Ranya Al Houthali, Regional Director, General Assembly, Saudi Arabia

Tell us about your background? 

I’ve 12 years of experience working in the global market hubs in New York City, Boston, Dubai and Riyadh helping companies to grow. Prior to joining GA I was advising the Saudi government on planning and executing socio-economic reformation initiatives impacting millions of lives including myself. I’m passionate about adopting causes that help sustainable development goals for a better future.

How do you balance work and family? What are the challenges?

After the pandemic you home became work and your work became home, such shift requires fundamental changes in my house being re-ordered, focus on how much work you put in your hours and ability to prioritize and delegate things on a daily basis.Note: do not fall in the trap of trying to overcompensate for working remotely.

Do you have any funny stories about working with your colleagues or team members? 

I always worked in a strong team spirit where one for all and all for one.We were working day and night on a transformational project that did not seem to be ending! We made it and submitted the project and we received a thank you note saying “We are impressed by your ability to submit the work a month earlier!”.We ere out of words realizing that we mis-read the date of 2/1 to thinking January 1st!” because we trusted our project manager that he read it correct and we never checked nor complained that it was an impossible stretch assignment.Since then for any project we confirm in writing word by word -no numbers- that the deadline is confirm by day, month, year.

What do you think a working woman looks for in an employer in terms of benefits, support etc? How has Adecco assisted you?

Benefits are the most controversial topic for any gender and looking at controversiality by gender; women are exposed to higher level of pay inequality.What we are looking for is a pay that reflects our expertise, skill and ability to lead benchmarked to the market and the organization’s peer value.The challenge here is caused by two factors; 1.Employer penny saving regardless the value your bring in 2.Women shying away from negotiating (myself included).All these reasons together are contributors to ending up on the lower end of any benefits spectrum.

 Who has inspired you in your career or personal life?

There are many and let’s look at it of what I learned from them;

• The art of letting go and having an ocean size heart to be able to enjoy life from Mr.Saeed (my father).
• The Power of sitting at the table when i’m a minority in the room let be race, gender or seniority from Margret Thatcher.
• For a situation to change all what we need is changing how we look at it and believe me it works! from Sadhguru

Magdalena Bargieł, CHRO Cluster Head of HR, The Adecco Group Poland, Czech Republic of Slovakia

Tell us about your background? 

From the very beginning, my career path is closely related to the area of ​​HR and business transformation. I have gained practical experience, among others in the consulting, FMCG, pharmaceutical, insurance, IT, HR Advisory sector. The variety of these experiences is even greater as it comes from both international and Polish companies, private capital, investment funds and stock exchange companies. Today I can boast 20 years of priceless experience in change management, mergers and acquisitions, integration of the human resources, building of the HR function from the greenfield stage, development of the organization matching the future needs. And today I am in a place where I can say that HR and business are so strongly intertwined that neither can live without understanding the other.

How do you balance work and family? What are the challenges?

I always believed in work-life integration, because it  implies a sense of trust between you as employee, the manager and the organization with its priorites. Hence this is my focus when it comes to juggling private and work sides of life and this is also something that I’m encouraging within my team. Especially now, when hybrid work merges home and office into one work – the challenge is to allow oneself to trust the other person, regardless of whether you’re a manager or the team member and just communicate openly on how you’re doing both professionally (goals-wise) and emotionally/privately.

Do you have any funny stories about working with your colleagues or team members? 

Our team’s been together through thick and thin and I’m both proud of it and very thankful to be able to work with such passionate people. This also means we’ve had multiple moments of laughter in and out of work. One story I can tell you is when visiting a client for a development centre I think, we stopped by a restaurant to grab something to eat and… we adopted a stray kitten who was wandering around the place. We all decided she’s going to be part of our HR team and now she’s in most of our HR calls.

What do you think a working women look for in an employer in terms of benefits, support etc? How has Adecco assisted you?

