Women in the Motor Industry

Reigning double W Series champion Jamie Chadwick (Jenner Racing, 23, UK) made the perfect start to her title defence by winning a dramatic first race of the season-opening double-header at W Series Miami presented by Hard Rock.

W Series has always done things differently as we seek to rethink racing, and adding some flashes of pink to our paddock for the final round of the season at COTA, with the help of our partner

Even though there are still a lot of question marks surrounding the future of the automotive industry, one guarantee is that women will become more involved.

According to Backtrack.fm’s recently released statistics, only 37% of women listen to podcasts regularly.

Back in 2018 WhoCanFixMyCar.com reported that amongst garages in their network there had been a 125% rise in the number who employed female mechanics since 2011.

The focus of the UK Automotive 30% Club is to get the right women into 30% of key leadership positions by 2030.

Autocar’s top 100 automotive women were selected from the following business categories – Executive, Marketing, Manufacturing, Mobility and Digital, Operations, PR and Communications, Government Affairs, Design, People Development,...

Top female employees in the franchised automotive retail sector were recognised at the UK Automotive 30% Club’s Inspiring Automotive Women Awards.

A study by Deloitte suggests that the auto business hasn’t improved its career appeal to women since 2015

The Women’s Engineering Society reminds us of the achievements of women in history. Knowing this, why aren’t there more of us in today’s automotive industry?

Pippa Funnell MBE represents SsangYong at equestrian events

In recognition of International Women’s Day 2020 here are the women in automotive that FOXY admires and wishes to draw attention to.

Still too rare an event, it’s good to see another talented female make it to CEO level – this time within the Mercedes Benz retail group.

Hayley Pells runs Avia Speed Shop in Bridgend and has won the prestigious Exemplar Employer Award from Chwarae Teg

Astrid Fontaine, Board Member at Bentley Motors has been announced as one of the top 100 Most Influential Women in the Engineering sector.

Autocar’s Great British Women in the Car Industry initiative celebrates the many impressive female achievements of talented and ambitious women in automotive careers.

Britney is an apprentice at Alan Day VW in Hampstead and is relishing her mechanical role

One of the few female leaders in Automotive, Laura Schwab of Aston Martin will deliver the opening address at Autocar’s ‘Great British Women in the Car Industry – Rising Stars’ Awards on 19 June 2019.

Two female apprentices enjoy a love of fast cars whilst they earn from and learn an automotive career in Leeds.

Louise O’Sullivan is promoted to Network Operations Director at Renault UK after successful role as head of their highly successful Dacia business.

It’s good to see Ford of Britain single out females to sit at Board level in Britain. Now it’s up to more manufacturers to follow suit.

Lisa Brankin has the ideal CV for an automotive leader and influencer incorporating operational, marketing and sales roles for Ford of Britain. Her latest sales role is critical and will take Ford through uncertain Brexit times that it claims has...

Jane Russell owns and runs two garages in London and is an influential member of the Retail Motor Industry (RMI) Executive Committee.

Louise Ellison is a professional marketer with an extensive job remit working for the impressive BP Rolls Group in Andover.

Town & Country Cars near Aldershot is a FOXY Lady Approved Suzuki dealership where Lisa May is their Workshop Controller. We wanted to know about her career and job responsibilities.

Ashleigh enjoys a varied marketing role working in the tyre industry. She organises events and travels a lot in Europe as part of her job.

Katy Hawkes decided against an academic career in favour of a motor engineering one. This has served her well and proved the ideal and flexible role alongside a young family. Here’s why…

With a love of classic cars Emily Leese has surely scooped THE prize apprenticeship at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu. We wish her every success and will be following her progress and blog.

Being an MOT Tester is ideal for mechanically-minded women with meticulous attention to detail skills. And this career fits in nicely within school hours so good for Mums.

Hayley Pells runs FOXY Lady Approved Avia Autos in Bridgend. She is also a qualified MOT Tester which is an ideal role for other females we feel. Please tell us more we asked her…

Combining an intensive programme of studying alongside work experience, Lois Lane has earned while she learned and is now a fully qualified technician at PK Automotive garage in Lincoln.

