Forwarder Events - Laura Odell

On April 27th, DG’s Head of Air Freight, Laura Odell was a panelist at Forwarder Events in Manchester. This was something that Laura had not done before but found the day to be very informative and an inspiring experience.

The full day event started with a ‘speed-networking’ activity that saw attendees sit down in pairs with 30 seconds to talk to each other. After 30 seconds they would then rotate and repeat, which continued for around 40 minutes. Laura commented that “it was a fun activity and I have had people reach out to me since. It was nice to meet potential new suppliers.”

This was then followed by a guest speaker who covered the topics of sustainability and digitalisation, which are becoming prevalent within the industry. There was also a discussion around automation and how companies are making use of new technology. “It was interesting to hear different viewpoints” Laura commented.

The day rounded off with a panel consisting of Laura and other prominent female figures within the freight industry. Laura and the other panelists were asked questions that covered a range of topics from their own experiences and starts within the industry as well as the importance of female mentors and the opportunities that apprenticeships can provide to other females starting off in freight. The panel also discussed issues that women have faced within the industry such as maternity policies, equal pay and dress code. Laura shared that “it was very encouraging to see female senior leaders shed some light on the misconception that the freight industry is male dominated. It was inspiring to see other female leaders in freight cover these topics that we should be talking more about.”

The event has since received very positive feedback. It is great to see more female leaders share their experiences and show other women starting off in the industry that anything is possible. We look forward to more events in the future!

You can find out more about Forwarder Events here.