Three female Toyota employees had the honour of being selected in the Top 100 list of the most influential British women in the motoring industry in Autocar’s annual Great British Women awards.
- Paula Cooper, Director Consumer One, Toyota GB (PLC)
- Sophie Ogunbiyi, External Affairs Manager for Toyota Motor Europe (London Office)
- Mairi Gordon, Assistant General Manager for Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK
The 100-strong power-list looks to celebrate success and encourage more women into the car industry at all levels and in all sectors, from purchasing to product development.
Paula, Sophie and Mairi attended a star-studded awards event at the Barbican Centre in London. Paula had the additional honour of being a panellist in a debate about women in the motoring industry, alongside a wealth of high-profile leaders.
Paula Cooper, Director of Consumer One, Toyota GB (PLC)
Autocar editor Mark Tisshaw added: “While there are certainly challenges in the car industry, it’s heartening to see such a wealth of outstanding British women thriving in an array of roles and in the most senior positions. There is plenty of work to be done but, by highlighting the considerable impact of these women, we hope we can inspire more women into our amazing automotive world.”
Sophie Ogunbiyi, External Affairs Manager, Toyota Motor Europe (London office)
Mike Hawes, chief executive of the SMMT, said: “We are delighted to be involved with this fantastic event again this year, celebrating the many achievements of the top 100 British women in the car industry. Issues of inequality are rightly in the headlines at the moment, highlighting the challenges that remain in ensuring everyone has equal treatment and equal opportunity.
Mairi Gordon, Assistant General Manager, Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK
“The motor industry has improved gradually but still has a long way to go and the women we celebrate today are often role models who have prospered in what is a highly competitive environment. We hope that in years to come, more and more women will follow in the footsteps of the top 100 and help the sector be truly representative of society and the customer base we serve.”