Zahra might just be 17 but her thoughts are much more mature. So we wanted to find out what she liked about her Digital Marketing Apprenticeship at Carspring in London’s Mayfair. And she sure has a lot to say…

Lisa May is a people and cars person. She is mechanically-minded and works hard as part of the Town & Country Cars team to deliver value for money customer service levels that local motorists appreciate.

Anita Hill is the customer facing person that motorists meet in Exeter when they bring their cars in for an MOT, car service or mechanical repair. It’s a challenging role that few women understand so here goes.

Romanni Booth is a car sales executive working for Eastbourne Motoring Centre. Her favourite car and model is the Suzuki Vitara SZ5 or S. A wise choice we say, especially at the Club’s exclusive affinity car rates!

Wendy Williamson, Chief Executive of the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) urges ambitious women to ‘never give up and have confidence in their abilities’ within the UK motor industry.

Wise insider advice from MOT expert Kate Streets of The Test Centre in Deptford – gender shouldn’t hold females back in the motor industry and knowledge is key.

Autocar and the SMMT are joining forces to celebrate the Top 100 Great British Women in the automotive industry across a range of job functions and at all levels including identifying Rising Stars.

When Sarah’s high flying corporate career meant she couldn’t spend the time she wanted to with her daughters she was able to bring her marketing talents to bear and support her brother at Boro Tyres in Scarborough.

Helen and Clair actively challenge gender stereotyping in their educational roles at Aylesbury College. Yet there are definite rewards for being female as the photo suggests…

TOWIE star Ferne McCann has completed her training to drive a London bus – the sort of challenge she relishes after her jungle fame and so she can prove this isn’t just a job for men!

Liz brings a wealth of personal experience to her important role and is committed to developing Lookers customer services in the fleet market.

Chelsea has always wanted to be a mechanic and is now living her dream with Lookers Group. She has enjoyed learning whilst earning and will soon become a fully qualified technician.

Sarah would like to see more women enter the retail motor industry whilst thanking men for actively encouraging her to greater career heights.

Antonia Rees-Brown is the first port of call for Club members who’d like legal advice about their options, often to do with their consumer rights.

Jo explains how new Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) procedures include mediation services after motorists complain about motoring-related incidents at garages, car dealers or service stations.

Not just the first female auctioneer for Barons but also for UK classic car auction houses. About time too we say. And some lovely stand out cars at great prices to be had at classic car auctions providing you’ve done your homework first...

Little did owner Dawn Mullins know that Aylesbury Panelcraft qualified for the first prestigious IMI Employer Recognition Award until she heard Heidi speak about this at IMI HQ…

Is there a link between Peoples Group’s impressive financial performance and the presence of a female Director responsible for the strategic development of the business? We were confident we’d find one in Nicola Gilda.

Emma Soble is Mitsubishi’s new General Manager, responsible for the development of the UK dealer network following an upturn in car sales. This role involves the strategic recruitment of dealers, new staff and their training.

Karen Cole is nominated for a third award for her exceptional motorcycle safety work, including setting up an IMI Approved centre to highlight high quality motorcycle training; the first of its kind in the EU.

Lesley Upham receives Lifetime Achievement Award for her commercial talents in the accident repair sector after she moves to the IAM and the equally critical area of driver training.

With her business background in customer service, Denise Merrigan now runs the My-Motor-Net car showrooms in Burry Port and Pontarddulais near Swansea.

Caroline Lake is an ambassador for women drivers having written a book and run a pink-themed garage for them.

Vicky was chosen by the IMI to deliver a series of videos to help women with car DIY. These were introduced by F1 commentator Suzi Perry who also champions the IMI...

Never under-estimate anyone when it comes to car sales. Karen tells us what makes KTG Cars special in many female eyes and how hard they work to reduce the stress of selling a car for a fair price, primarily in London...

It’s not easy being a young female in an all male learning environment. But that didn’t phase Catherine and she’s keen to encourage more females to follow in her footsteps. And the motor industry needs them to…

Alice Riding is a service and repair adviser for Monaco VW in central London. She has a responsible job and is trusted to get on with things. Female customers are reassured to see her and the FOXY sign of approval.