We believe in talent and not in labels so I don’t think women look for anything different in an employer than other people – they look for stability, equality and opportunity. It’s something that TAG has given me and that I’m giving back as part of the organization. Stability understood as a an environment full of honesty and open discussion about the future, equality in pay and access to the same pools of responsibilities as well as equal opportunities to grow. Our cluster has a strong representation of women both in managerial and top leadership roles is only proof that we’re doing a good job in being an attractive workplace for women and a great place to work for everyone.

Who has inspired you in your career or personal life?

I am inspired by every person, potentially unassuming one with extraordinary energy, who does what they love and devote themselves to it with heart, drawing energy and joy of life from the simplest everyday things. I am also inspired by my people around me who have the courage to stray away from the beaten path and learn from everything that’s new around them. I am also inspired by every woman who does what she loves despite adversities. I applaud strong women who fight for the path they choose, be it in professional life or private life.

Jelena Žikić, Managing Director (Cluster Head) Adriatic & Hungary at The Adecco Group

Tell us about your background? 
My background varies quite a bit from expected. I started in teaching mathematics, which I studied for. After that, my path led me through an extensive background in fields such as FMCG, Banking, Telecom, Security and then HR Solutions. My love for HR work led me to Adecco, where I was the regional HR director, and I’m now in the new role of general director for cluster Adriatic and Hungary. This varied background allows me to always assess the challenges in multiple ways and apply another perspective when it comes to business. I think that having versatile experience can provide you with an advantage and it’s important to have broad knowledge when you’re aspiring for management roles, as it gives you more tools to work with.

How do you balance work and family? What are the challenges?

I have a good balance thanks to a specific relationship I have with my family. We don’t usually talk about business when I come home, so there is a clear line to help us keep balance. My family also has a different work background than me, so that helps me separate my work life and not think about it as much. Another very important thing is support. My partner has great understanding for everything I do, including my working hours, dedication to projects and all other business-related things. We overcome all the challenges that work can bring into your personal life together, so the great communication is the key.

Do you have any funny stories about working with your colleagues or team members?

It’s very important to have fun. Of course, you can’t always joke around, but being able to laugh with your team members help build a strong foundation in your relationship. There was even more room for this when we were in the office more, but recently I’ve kept chat groups with my colleagues where we can both share valuable information, as well as have fun, share funny images, jokes and keep the good mood overall. I’m happy to say that in recent period we managed to keep our relationship as good as it was and even build on it. They always bring a smile to my face and I believe everyone would enjoy working in an environment such as this.

What do you think working women look for in an employer in terms of benefits, support etc? How has Adecco assisted you?

I believe that women need to feel support from the company and that everything else will follow. For example, we make sure that women who have or want children feel that their job is secure and that they are a valuable part of the company, which can be uncertain at times. There are benefits such as days off for starting school, which is applied to both parents to help make things easier, as well as flexible working schedule for example. If a woman wants to work part time after having a baby or fully from home, there is room for that. Along each step of the way, Adecco makes sure we have that certainty that helps us focus on work. Overall, every employee needs to feel safe and heard, but its especially important that women have that feeling of being understood and supported in everything they need so that the work and private life balance can be achieved.

Who has inspired you in your career or personal life?

I’m always excited to learn more and look up to truly inspirational people. I feel like the biggest inspiration for me for a while now is Jacinda Ardern, the prime minister of New Zealand, as well as Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft. In their own way, both have managed to move boundaries and reframe success in the modern world. I believe that great leaders are focus not only on business results, but also on bringing up others and striving to change the world around them. These people always bring something special into everything they do.

Evangelia Isari, Marketing & Communications Director, The Adecco Group, Greece

Tell us about your background?

