves (brand manager at Wrexham Vauxhall) – so attendees experienced a truly unique session.
The workshop constituted part of a hugely successful conference, with attendance well above expected levels and plenty of engagement between professionals in the industry. With no shortage of workshops and stands to experience, visitors were treated to a day of excitement and lively discussion. Furthermore, visitors could appreciate a number of track and rally cars, including Sara’s V-Ex Virtual Exhibitions sponsored Group N Subaru Impreza taking pride of place in the main conference hall, the car attracting great attention throughout the expo.
The ‘Women in the Motor Industry’ session kicked off in the afternoon, with each panellist introducing themselves and the floor being opened for questions from the audience. Sara explored her role at Brecon Motors, the MG dealership she helps run with her family, offering the audience insight into her experience from washing cars to selling them. Sara also explored her rallying exploits, a rich career story that has seen her compete at WRC level and become the first British woman to win a rally outright in 30 years. Attendees were therefore given a first-hand account of the practicalities of successfully running a car dealership and a competitive rally team rolled into one.
Sara commented after the event, ‘I found it very interesting hearing experiences from other women and how they came to be involved in the motor industry. I personally learnt a lot from this session, it’s good to understand I’m not the only woman who is looking to be successful in this industry.’
The workshop was so successful it ran over its allotted hour slot, with discussion being left to reach its natural conclusion. The buzz after the session was overwhelmingly positive.
‘There needs to be more of these ideas at other shows,’ Sara explained, ‘it was a nice touch that only women were allowed to attend as it facilitated more open discussion on experiences and made it easier for those attending to ask questions’.
The Women in the Motor Industry session encapsulated what was a very successful show, and highlighted the direction the industry must take to offer more inclusion and support to professional women. By running sessions such as these, women are empowered to voice vital concerns with regard to practice and their experiences within it, helping to improve the health and equality of the automotive industry as a whole. There is no doubt that current representation is not proportional, so workshops such as ‘Women in the Motor Industry’ help address this vital issue.
With strong examples of success such as Sara and her fellow panellists, women can be more enthused on the automotive subject and more importantly, know their voices can be heard.
