News DeskCrewe, England – Bentley Motors has successfully concluded the third edition of its Extraordinary Women initiative, welcoming students from universities in the UK and Qatar to its headquarters in Crewe, England. This program aims to foster the development of the next generation of female leaders in the fields of technology, engineering, design, and business.
The students, selected through a rigorous process from institutions including The University of Doha for Science and Technology in Qatar, and the Universities of Bath, Loughborough, and Manchester Metropolitan in the UK, participated in a week-long series of activities. They engaged with Bentley experts and executives, toured the manufacturing operations, and undertook individual tasks tailored to their fields of study.
For the past three months, these students have received one-on-one mentorship from distinguished Pioneers across various sectors. Noora Al-Hajri from the University of Doha for Science and Technology remarked on the transformative nature of the program, highlighting the invaluable knowledge and skills gained, and the inspirational guidance received from mentors in both Qatar and the UK.
In the UK, mentorship was provided by Sara Davies MBE, founder of Crafter’s Companion and TV personality from BBC One’s Dragons’ Den (business), Cecilia Harvey, founder of Tech Woman Today (technology), Titi Oliyide CEng MIET, Senior Process Safety Engineer and winner of the 2023 Young Woman Engineer of the Year (engineering), and Ilse Crawford, renowned interior designer and founder of Studioilse (design).
The Qatari mentors included Muna Al-Bader, Qatar’s UNESCO art ambassador (design), Dr. Noora Fetais Al Marri, recipient of the Arab Women of the Year 2024 award for her contributions to cyber security (technology), Dr. Hanan Farhat, founder of the Qatar Association for Women Engineers (engineering), and Dr. Buthaina Al Ansari, senior advisor at Tamkeen Training and Consulting Solutions (business).
Dr. Karen Lange, Bentley Motors’ Board Member for Human Resources, praised the initiative, stating, “The Extraordinary Women programme grows stronger each year. The quality of this year’s Pioneers, who have generously given their time in the spirit of collaboration, exemplifies our commitment to building a legacy for young women. Witnessing the energy and ability of these talented young women fills me with great optimism for the future.”
Launched in 2022, the Extraordinary Women initiative is part of Bentley’s broader Beyond100 strategy, which emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion. The program has previously engaged students and Pioneers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the UK, encouraging women to explore diverse career paths in STEM and the automotive sectors.