I have more than 14 years of experience in the field of Marketing and Communications. I started my career in 2006 in the advertising industry. 12 years ago, I started my journey with Adecco Group. It has been and still is an exciting journey that keeps me motivated and engaged and makes me keep the enthusiasm I had in the first year with this company. I started as Marketing and Communications Executive in Greece and then got promoted to Marketing and Communications Manager. During my time in this company I have taken over different interesting and challenging ad interim assignments in a regional level.  For the past 2 years, I have the role of Marketing and Communications Director, Greece and Bulgaria. Last Summer, on top of my duties in Greece and Bulgaria, I was also asked to take over the role of Marketing Practice Leader for the EEMENA Region and we share responsibilities with three other colleagues in this field. Outside of work, I am married and have a 6 year old little boy and a 10 year old daughter.

How do you balance work and family? What are the challenges?

I won’t say that it is always easy. Actually, it can be very challenging. I work for a great company though that allows me the flexibility I need to manage this double role of being a professional and a mum. There are times I feel guilty about not being with my family as much as I would like to or guilty because my kids might fall sick and need to run to the doctors during working hours. Luckily, I have supportive colleagues around me, who understand the challenges and actually share the same ones. And I am very fortunate to also have a very supportive family! I get the opportunity to work from home when needed, especially during the pandemic this became kind of our new normal, and I try to ensure I work productively during my working hours so that I can then spend with my family the quality time they deserve! If I have to work long hours for specific projects I always make sure to make it up to my family, ensuring we have lot of plans for fun and interesting activities during our time together.

Do you have any funny stories about life as a working mum?

Working from home during the pandemic, with kids being also around, is a challenging period with also lots of funny moments. One of these funny moments was during one of our recent management meetings, when I was presenting with enthusiasm a project to the team and thus my mic was on and at some point my 6 year old son is heard shouting at me: “Mum, stop talking! I am watching my favourite TV show and cannot hear what they say!”

What do you think working mums look for in an employer? How has Adecco assisted you?

Adecco Group is a company that puts people first, and this is apparent in every aspect. Of course being a working mum isn’t easy but having the right support and understanding from the organization, something that is encouraged by the worldwide culture of the company, makes you feel secure and that you have the opportunity to pursue your career goals without having to let go of your personal dreams. It is a culture of caring based on a sense of community and mindfulness. A culture that promotes the innovative thinking and the productive way of work instead of stereotypes.  This is I think what all women need in order to thrive in their double role as professionals and mums and also what companies need in order to keep and grow their talents. With gender parity and all forms of workforce diversity being linked to improved productivity and performance, fully engaging women’s talents in the workplace is the only choice for businesses that want to succeed. If fair treatment and equality are not at the center of a company’s values in the long term the consequences for the organization could be irreversible.

Who has inspired you in your career or personal life?

I take inspiration from many people around me that I see fighting for their dreams despite the difficulties in their way. I believe no goal is met without a little sweat. If I had to select the two most inspiring people for me, I would say that the first one would be my mother. She has always been and still is the powerful person I admire, capable of dealing with multiple tasks successfully and always there for her family. She is a true role model! The second one would be my husband and the way he is dealing with the same challenges I am facing being a working parent. Afterall, it’s high time we stopped talking about working mothers and start talking about working parents and then we will be much closer to the so-called gender parity.

Margherita Pasini, Candidate & Associate Engagement Manager EE&MENA Zone at The Adecco Group

Tell us about your background?

I started in Adecco as recruiter in Branch (Milan – Italy) in 2002 , after 2 years I apply for an assignment in  a Project supporting long term unemployment people to re entering in the Market and I played  a role as a Counselor and then as a Project Manager. After this experience I started working in  LHH for 4 years as a Consultant Train the Trainer and PM National Level, I was also the  POC in Italy for International Project.  I then decided to apply  for a Functional national Role as Attraction and Evaluation Manager in Candidate Management Department in Adecco Italy HQ. In 2013  I was assigned to a  Global Project for 3 years working as SME For Front Office Systems in a real multinational Team. When back in Italy I became Adoption&Change Manager National level for all tools Candidate&Associates related. In 2017 I moved to Budapest in Hungary to implement and develop Candidate Management Department within the Country and I worked for 2 years in Hungary as  Candidate Management Director. In 2019 I started to work for EE&MENA Region as Candidate&Associates Engagement Manager and from this year I became Customer Experience Practice Leader for the Region.

