When I started out in the asset management and industrial maintenance industry, I did so alongside the best: brilliant men who had earned their place in the business through their intelligence, knowledge, and contributions. I liked the pragmatism and results offered by this industry, the ability to anticipate problems and prevent failures and accidents.
All of that still excites me today and keeps me committed to what I do. But I also looked around and realized that there were few women. Where were they, the women, in this vibrant asset management scene?
Throughout my life, I have been inspired by many strong, determined women with firm opinions and clear goals.
This was part of my training and development, and it definitely shaped my personality. Finding my own voice accompanied me from an early age. That desire to communicate, to deliver the message, to fuel the dynamics of learning and understanding the world. Perhaps that is why I like languages, and I have devoted much of my time and education to learning other languages, driven by this passion to raise my voice and deliver my message, to connect with others and to continue learning.
In a male-dominated world such as industrial engineering, the lack of female presence prompted me to consider other ways of communicating, especially with the audience I wanted to reach: women working in engineering and asset management.
Searching, creating, and finding…
That’s how the idea of creating Women in Reliability and Asset Management (WIRAM) was born: a space created for professional women in the reliability, industrial maintenance, asset management, facility management, and related professions.
Like everything else, we started small, but with a clear goal: I wanted WIRAM to be a safe space, an opportunity for professional women in asset management to meet and exchange ideas, knowledge, and experiences, to highlight their achievements, raise their profile and contributions, and speak up to say, “Here we are, this is what we do, these are our contributions.” From the outset, WIRAM has been a well-supported exercise in visibility, showcasing women’s contributions and what this means for the organizations they work for.
As we continue to grow and move forward with this project, we have also come to understand that we are not only showing the industry what women contribute, but that these women have also become role models for thousands of young people around the world who are beginning to participate in our webinars and meetings, attracted by the prospect of sharing their knowledge and being part of a community that is growing every day. Female leadership is key in the asset management industry, adding diversity and showing that it is possible to create an equitable and sustainable world. Organizations that support diversity and inclusivity benefit in many ways, for example:
- Diverse teams will always bring new and enriching perspectives on issues that affect the business.
- Diversity of perspectives and approaches will deliver flexible results and more creative solutions. In this case, the perspective of women professionals enriches and broadens management approaches, enabling sound decision-making for optimal results.
- Greater diversity in the workforce will attract more talent from around the world, especially female talent.
- Companies that champion inclusivity and diversity will also be more open to innovation, flexible thinking, and the adoption of techniques and approaches that translate into greater profitability and earnings, as well as a better corporate reputation.
- Corporate reputation and good community relations are part of the business appeal exhibited by leading global organizations. A greater female presence on boards of directors, executive teams, and among field professionals reinforces the good corporate image of any organization.
It is worth noting that our webinars are deeply inspiring. Guest panelists take their time to prepare their presentations, with well-supported data and high-value information for all participants, from the perspective of asset management and the multiple elements and changing scenarios that characterize this discipline.
As Global Director of WIRAM, I remain committed to creating, together with everyone who accompanies me, an ever-larger space for women’s voices to continue to be heard and to continue transforming the world into a more just, equitable, and sustainable place.
