Advocacy in Motion - Welcome to RiiSE

Throughout my career as seen on my LinkedIn articles, I have written extensively about balanced leadership as well as diversity and inclusion.

When joining AccorHotels, I was thrilled to quickly learn that these very topics are part of the Group’s DNA and just recently took front and center at the global Diversity, Inclusion and Empowerment Summit held in Dubai a few days ago. Participants included over 100 Empowerment Champions from around the world who all joined together in the spirit of openness, collaboration and celebration.

Women at AccorHotels Generation, which celebrated its 6th year anniversary, was re-energized with a more expansive mandate to not only promote gender equality but to also serve as an advocate on issues of diversity and inclusion.

Named RiiSE with the double ii symbolizing both women and men, and believing that change starts from the top, I am proud to be part of one of the most multi-cultural and diverse executive committees, with three prominent women on board, including RiiSE Ambassador, Maud Bailly, Chief Digital Officer. 

Throughout my over 30 year career, I have not only seen but experienced firsthand how a diverse workforce just makes plain sense, from a pure performance perspective – and the research backs this up.  

Whether its ‘leaning in’, #HeForShe or just providing an environment with no gender bias and is at the same time - inclusive - I am looking forward to the time, hopefully during my children’s lifetime, where RiiSe no longer exists because these topics become ingrained into the very fabric of the communities in which we work and live in. Until that time, count me in to drive the empowerment agenda forward in the Middle East and Africa.