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Bentley's Initiative Unites UK And Qatar Students With Top Female Mentors
The third edition of Bentley Motors’ Extraordinary Women initiative concluded with students from universities in the UK and Qatar spending a week at the luxury car brand’s headquarters in Crewe, England. This programme aims to encourage and develop the next generation of young female leaders.
As part of a specially designed schedule, the students met with Bentley experts and executives, went behind the scenes of its manufacturing operations, and tackled individual tasks. The 2024 edition saw students receive one-on-one mentorship over three months from inspirational figures in technology, engineering, design, and business.
The students were selected through a structured process focused on four specific fields. Participating universities included The University of Doha for Science and Technology in Qatar, and the Universities of Bath, Loughborough, and Manchester Metropolitan in the UK.
Noora Al-Hajri, a student from the University of Doha for Science & Technology, commented: "This experience has been life-changing. I have gained invaluable knowledge and skills that will significantly impact my personal and professional growth. The opportunity to learn from inspiring mentors in both Qatar and the UK has been particularly enriching."
Inspirational Mentors
The Pioneers were carefully selected for their expertise. In the UK, Sara Davies MBE, founder of Crafter’s Companion and TV personality from BBC One's Dragons’ Den, provided business mentorship. Cecilia Harvey, founder of Tech Woman Today, offered guidance in technology.
Titi Oliyide CEng MIET, Senior Process Safety Engineer and winner of the 2023 Young Woman Engineer of the Year award, mentored engineering students. Renowned interior designer Ilse Crawford provided design support.
In Qatar, mentors included UNESCO art ambassador Muna Al-Bader in design. Dr Noora Fetais Al Marri, honoured by the Arab Women of the Year 2024 awards for her contributions to cyber security education, offered technology mentorship.
Dr Hanan Farhat, founder of the Qatar Association for Women Engineers, covered engineering. Dr Buthaina Al Ansari, a senior advisor at Tamkeen Training and Consulting Solutions, provided business mentorship.
Programme Impact
Dr Karen Lange, Member of the Board for Human Resources at Bentley Motors, remarked: "With every year, the Extraordinary Women programme grows stronger. The quality of this year’s Pioneers exemplifies this growth. It has been an honour to meet such talented young women – witnessing their energy fills me with great optimism for the future."
Launched in 2022 in the UK and Middle East, the Extraordinary Women initiative has engaged students and Pioneers from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and United Kingdom. It forms part of Bentley’s commitment to diversity under its Beyond100 strategy.
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