The March8 Mentorship programme is pleased to introduce Alma Arzate, who has over two decades of global experience in supply chain and operations across the automotive, electronics, and medical device sectors. With a Bachelor's of Business Administration, Alma describes that she ‘fell’ into her supply chain career, after applying for her first professional role. She says: “At the time, I only had finance experience, but the hiring manager decided to take a chance on me.”
There’s no doubt that the supply chain sector is male dominated, and Alma shares that when she was promoted to a People Leader role for the first time, there were only four female managers out of 100. “I have had to overcome years of cultural bias, suppression and insecurity to master the art of finding my voice,” she says. “Luckily, I have had a lot of kind and supportive role models who have helped me on my journey. These leaders have coached me, mentored me and sponsored me by offering me very challenging but rewarding opportunities.
“These experiences encouraged me to join the March8 Mentorship Programme as I have seen first-hand the impact that mentoring can have on other people’s lives. I’m one of the fortunate ones, with a roof over my head, food on the table, a healthy family and a job that I enjoy. I feel that it’s my responsibility to leverage this position and to give back.”
As Alma was recently named as one of BizClik Media’s top 100 Women in Supply Chain Global, she says: “Sometimes it’s hard for me to believe that as a woman, a mother of three children, an immigrant, the first person in a family to obtain a university degree and someone who didn’t find her voice until her 30s, that I am eligible for some of the amazing honours that I have received. I hope that my story proves that if I can do it, anyone can. Success may require a lot of hard work and sacrifice, but it’s definitely within reach.”