How do you balance work and family? What are the challenges?

I have the philosophy to always keep and defend personal space. With the chance to be always connected the discipline is the Key and is just in our hands to be responsible for our balance. Rules has to be in line with Duties I respect personal life like I respect work life and I try not to mix it. Personal space makes me more effective during Working Hours. I m a runner and I love sport from where I always learned the discipline which I apply everywhere: always be committed with Ourselves including our Job which is part of our life

What do you think a working women look for in an employer in terms of benefits, support etc? How has Adecco assisted you?

Well this is an interesting question. In my Ideal world I would like to just talk about BENEFITS itself and get out from categorization:  eg.  Women vs Man. We are  individual and each individual can be also  women, man, mother, father, single, wife, husband, or whatever other category or role we would play in our life and life can change moving forwards so it would be nice to be able to let each Individual select and decide which Benefit negotiate based on the moment of the life and not to pre define based on the default categorization. the more flexible it is, the more customizable it is and this also applies to Benefits

Who has inspired you in your career or personal life?

None specific. But  I always look at Athletes and I admire their attitude….you can see in sports like in life that limits are just the one we create.  I strongly believe in self development, self awareness, self responsibility and in the way to change the perspective in front of obstacles.

You have to set your goals, is  YOU to decide it and You to believe it  so  you will find the way to arrive to the finish line! The most important aspect  is to be able to be consistent with your VALUE and play a fair game ALWAYS without giving up. No compromise with what you are no unfair game no blame to any external. If YOU know where you want to go you will get it and you will fight for it because you believe and you will win your challenge  being yourself!

So just set up your goal and train yourself with discipline to get there without shortcut, it takes time efforts ,sacrifice but also lots of fun, great experience, great people around you during your journey and at the end the satisfaction will be  incomparable and always authentically YOURS!

Zeynep Kamışlı Sezer, Managing Director, Permanent Placement, Adecco Turkey

Tell us about your background? 

After my graduation from Middle East Technical University in 1998 , I started my career in  DHL Worldwide Express Turkey in the sales department. In 2003, I moved to  Boston Scientific Turkey and carried various sales and business development roles for the company. In 2005, I started working for  Adecco Turkey and  held various roles as branch manager, area manager and search & selection director. In 2012, I became the sales director of Adecco Turkey. Currently, I am the Managing Director and executive committee member of  Adecco Turkey with major responsibility in permanent placement business with our 3 brands  ‘’Adecco, Spring Professional and Badenoch + Clark’’ .

How do you balance work and family? What are the challenges?

I believe, if a person organizes her/his calender well, there is always time for the family. Ofcourse there are some moments that you take from your private life. But, these times are manageable. We should be looking it on a global scale. Business is 7/24 as all the world is online. But when you are working in a company like Adecco, there are always optional and enough time slots to enter meetings and to deliver the requested reports. The most crucial thing for me is to have the best team members with you. If you have them, you share responsibilities. With this sharing, you all manage time wisely. On top of this, loving what you do gives you the pace. And you are in the same rhythm with your company.

What do you think a working women look for in an employer in terms of benefits, support etc? How has Adecco assisted you?

There are several articles regarding this question as it is a global question valid in almost all countries in the world. In my opinion, the answer is very simple. Women look for equal treatment and equal access to opportunities. They want inclusion. I believe, the gender-equal companies deliver better results and create a healthier environment. I feel very lucky to have been working in Adecco in that sense as well. Our group put inclusion and diversity as our top priority. It is in our DNA. We believe the power of women as strong leaders. You can simply see it when you look at our team in Adecco Turkey; 80% women employees in general and 71% women in senior management team.

