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In honor of Women’s History Month, Boutique Hotelier hosted over 100 women in hospitality for a morning of inspiring conversations, thought-provoking stories, and some true laugh-out-loud moments at The Ned London—a stunning backdrop for an event all about elevating women in the industry. From insightful panel discussions to top-tier networking, it was wonderful to see familiar faces, meet new hoteliers from across the UK, and toast the occasion with a glass of Gusbourne, a UK sparkling wine crafted by a female winemaker.
The Leadership Panel: Women Changing the Game
Moderated by Boutique Hotelier editor Zoe Monk, the panel featured four powerhouse women who have carved their own paths in hospitality: Sama Trinder, owner of Bingham Riverhouse; Olivia Immesi, CEO of Native Places; Mairead Gleeson, hotel director of The Ned London; and Catherine Morris, managing director of Tradelinens. Each shared their personal journeys, the obstacles they’ve faced, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Women make up 51.2% of the hospitality workforce, yet they hold only 30% of executive roles and just 7% of top leadership positions.
Zoe Monk kicked off with some sobering stats: while women make up 51.2% of the hospitality workforce, yet they hold only 30% of executive roles and just 7% of top leadership positions. The message was clear—gender disparity is still very real, but discussions like these can inspire more women to step up, ask for that raise, push for promotions, and support others in doing the same. “We are working toward the day when gender equality isn’t a headline—it’s a baseline.”
Falling Into Hospitality – and Rising to the Top
Not one of these women planned on a career in hospitality—it just happened. Whether it was taking over a struggling family business or pivoting from another industry, the common thread was adaptability, grit, and a refusal to take no for an answer.
“I took over my family B&B at 21 because my mom was going to sell it. I thought assuming the role of general manager would be easy," Sama Trinder recalled. "It wasn’t. But this was the start of the boutique hotel industry, and I knew I wanted my property in the Mr & Mrs Smith guide. I downloaded a business plan off the internet, got a bank loan, and did a refurb. And here we are.”
Olivia Immesi, who transitioned from big-brand hotels to boutique independents, shared, “I started at Marriott, then helped launch the first Hoxton and Ace Hotel in London. I realized I loved the independent side more, where you can build real emotional connections.”
Bank Loans and Boys’ Clubs – The Gender Bias Battle
Despite all the success in the room, the panelists had plenty of stories about doors being slammed in their faces. Case in point? Sama Trinder’s battle to refinance post-COVID. “We were struggling a bit, like everyone post-COVID, and needed to refinance. The bank wouldn’t approve the loan unless we put a male-led board member in place. Not just that—he has to stay on for 15 months. Is that because he’s a man? I think so.”
Leadership Styles: From Tough Love to Teamwork
Gone are the days when hospitality leadership meant barking orders. Today, empathy, collaboration, and mentorship are seen as strengths—not weaknesses.
Mairead Gleeson put it bluntly: “Empathy, collaboration—these used to be seen as ‘soft’ leadership skills. Now they’re recognized as key to building strong teams. But there’s still not enough women in senior positions. I’m mostly the only woman in the room, and that needs to change.”
Reflecting on starting her career at Nestlé, Catherine Morris shared: “Twenty years ago, there were no senior women around me. Leadership was directive, rigid, and very male-dominated. My biggest supporters were actually male allies, which is why I believe we need to bring men along in this conversation—not just expect women to fix the imbalance.”
The ‘Invisible Load’ – and The Relatable Shin Guard Story
Work-life balance? Ha! Catherine Morris had the audience laughing when she shared how that morning on her train ride into today’s session, her 13-year-old daughter called to ask where her shin guards were—despite her husband being home. “It’s always the mother the school calls first,” Catherine joked. “We laugh, but the reality is, women still take on the bulk of the domestic load. That needs to change.”
Olivia Immesi summed up the challenge many working mothers face: “No matter what, you never feel like you're giving enough. You feel like you're not giving enough at work, and then you feel like you're not giving enough at home.”
The solution? More flexible work policies and normalizing paternity leave. Olivia drove the point home: “Men still feel embarrassed about taking paternity leave. That has to stop. It needs to be as normal as maternity leave.” Her words resonated, drawing nods of agreement across the room.
Calling Out Harassment: Zero Tolerance Is the Only Option
With the recent UK headlines exposing the toxic culture in restaurant kitchens, including 70 female chefs signing an open letter to The Telegraph detailing the harassment and sexism they experience daily, the panelists agreed: zero tolerance isn’t optional—it’s essential.
Sama Trinder highlighted a game-changing move: “We made the decision to hire a female head chef. It’s completely transformed the kitchen culture—there’s more collaboration, more respect, and a much better work environment.”
Mentorship and Visibility – The Future Is Female
What’s next? More women in leadership. More visibility. More mentorship.
“We need to create environments where women’s voices are heard. Men will throw their ideas into a meeting without hesitation, while women hesitate unless they’re 110% sure. We have to change that,” advised Olivia Immesi.
Mairead Gleeson agreed an pointed out, “Too often, women coming back from maternity leave feel lucky just to have a job. We need to do better. Clear career progression should be the norm, not the exception.”
Best Advice from the Panel
Each panelist shared their best piece of advice for women in hospitality:
“I’ve taken things too personally, thinking I was doing a bad job. But we all fail—we just need to learn from it and get up quickly.” –– Sama Trinder
“You don’t need to have all the answers. Build a great team, trust them, and create an environment where people feel empowered.” –– Olivia Immesi
“You owe it to those coming after you to suppress imposter syndrome and push forward. The little voice in your head will always be there—just learn to quiet it. You just have to care a little less and be resilient.” –– Mairead Gleeson
“I used to put so much pressure on myself to have the answers. Now I know leadership is about creating a space where people feel safe to collaborate and grow.” –– Catherine Morris
More Conversations Worth Having
Beyond the leadership panel, the event featured two more powerhouse discussions:
Fireside Chat with Profitroom: Maria Macree, senior business development manager at Profitroom, chatted with Danielle Abreu of Gough Hotels about how technology is shaping the hospitality industry and, crucially, how women can carve out a space for themselves in the tech-driven future of hotels.
Embracing Ambition: First time hoteliers Annaliese Hughes and Louise Martin, the duo behind Orange Grove Hotel & Gardens, shared their career paths and the journey of bringing their debut hotel project to life—the challenges, the lessons, and the unexpected twists along the way. Incredibly ambitious and inspiring women!
The Clock Is Ticking – Time for Change
Thinking back on the leadership panel, Catherine Morris shared a sobering stat: “Gender pay parity is still 20 years away. That means my daughter will be in her mid-30s before she sees true equality. We can’t afford to wait that long.”
The takeaway? Progress is happening—but far too slowly. If the industry truly wants to support women, it needs to act. That means real mentorship, real policies, and real leadership opportunities. Because when women are given the chance, they don’t just succeed—they transform the industry for the better.
What a way to start the week! Thank you, Boutique Hotelier.
L to R: Emily with Eamonn Crowe from Boutique Hotelier; Joanna Grande from Gusbourne; Zoe Monk with former Edge Hotel School students Lucy Ratford and Sophia Lord.