Celebrating International Women’s Day: Catherine’s 26-Year Journey in Logistics

In celebration of tomorrow’s International Women’s Day, we had the pleasure of interviewing our Strategic Account Manager, Catherine, to highlight her impressive 26 years in the logistics industry!
From Quality Management to miniature Schnauzers let’s look at her journey at Simarco…

How long have you worked at Simarco?

I have been with Simarco for 26 years, and it has been an incredible journey of growth and change.

Can you share an overview of your career journey at Simarco, including the roles you’ve held and the departments you’ve worked in?

I started in the European Operations department, handling both exports and imports. After some time, I was given the opportunity to establish the Administration department, which started with just me and has since grown to a team of 15. I also took on ISO compliance for our Crittall Road site and held the position of Administration and Quality Manager. Wanting a new challenge, I transitioned into my current role as Strategic Account Manager in May 2024, where I now manage key customers.

What personal goals and interests have you achieved in your personal life over the period you have worked at Simarco.

During my time at Simarco, I have travelled, visiting places including Honduras and Brazil, I am focused on my physical wellbeing, I exercise regularly, also have a deep interest in animals, especially our black and silver miniature Schnauzers, this promotes many happy cross country walks.

How do you think our workplace supports gender equality?

Simarco has given me the opportunity to step into new and challenging roles throughout my career. From building a department from scratch to now managing key accounts and overseeing sea freight operations, I’ve always been encouraged to grow and develop my skills.

What’s one-way women have positively influenced your professional journey?

My mum always made me believe women can do anything they put their minds to given the opportunity.

If you could implement one company-wide initiative to empower women, what would it be?

I would introduce a mentorship program, specifically designed to connect female employees with senior female leaders across different departments, providing targeted career development guidance and opportunities for sponsorship; this would address the gender gap in leadership roles by actively supporting women’s advancement within the organisation.

If you could swap lives with a famous woman for a day, who would it be?

Dian Fossey!

What are some small but meaningful actions that leaders can take to support women in the workplace?

Leaders can encourage women to take on new challenges, actively recognise their contributions, and ensure that opportunities for career growth are equally accessible.

Have you ever had a female mentor or leader who made a significant impact on your career? What did you learn from them?

Looking back, there was one woman when I first started in logistics, who took me under her wing and mentored me, she always used to say to me that I could go far and she was always pushing me out of my comfort zone. I think it was then that I realised the possibilities of progression.

What advice would you give to women looking to advance their careers?

Don’t be afraid to take on new challenges, even if they push you outside of your comfort zone. My career has evolved in ways I didn’t expect, from administration to strategic account management and now overseeing sea freight operations. Each new opportunity has helped me grow, and saying ‘yes’ to challenges has been key to my success no matter how scary it might sound.

What does ‘empowering women at work’ look like to you?

It means giving women the same opportunities for growth and leadership, supporting them in their ambitions, and ensuring their voices are heard.

Have you noticed any positive changes in gender equality at work over the years? What still needs improvement?

Logistics has always been a very male dominated industry, and it still is, but there have been noticeable positive changes, including more women in leadership roles, but in my opinion still not enough, I think women need to step forward and believe in themselves but there also needs to be the recognition of skillset no matter the gender.