Who has inspired you in your career or personal life?

I have 2 solid people who inspired me in my career life. First one was my direct manager in DHL in the early years of my career. Why he inspired me was because he had this service oriented mind and attitude with which he made both the team and the clients feel that he was there for you at all times. He always gained the respect and trust with his authentic way. He would pay attention to each and every member of the team. The second person is here with us in our group; my direct manager. He has various skills that can inspire people. For me the initial ones are; people orientation, putting the team in front , transparency, building the strategy together as one team and always allocating time to personal issues. This makes the team work for one common goal all together while enjoying what we do. In personal life, I have several role models; especially women. Their common features are  people orientation, multitasking, endurance and target orientation.

Madelyn Morales, Accounting Manager, Adecco UAE

Tell us about your background?

BS Accountancy Graduate, a Certified Public Accountant and with CMA certification, more than 15 years of solid accounting experience, 2 years in construction industry ( Dubai Metro project) one recruitment agency in Dubai before ADECCO  and  9 years in Adecco as accounting manager

How do you balance work and family? What are the challenges?

Time management , focusing  in the task give, completing on or before the deadline,  goal setting both for professional and personal.

Do you have any funny stories about working with your colleagues or team members?

Memorable time for me when I worked with payroll team till 3am to finish payroll and so many others  to mention but that one is a remarkable one.

What do you think a working women look for in an employer in terms of benefits, support etc? How has Adecco assisted you?

Equal benefit received as of other team member or opposite gender.

Who has inspired you in your career or personal life?

Professionally my inspiration is my finance team, we have a very good working relationship and it feels good when you are being treated and respected as important member.  Personally of course my family

Jelica Radovic, Payroll and HR Services Director Adriatic at Adecco

Tell us about your background? 

Although I never thought that my career would go into Finance & HR direction, as chemistry was my favorite subject, it turned out that life writes its own stories, so I have finished economy studies. Speaking of career journey, when I have started my career in 90’s and early 2000’s, HR was not yet fully established as a role in Serbia. My first job was in accounting and I loved it. It is much creative than most people imagine. My entry in HR world was through a payroll part in banking industry. The rest is history. I have increased my knowledge there and expanded it to Comp & Ben, HR Administration and later on in other large multinational companies in different industries from Telco, FMCG and Retail to fields such as Organizational design, Employee relations, HRIS and Performance Management.

How do you balance work and family? What are the challenges?

Good organization is the key to success. I am great at multitasking and prioritization and it helps me a lot in balancing my private life and business. I also have two adult children, so I’ve developed skill in handling many things simultaneously, which makes my life simpler and helps to overcome the challenges that may come by. This also gives me an opportunity to recharge and spend quality free time the way I love – reading a lot, watching movies, knitting, sewing, walking with family and friends.

Do you have any funny stories about working with your colleagues or team members?

Good time at work keeps us motivated and engaged. I’m glad to say that I get along great with my team and that we manage to find something to lighten the mood in each day. Sometimes, we spend more time with colleagues than with our family, so laughter and good vibes often make our days. Everything is easier if we feel happy and keep smiling, which makes the importance of an environment that balances fun and work even greater.

What do you think working women look for in an employer in terms of benefits, support etc? How has Adecco assisted you?

I think that flexibility and manager understanding are the most important ingredients that make a good employer. It’s important that you have the freedom to propose the setup that helps you get the most out of your day and I believe that Adecco understands that an all-around support benefits both the employees and the company. Being able to arrange your working schedule in a non-conventional way, without additional pressure that is not justified, is what most retains most women in the company. When you feel that you have support, it’s much easier to stay focused on your tasks and contribute more to the team.

Who has inspired you in your career or personal life?

