International Women’s Day: inspiring stories from Applus+ female employees worldwide

From varied backgrounds and experiences, these women embody the dedication, talent and resilience propelling our company forward. As we celebrate their achievements at Applus+, we reassert our commitment to nurture equality in the workplace to create an environment where every person, irrespective of their sex, can flourish and prosper.




Business Developer Sherine Al Khaldi works at Applus+ in Saudi Arabia. She joined the company two years ago as the only woman in her team and highlights the significant growth that her department has experienced: today, it comprises 34 women. Sherine believes that these positive changes show women as active contributors who propel the company forward with dedication and professional prowess. She emphasises that diversity in factors such as age, ethnicity or motherhood are not barriers anymore but “catalysts that fuel women´s determination to shine and make a lasting mark in their professional journeys.”  

Mao Zhiyao shares the same view, stressing that these factors bring diversity, rich experiences and novel ideas and perspectives to the company. In 2018, she started out as a trainee for Applus+ IDIADA in China, and she has been promoted to her current position as Account Manager and Marketing Coordinator, currently based in Spain. Zhiyao encourages female professionals in the industrial sector to be brave and confident and highlights Applus+ initiatives for women, especially regarding the protection of mother employees, with measures such as flexible working hours and home office.

Another woman who found the company a place to develop professionally was Laila Julius-Mikjær, who also joined Applus+ Bilsyn as a trainee four years ago, at 40 years old. Currently working as Inspector of Light and Heavy Vehicles in Denmark, she describes from personal experience how difficult it can sometimes be to enter a male-dominated field: “You need to perform a bit more, and harder, to gain the trust and respect”. She says Applus+ represents an opportunity to develop professional skills in a good environment that values the abilities and training of the workforce disregarding gender.  

Brigida Mota works as an Engineer at Applus+ in The Netherlands, the only female engineer in her team. She is proud to be part of our company, a place where she can share her experience, and encourages women to speak up, embrace lifelong learning, define their career aspirations and nurture a robust social network. 
 

Patricia Sánchez, Finance & Administration Manager at Applus+ in Ecuador, encourages younger women to transform fear into motivation to achieve their professional ambitions. She highlights the security and opportunities that Applus+ has always given her to progress within the company and how important for equality is the presence of women in leadership positions.
 

Eulàlia Cirici Amell, Technical Director Product Conformity, began her professional journey at Applus+ in 1990. She acknowledges the challenges women often face in the workplace and emphasises the importance of dedication and perseverance in achieving professional goals. Eulàlia has actively supported female colleagues in their career development and wishes that professional women in the future enjoy equal recognition with their male colleagues.

Milla Johansson joined Besikta in 2013, our vehicle inspection brand in Sweden. A decade has passed since her incorporation, and she currently holds the position of Inspection Technician, responsible for all operations at one of our centres, and also performs business development tasks, being responsible for quality at 11 stations. She expresses excitement about her role and how it has given her the opportunity to travel and meet people from all over the world that she would otherwise never have been able to connect with.