International Women’s Day this year provided an opportunity for us to highlight the experiences, careers and perspectives of women working across the Grayson business.
Across the week, we shared a series of short interviews and features on our social channels, speaking with colleagues from manufacturing, engineering programme delivery, HR, finance and customer support. Each shared their own journey into the industry, reflections on their roles today, and thoughts for women considering careers in technical and industrial sectors.
The series offered a chance to recognise the people behind the business while also sharing their insights with the wider industry.
Manufacturing Experience and Industry Perspective
One of the first features in the series introduced Lorraine O’Rourke, Site Manager, who has been part of the Grayson team for over twenty years.
In the interview, Lorraine reflects on her long career in manufacturing, the changes she has seen in the industry over the years, and the skills and perspectives women bring to production environments that are sometimes overlooked.
She also shares advice for young women considering careers in engineering and manufacturing, encouraging them not to be discouraged by perceptions of the sector.
Supporting Customers Across a Global Fleet
The series also featured Leanne Shenton-Smith, Head of Aftermarket, who has been supporting customers and operators across the Grayson network for more than fifteen years.
Leanne’s career has developed alongside the growth of the business. Beginning in an administrative role, she built extensive knowledge of both the industry and our customer base before progressing into her current leadership position.
In the feature, she discusses her experience working in a customer-facing role and offers advice to women interested in careers within operations, aftermarket support and customer services.
Supporting the People Behind the Business
We also heard from Kelly Bennet, Head of HR and Assistant to the Board, who plays a central role in supporting the people and culture that underpin the organisation.
Kelly reflects on her time at Grayson, the opportunities she has had to develop her career, and how HR supports colleagues across a technical and manufacturing environment.
She also shares her perspective for young women considering careers in HR within engineering or industrial organisations.
Delivering Complex Engineering Programmes
Louise Owens, Programme Manager, spoke about her role coordinating engineering programmes across the business.
Programme management plays a key role in ensuring projects move successfully from concept through development and into delivery. Louise works closely with teams across the organisation to keep programmes aligned, coordinated and on schedule.
In the interview, she explains what successful programme delivery looks like in practice and reflects on her experience working in the sector.
Financial Leadership and Business Strategy
The final feature in the series highlighted Tracy McLellan, Finance Director, who leads the financial strategy of the business.
Working closely with teams across the organisation, Tracy helps translate financial insight into practical decisions that support sustainable growth and long-term planning.
In the interview, she shares her career journey into financial leadership and offers advice for women interested in building careers in finance within engineering and industrial sectors.
Reflecting on the Series
The International Women’s Day series gave us an opportunity to highlight the range of careers that exist across the business, from manufacturing and programme delivery through to customer support, HR and finance.
While each colleague’s journey is different, a common theme runs through their stories: experience, collaboration and the value of diverse perspectives across the organisation.
You can watch all of the interviews below and explore more content from the Grayson team on our YouTube channel and our LinkedIn.