There aren’t any specific people that inspire me. I was always driven by quality of job done well with high level of expertise. There are no shortcuts to success or in career. Millennials are very inpatient and hurry to high positions too soon without enough knowledge, experience or people skills and this is not sustainable. I raised my kids in a different way and this is something I share with my young colleagues as a mentor as well. I share core values with Adecco’s and being able to act in line with them and maintain my leadership style is the greatest benefit for me and the best way how Adecco contributes to my overall satisfaction.

Nazmiye Altındaş Balkani, Staffing Director, Adecco Turkey

Tell us about your background?

After I have graduated from Koç University where I have learned how to challenge with the right questions and not to be a part of solution, to be the one who finds the solution beforehand, I have begun my career as a marketeer in one of the leading global consumer goods companies. It took very short time for me to realize that I should look for more people-oriented job. Then, I have found myself in search and selection company.  It has been more than a decade in recruitment industry.

I have joined to Adecco Group as PP director four years ago. Currently, I am holding the position of Staffing Director in Adecco Turkey.

How do you balance work and family? What are the challenges?

That is the knotty question which all leaders are still looking for an answer. I do not believe that there is a one-size-fits-all approach. With a one-year old child, I have started by accepting that imbalance is sometimes unavoidable especially in pandemic year, since we all work from home.

To have a healthy imbalance, my solutions are limiting non-essential activities, planning ahead, prioritizing by saying no if necessary and going back to the basics when I feel exhausted because routines and basics will bring the success.

Do you have any funny stories about working with your colleagues or team members?

When I started to work from home, my 2-month-old baby was crying all day with no reason.

In one of the very first online meetings, I was singing lullabies and shushing him while listening my colleagues. I was not aware that I was not on mute until someone started to sing the same 😊

What do you think a working women look for in an employer in terms of benefits, support etc? How has Adecco assisted you?

Nobody can deny that women want fairness, trust, to be heard and flexibility in where, when, and how they work.  Adecco has continuously allowing me opportunities to contribute where I feel I can, providing resources to accomplish goals, work life balance including flexible working options without being frowned upon. More importantly, I always feel that I have the autonomy to perform at my best and endless support. Caring work culture is really important to me, I am very fortunate that I am now in a leadership position within an organization that values this at all levels and encourages women even more.

Who has inspired you in your career or personal life?

I find inspiration in a variety of people and things. I would have to say that the person who has most greatly inspired me has been my mom who always taught me to stay focused and goal oriented, no matter the obstacles that come my way. Additionally, Atatürk and his was of thinking have been great sources for me when I look for inspiration in my leadership journey.                      Additionally, I would say, Ginni Rometty, another strong leader, and her words saying that growth and comfort do not coexist inspired me a lot. I am inspired by my current leaders in Adecco who put human centric management first. In my 5th year within the Group, I am definitely sure that this top to down approach put the fire in me to try to do my best everyday.

Joyce Bijl, Head of Program and Sales, Middle East, Pontoon

Tell us about your background?

I start the journey as a consultant in 2004 in the Netherlands, via multiple promotions I hold the position of Multiple branch manager (multiple office under my responsibility) and move to Shanghai – China. Here I started to work in our Joint Venture which was just created by then. I work as an account executive for international sales with the local Chinese colleagues to share knowledge. 2014 it was time to move to Hong Kong to get promoted to International Account Manger Asia Pacific and 3 years later in Dubai I got a new opportunity as Managing Director for Dubai. After 15 years of staffing experience it was time for something new, hence the step to Pontoon Solution in early 2019.

How do you balance work and family? What are the challenges?

The most important for me is to set priorities, what is really important to me and always keep this in mind when I make a decision.

Besides this plan and do things in advance. Based in Dubai my working week starts on Sunday, hence I use Saturday evenings to plan my week. I also try when possible to limit work commitments on Fridays. Fridays is the start of the week but colleagues from overseas are not always realizing this.

I don’t have real challenges, as long as I take care of myself. Exercise is very important for me and keeps me focus, as long as I prioritize this, I don’t have challenges to balance my work and private live.

