Melanie Waters Ryan

The Mel Waters-Ryan/FCTG story started more than 30 years ago on the eve of my 21st birthday. It's been a story with all the appropriate highs (and a few lows yes) but more importantly, it's a story that hasn't finished yet. And its a story I feel privileged to have lived.

Being a woman has never held me back

Over the years, both personally and professionally, FCTG has always been very much part of my story. I have been lucky enough to have had many careers whilst working for just one company. From that eager 21-year-old, I grew to become a wife, a mum, and a senior leader across many parts of our business (and taxi driver and ATM machine and many, many other things....). Being a woman has never held me back. In fact, I credit it as a key factor in many of my successes over the years. Women have an uncanny ability I believe, to combine both the hard and soft skills that are required to succeed not just in business but in many aspects of our lives.

Never as a woman compromise your empathy and compassion but don't think it doesn't mean you can be firm and directive too. Women make up the majority of our workforce at FCTG, there's no denying we are vital to the overall success of our company. In fact, I always say that women are the backbone of FCTG!

I'm so excited that our Womenwise program is growing and helping us to deliver real change for many of our hard-working women. We've already achieved some truly incredible outcomes and I cannot wait to see what the next chapter our collective story has to offer, it's already looking like a page turner!