UNIC: Tell us about your daily habits that keep you inspired and motivated.
Laura: First thing each morning is to read the news, check emails, check my calendar and prepare my to do list to make sure I don’t forget anything. I used to chat a lot with the team when we were all in office – pre COVID! - and I have tried to maintain this habit, even remotely. It’s not the same though! I also contact our members to understand how things are going and how we can help. Keeping in regular touch with colleagues from the industry, either with a call or lunch/coffee, to talk about issues we have in common – or not!
The most rewarding thing is to see by the end of the week how much the whole team has accomplished and knowing that we have supported our members well.
From a more personal perspective - I’m very lucky to live in the countryside so walking in the forest or visiting the animals just around the corner is a big part of my routine. It does wonders for the mind. Exercising is also good!
I’m an avid reader and that also keeps me inspired. A few – or a lot! - of pages, every day. . Cooking is also a great thing – it helps my creative side (with some fails...). And of course, spending time with family and friends – they all offer an interesting perspective on the job, on why cinemas matter to them, on the films they like.
UNIC: Looking back at your career journey, what are you the most proud of?
Laura: To be honest, there is quite a lot I’m proud of. I’ve kept pushing myself out of my comfort zone since I was a teenager and each time if feels like a victory. If I had to choose one – I’m very proud of my team. When I became CEO, I decided that the whole team should have the opportunity to develop and grow in their job. And they all have, and have shown resilience during the challenging times we went through because of Covid.
UNIC: What were the biggest challenges you encountered throughout your leadership journey?
Laura: The loneliness can be quite overwhelming sometimes. There are certain things that you can’t discuss with your boss or with your colleagues or with your friends or family for thousands of reasons. This is when and where a mentor or a coach is the most valuable – being able to share these moments.
As a leader, the bus stops with you and it can be scary – in the end, you are responsible, not only for your actions but those of your colleagues as well. I struggle with that sometimes, the feeling that you’re the one driving the boat and wishing that it was someone else!
Also accept that you will be making mistakes – the key is to learn from them!
UNIC: In retrospect, would you do anything differently?
Laura: No I wouldn’t. I’ve had a lot of career dreams when I was young – and I still have them – but I love where I am now. Working for the cinema industry seemed something almost impossible when I was a teenager so I’m happy I’ve achieved that! I believe that every step in my journey led me to where I am, the good and the less good – so I wouldn’t change anything!
UNIC: What are the key insights you know now that you wished you knew at the beginning of your career?
Laura: That you should start to build your network very early on, and a smaller circle of trusted professional who will help you on your journey. That you should be ready to take risks and be daring – and accept that failing is also part of growing and life is not linear. And last but not least – be kind and grateful but also be ready to make tough decisions and not always be the “nice guy”.
UNIC: Having a demanding role, how do you balance your work and personal life?
Laura: I’m not very good at this and COVID made things worse – I just spent months not moving away from my laptop or phone! I’m trying to stop feeling guilty about it because it only adds more anguish.
It was my good resolution for 2021 – to spend more time withloved ones, even if only over phone, especially because most of them live far. My husband is great at getting me to stop – and signing up for a gardening project has also been a great move!
What really works for me is to be strict as much as possible about schedule – I give myself a time when I stop touching the phone & laptop. It’s a no laptop policy at weekend and as little emailing as possible.
UNIC: Did you have any mentors in your career? Who has been a mentor to you?
Laura: I’ve had a lot of mentors! My French teacher in secondary school who believed in my writing skills and got me to write a collection of short stories. My high school philosophy teacher– she was young, dynamic, fun, obliged us to think by ourselves… and pushed me into applying to the best schools after the “baccalaureat” when I was not being very ambitious. My Irish “au pair mum” Joanne, who showed me that you could rock a wonderful career and have three children! My first job at the British Council – Robin, if you ever read this, thanks for all your advice. And then at UNIC – Phil has been a great mentor to accompany me in my journey as CEO.
And not to even mention all the people around me who inspire me every day, for different reasons – my husband, parents, friends, step-daughters…
UNIC: UNIC just launched the fifth edition of its Women's Cinema leadership Programme. What have been the main results of the programme so far? What's your vision for the future of the scheme?
Laura: When we launched the programme in 2017, we faced a lot of skepticism in the industry as to whether this was useful or relevant. I’m delighted that we proved them wrong! It’s been an incredible journey from this first year – struggling to get mentees and mentors, trying to grow the project and the network, all in house. It’s one of the things I feel the most proud of today – the amazing network of female professional we have created, who all support each other, the growth of both mentors and mentees, the number of applications getting higher and higher every year. Each mentor and mentee helped us build the programme to be what it is today – they all came with their different skills and background and culture. It would not be what it is today without their commitment, without Diana – who really is the woman behind it all -, Monica Chadha our moderator and the support from our Board.
Looking ahead – I want the scheme to get bigger and bigger. I want our network to increase, get participants to meet more in person, and know that they can rely on each other. I want us to inspire similar initiatives. The next stop would be a 2-day workshop, involving all our mentees and mentors!
UNIC: What advice do you have for the new intake of mentors and mentees?
Laura: Make the most of it - the year will be gone so quickly! This is a wonderful opportunity to learn from each other and also to create a new “support group” of amazing professionals around you. Enjoy it!