The session was the first face-to-face meeting in 18 months and many mentoring pairs had finally the chance to meet their mentor or mentee “in real life”. To celebrate, we invited participants from the five editions of the programme. Monica Chadha, Independent Director, moderated the meeting and ensured that it all ran smoothly.
As is tradition, we kicked-off the get-together with an inspirational speaker. We were honoured to be joined by our very own Phil Clapp, President of UNIC and CEO of UKCA, who shared his path to leadership and his thoughts on recent changes in the industry when it comes to gender equality.
Following this, the floor was given to the current edition of mentors and mentees, who walked us through their mentoring journey so far and best practices. It was inspiring to feel their enthusiasm and hear more about their ambition and vision. We also welcomed thoughts from previous cohorts on their dos and don’ts, proving again that they – the alumni - are the real ambassadors of the programme.
During the meeting, we aimed to address mentees’ topics of interest and therefore, the open discussion that followed touched upon leadership, efficient networking, work and life balance to name but just a few.
As always, the session was empowering, motivating and emotional, and way too short. It reminded us how far we’ve come and how fortunate we have been to bring together such an incredible community.
To properly celebrate the get-together, UNIC also organized networking drinks.
We cannot wait for the next session of the group, which will take place during the UNIC Cinema Days in February 2022. Until then, mentors and mentees of the fifth edition will continue to work on their mentoring goals, and UNIC will be there to facilitate their journey.
You can find more information about our programme and its participants here.