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Female-driven: Meet the women behind the wheel in the automotive industry
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Women make up half of the labour force but only about a quarter of the auto manufacturing workforce, according to a recent Deloitte survey. Gowan Auto, exclusive Stellantis Importer for Ireland, is stepping up to spotlight their talented female employees. Leading by example, these hardworking women are stars in their field, and they hope to encourage other young people to join their sector and feed the exciting flames of change.
Eimear Dillon, Product Manager, Citroën
What drew you to the automotive industry?
After finishing college with a BA from NUI Maynooth, I still wasn’t clear about what I wanted to do next, so I began working in an entry-level position at Motor Distributors Ltd, which at the time, was the largest importer and distributor of new vehicles in Ireland. The car market is often seen as a bellwether for the economy and it was going through a record period for car sales during the boom years of the early 2000s, so it was a really interesting and exciting industry to be in – and that’s still the case today more than ever, as the transition to electric vehicles continues to gain momentum with every year.
In terms of a career path, I began working as a Vehicle Order Administrator and from there I changed companies and joined a new car brand as a Product and Marketing Executive. My next role was as a Product and Market Analyst, which ultimately lead to my appointment as Product Manager with time as Marketing Communications Manager incorporated into my responsibilities along the way.
Outside of work, I live with my husband and two boys in Co Kildare which, conveniently for me, is within easy commuting distance to the Citywest campus where Gowan Auto is located.
What are the primary responsibilities of your role? What do you enjoy most about it?
The main purpose of my role is to manage the lifecycle of each model (referred to as the product) in the Citroën passenger car and van range. At its core, this incorporates the pricing, equipment, and market positioning of the line-up. It’s also equally important to be able to communicate product and equipment change to others outside of the specialist product function, and this is achieved in different ways – through point-of-sales materials and information bulletins in the case of product updates and changes, as well as through presentations and demonstrations during in-person events.
I’m also responsible for the delivery of any product training our dealer salespeople require. For example, when new models are launched or for any enhancements or developments that are introduced such as new powertrains or in-car technology.
The variety of the role is very appealing. The market analysis aspect can be very interesting because each model competes in different segments of the car market with different characteristics. While it is mainly office-based, there have been opportunities to travel to other European locations for brand events or vehicle test drives. Of course, the obvious perk of being a product manager is being in a position to experience each model in the range first-hand, all of which are also equipped with the latest advancements in automotive technology.
What does a typical workday look like?
Everything revolves around the product lifecycle, and preparing for the next changes coming into effect is at the heart of the role. For example, a new model coming to market for the first time requires analysis of the car market, the competitive environment, assessing the sales potential in a particular sector and keeping up to date with changes in industry regulations that may have an impact on a particular model, like changes to vehicle taxation or special supports in the case of electric vehicles.
This is all part of the groundwork that supports the definition of the product offer from standard equipment available to the grade and pricing strategy so each day involves working on some or all of those elements.
I also work closely with the Product Executive, and we will have routine meetings to constantly review and update the outlook on current and future projects to make sure all goals are on track. There are also regular calls with the manufacturer to make sure we are aligned on product plans. These can take the form of one-to-one calls or scheduled meetings involving all distributors across Europe. In the past, some of these meetings would have involved travel to the brand HQ, however, recent years have seen online calls replace in-person events more and more.
As a woman working in a male-dominated industry, have you encountered any challenges? How have you dealt with these situations?
Actually, within the companies I have worked in over the years, I have been supported and encouraged by male colleagues throughout my career. These colleagues have often been the catalyst for me challenging myself and taking on more responsibilities and experiences.
On a lighter side, I’ve often been either the only or one of a handful of women in the room, which is strange and could be daunting, but confidence comes with experience. Thankfully in recent years, this is no longer a typical occurrence.
Any advice for other women working in male-dominated roles?
Be yourself; your value is bringing a female perspective to what traditionally has been a very male-centric environment. I think as women, we often feel like we must know everything about an area otherwise we have no place there, but it’s this self-awareness that is a key strength. Traditional practices and thinking are challenged rather than being accepted just because it’s how something has always been done – which is an asset for any organisation.
Within the motor industry itself, there is an annual networking event for women in the motor industry. Women@SIMI is organised by SIMI (the representative body for the motor industry in Ireland) and features influential female speakers who provide inspiration by sharing their own stories of reaching the top of their careers and their paths to getting there.
As someone who works with cars, do you love driving? Know much about cars?
I do enjoy driving; it’s more than just a means of getting from A to B for me, and I’ve been very fortunate to drive some great cars at amazing locations. When a new model or technology is being launched, Product Managers are normally invited to test drive the new vehicles and as part of that, I have driven performance vehicles on racetracks with a professional rally driver providing tips and tricks on the fly. I’ve experienced impressive road handling on snow-covered test tracks in Finland to demonstrate new traction control systems – all as part of my job!
What’s your idea of the perfect road trip?
My preferred type of holiday has taken a back seat in recent years but one of my favourite holidays was a road trip. We drove across California taking in Yosemite, the wine region, the Big Sur along the Atlantic coast and even managed to squeeze in a stretch of Route 66 that lies between LA and Vegas. I would happily do that again in a heartbeat!
Emma Toner, Marketing Director, Opel
What drew you to the automotive industry?
Originally from the wee North, I am mum to 14-year-old Harry and wife to Mark. I landed in Dublin newly graduated with a BSc in European Business Studies with French, just as the Celtic Tiger began to roar. I wasn’t especially drawn to the motor industry, rather I ended up there by sheer luck at a very opportune time when Ireland was booming, and car sales were flying.
I first landed a temporary accounts position in Citroën, before I applied for a full-time position in Peugeot as a Marketing Analyst and I haven’t looked back since, holding several marketing roles and progressing in the company over a 22-year period. I was then asked to head the marketing department at Opel when the Gowan Group acquired the brand in late 2019.
