International Women’s Day is a global day of awareness that celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, while also acknowledging the need for further progression.

On this important day, we sat down with Moira Grassick to discuss her journey to become Chief Operating Officer at Peninsula Ireland and what advice she would give to women in business. Moira joined Peninsula in 2012 as a HR Consultant and now manages a team of over 100 staff, empowering and inspiring them to be their very best.

How did you become Chief Operating Officer of Peninsula Ireland?

My HR Consultant role progressed quite quickly into a management role, focusing on growing and developing the Peninsula brand. I then moved up through several roles to become Chief Operating Officer in 2021.

What challenges have you faced during your career?

Over the years, I think the two main things have been managing my time and accepting that it’s fine to look for support. I felt that not knowing everything was a sign of weakness. However, throughout the years, I now know that this isn’t a sign of weakness. To be able to identify and say that you’re not good at everything and showing your weaknesses actually shows strength in a person. Everyone needs support and guidance along the way in order to be the best person you can be in your role.

Why do you think diversity in the workplace is so important?

I think that the most successful businesses embrace diversity. Having a team that’s made up of different personalities, people from different cultures and who have different outlooks gives you an advantage over your competitors.

What does International Women’s Day mean to you?

International Women’s Day, in my mind, is a celebration of women who put in the hard work to succeed. Every now and then, we hear that gender equality now exists in society, but that’s just not true. If it was true, the gender pay gap wouldn’t be an issue and there would be more women in prominent positions. So I feel that on International Women’s Day we should celebrate women while also raising awareness that there’s still work to do in terms of equality.

What advice do you have for women, in the workplace and outside of it?

If you have a goal you want to achieve, you can. I believe that if you set yourself a target and keep your actions aligned, you can achieve anything. I’m a big believer in visualisation and putting in the hard work.

Of course, there will also be bumps along the road and you might be unfortunate enough to meet people who don’t take you seriously. But you can’t let these people hold you back. It can sometimes be the case too that you’ve to work twice as hard as the next person to get ahead, which is just a reality in life for many. You’ve to stay strong, stick to your targets, and deliver with the confidence that you’ve done the best you could.