Sarah Sillars OBE has returned to the automotive industry as CEO of the IAM and aims to change opinions, driving habits and legislation to do with road safety. She is...

Lauren loves her cars and as a result of her apprenticeship in mechanics, she knows a lot about them. She now looks after Imperial Car Supermarket’s marketing communications and thoroughly enjoys the daily challenges in this busy role.

Caroline Shield won the Car Dealer Magazine’s Most Influential Independent Dealer on Twitter in 2014 and writes a blog called Female Used Car Expert which she is of course…

Julie Eley started out building bridges and learning about explosives before she discovered her career nirvana – the accident repair industry. So what is it about vehicle damage and sorting out the aftermath of road accidents that appeals...

Many of the jobs offered by APH (Airport Parking and Hotels) are ideal for Mums who like the flexibility of shift work that gives them more time off with their family. But best of all, they clearly enjoy their work...

There is one way to challenge male perceptions in the motor industry and that is to beat the men at doing ‘their’ job. Few of us are good enough to do this of course but Amy Rush is.

If you listen to Radio 2 you can’t help but feel you know Sally Traffic aka Sally Boazman. Sally helps keep traffic flowing on our motorways by sharing drivers’ feedback re bottlenecks and always with a cheerful voice…

A Yorkshire family business, specialising in car parts and accessory sales, is clearly taking the female market seriously. We asked their Director, Becky Morris Knight, to tell us what singles them out from more male oriented competitors.

The IMI exists to make the UK automotive industry a more professional place, in the absence of regulation. We ask COO Linda Stansfield how the IMI does its job and...

When her baby daughter arrived on the scheme, Ellen questioned her motor industry career choice then returned to it with a vengeance. And now her 3 year old daughter is showing signs of having Mum’s mechanical skills too.

Becky Cole found herself in the motor industry after a friend offered her a garage apprenticeship. She’s now taking her BSc Degree in Motorsport Technology & enjoying hands on work experience with a local motorsports company.

Motor industry consultant Steph Savill met and interviewed four females taking City & Guilds courses at City College’s high achieving motor vehicle department in Brighton. How will they fare when they have completed their training and...

Georgina is the MD of accident repair specialist Parkford Coachworks, clearly a female friendly employer of choice. She knows from experience what women bring to a business and shares some valuable accident and repair tips with us.

Caroline Rheubottom is a Communications Officer for the IAM, informing the UK media about all aspects of motoring with the emphasis on road safety. As an Advanced Motorist herself she also knows the facts about women...

Dawn Mullins of Aylesbury Panelcraft explains how, being an accident repairer in Bucks allows her to use her natural organisational and administrative talents to reassure females after motoring has been its most stressful ie after a car...

Ros and Bradley Hanson started their accident repair business in Sussex and have since expanded into Dorset and Wiltshire. Known as one of the most innovative repairers on the Ageas Solutions Centres network they turn round quality accident...

Louise organises the ladies evenings that Motor Marque holds for women in their area. They are hard work to arrange and involve long hours but they make business sense and they help women run safer cars in future.

Tracey Chamberlain is a Motor Supplier Developer and acts as the interface between Ageas Solutions Centres, the individual accident repair centres and the insured motorist. Her role helps minimise repair times and reduce stress levels for...

Christine Maskill is the MD of NCR Bodyshops in Basingstoke and Newbury – both members of the FOXY Lady Approved network of accident repairers

Saffron Allan is a Female Business Ambassador for Arundel Road Garage, a FOXY Lady Approved garage in Angmering on the outskirts of Worthing in West Sussex. The business carries out a wide range of mechanical car...

Sound advice from the Gibbens twins who both work at the Holders franchised dealership in Congresbury near Bristol.

Steph Colinswood is a busy Marketing Manager who works for WMS Group to maximise the publicity of their warranty products and to support their sales team across their motor industry related products.

An interview with Julie and Christine at Woodley Autocentre in Woodley in Berkshire. This garage is part oof the FOXY Lady Approved female friendly network and, alongside a parts distribution service, is part of the...