It’s very hard not to love the Irish Motor Industry: it’s great fun and very exciting to see the next new model, the latest safety and comfort technology, and the move to all-electric. It’s also fast-paced and I’ve seen seismic changes and indeed tremendous pressures in recent years as a result of component shortages and Covid impacts on production. Every decade has seen its challenges and we’ve got to be very reactive to market changes that are quite often beyond our control.
What are the primary responsibilities of your role? What do you enjoy most about it?
Backed by a small, reactive marketing team, an excellent creative agency and a brilliant media buying agency, I am responsible for Opel’s promotion and advertising efforts to drive sales into our Dealer Network showrooms and build brand awareness. I am responsible for the overall marketing plan, approving campaigns, sponsorships, comms, promotions and PR, and measuring the return on investment of actions. I lead the team of internal and external marketing players and make sure every event, campaign, launch or promotion runs smoothly from start to finish.
Nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing an Opel press release published. I am incredibly proud when I see our website analytics spike during a campaign. The feeling of pure relief when a launch, dealer conference, or show goes really well is unbeatable. More than anything, the sense of team and community we have built at Opel and with our dealers in just over three years gives me such a kick. My job gives me immense satisfaction frequently.
What does a typical workday look like?
A typical day for me is rising at 6.30am, having breakfast, taking care of a few household chores, and getting to work by about 8.30am. I spend a busy day in the office, leave the office sometime just before 5pm, taxi my son to and from activities, attend a Parents Council school meeting, make dinner, go for a quick walk, catch up on work emails/social media channels until about 9pm and then put the phone or laptop away.
But, whilst the structure of my day might be very similar at times, there really is no typical day in marketing. I have never had two days the same in all of my 25 years working for the Gowan Group. Even though we have a very seasonally-led market with concentrated advertising efforts needed ahead of the twice-annual registration plate changes in Ireland and certain tasks or events pepper our calendar annually, such as our big annual Dealer Conference and the National Ploughing Championships, in between work, life is so very varied.
One day I might be working with the agencies on a car launch advertising campaign, looking at new point-of-sale material for our dealers, presenting our plans to our manufacturer, promoting our sponsorship with Irish Rugby on social media and catching up with our National Women Rugby Player brand ambassadors. On another day I might be handing over a press car to a motoring journalist, abroad at an international press launch event, flying through budgets and invoices, writing a press release, or checking out our website analytics. I can honestly say I’ll never be bored.
As a woman working in a male-dominated industry, have you encountered any challenges? How have you dealt with these situations?
When I first arrived in the Irish Motor Industry, leading females were few and far between. Given that car buying is a decision many females make for the household, there was a very important ingredient missing! Fast-forward to today and it’s a very different picture – much work has been done by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry to encourage female participation. From dealer principals, to service managers, financial controllers, marketing directors, brand managers and saleswomen, today women are much more proportionately represented across all facets of our business, both at the distributor level and at the retail level. It’s something to really celebrate.
Indeed, my team recently applauded International Women’s Day by collating a short video presenting all the female staff at Gowan Auto, of which we have so many. What a team of independent, smart, sassy, talented, professional women! As a huge advocate for equality, I am honoured to be part of that team, led of course by our five female shareholders, Mrs Gemma Maughan and her four daughters.
Any advice for other women working in male-dominated roles?
I have been extremely lucky to have had great mentors in my career, both male and female. I honestly believe women are slower to ask for help in the workplace. Men are much better at showing confidence and tend not to let things stand in their way. So, my advice is to reach out to others to help you reach your goals. It’s not a sign of weakness. Reaching out builds up a solid network of collaborators and that’s what makes a team stronger.
As someone who works with cars, do you love driving? Know much about cars?
In the business of marketing, you cannot communicate effectively about your product unless you have some basic understanding of it. So, thankfully I love driving and I’ve always loved cars. The Circuit of Ireland rally passed by our doorstep in rural County Down when I was a child and I still have vivid memories of the sense of excitement and noise, and the huge crowds that gathered just up the road from home from all over Ireland. I remember hearing Michelle Mouton’s Audi Quatro in the 1980s from miles away when she tore through the circuit with gearbox issues.
Coincidently, given I now work for Opel, my first car-love was a white Opel Manta that I would spy outside Armagh on my way to my granny’s every Saturday. Whilst I haven’t lost my love of gorgeous classic cars, I currently drive an all-electric Mokka, voted Continental Tyres Irish Small SUV of the Year 2022. It’s a gorgeous-looking small SUV that delivers over 300km of zero-emissions driving from a single full charge. It’s everything I need in a car.
What’s your idea of the perfect road trip?
I’ve two favourite roads in Ireland and both signify a reunion with family and letting the hair down. The first is just as the M1 northbound creeps over the hill at Drogheda and the view sweeps over the Cooley mountains, with the Mournes tucked in behind. As a County Down girl, I always feel I’m home already when I hit that point and the sense of coming home is just lovely.
The second one is on the way down to Co Clare. My mother-in-law is from Doolin and we have family there. Nothing beats the feeling of leaving it all behind us and heading for Doolin on a Friday night of a bank holiday weekend, even when traffic is bad. I always drive. I never let my husband drive; I’m not a good passenger and it’s debatable whether he’s a good driver. So, for the three-hour journey, with a few snacks on board, my husband and my son will battle to play DJ. We’ll have the wet suits packed, and we drool thinking about dinner in O’Connor’s pub. The best road in Ireland is the windy cliff road past the Cliffs of Moher, snaking down to Doolin. The view of the Atlantic, the Aran Islands and Galway Bay is just magical.
To learn more, visit Gowan Group online.
Photography by Melanie Mullan.
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