What do you think a working women look for in an employer in terms of benefits, support etc? How has Adecco assisted you?

What I have seen during my career within different countries is definitely the maternity leave regulations that are in some countries very challenging. As an example, in some countries women have only 45 days of maternity leave. Is this realistic? This is a huge event in a woman’s life, but I see often the challenges of new mums, getting used to the new life and back to work. Do we given them enough flexibility to perform at their best?

Flexibility – If employers can bring more flexibility in working hours this can be an incredible stress release to a household.

Who has inspired you in your career or personal life?

One of my first manager in the Adecco Group. She lead by example, when she entered the room it’s filled with her presence. Things I took from her, is really looking into people capabilities and make them shine! It did set my pavement for the future, always be grateful for your team, listen. Her passion for the industry was motivating and pushed me to climb the ladder

But I do find inspiration in a variety of people and things one of the most inspiring people around me is my grandmother. Despite her age (93 and still going strong) she always has a smile and I can hope to reach her age one day.

Hulya Unver, Outsourcing Director, Adecco Turkey

Tell us about your background? 

My career journey has started with P&G-Gillette team. I have worked in various departments such as sales and staff management and my last title was Turkey Country Coordinator. Afterwards, I have worked at Coca-Cola Beverages Ankara-İstanbul and central operations. Since 2 years, I have been working at Adecco and currently, I am an operations director. There are 13 projects and 631 employee coordinated by me. 

How do you balance work and family? What are the challenges?

Both me and my husband has FMCG backgrounds. Based on our workload, we live our lives through sharing. His support helps me to solve many issues. During the Covid-19 outbreak, my Schedule became a challenge, but I also learned to manage that.

 Do you have any funny stories about working with your colleagues or team members? 

I believe there is a strong bond amongst my team members and I like them very much. Our coffee breaks are real fun. During the outbreak, we have organized several coffee breaks via video chat. 

What do you think a working women look for in an employer in terms of benefits, support etc? How has Adecco assisted you?

Adecco supports women employment and with regular meetings and trainings, it contributes to us. Adecco provides supportive and solution oriented options. Accessibility of managers and their support enhances our feeling of belonging. 

Who has inspired you in your career or personal life?

belonging. Mavi Europe General Manager Savan Tüysüz, Procter & Gamble Senior Commercial Director Fikret Sözer and Duracell Turkey General Manager Kerem Sinanoğlu have supported me through my career journey and inspired me. Within The Adecco Group, Group Talent Management VP, Sezin Ninic is very valuable role model. In my private life, my mother is my only inspiration source with her vision, tall stand, love and patience.

Irina Ioncheva, HR Manager, Adecco Group Bulgaria

Tell us about your background? 

I graduated with MSc in Business psychology from the University in Sofia. As continuous improvement has always been my mantra, I then went to Warwick University, UK to specialize in HRMD, then obtained a Ph.D. in psychology and CIPD Level 7 in HRM. During my 16+ years career I have been a Head of HR in several companies, local and international. I am proud to be a Chartered MCIPD, which is a recognition for high professional achievements at international level. Small part of my time outside my regular job has been devoted to small-scale training, teaching, coaching and consulting projects.

How do you balance work and family? What are the challenges?

My sense of self-identity has always been grounded in my career life coming with top priority. Which is the reason I got engaged just 1 year ago. I am still learning how to keep the right balance and I trust my role at Adecco helps me a lot in this.

What do you think a working women look for in an employer in terms of benefits, support etc? How has Adecco assisted you?

Women taking non-management roles are likely to seek fair pay, which can help them ensure a decent  standard of living, flexible work scheme (especially if they are mothers) and a supportive respectful social environment. Women aiming at roles with more responsibilities are looking for equal opportunities and ways to develop further their potential and resources. Adecco provides the right environment for such aspirations to become real, by promoting equal treatment and discouraging gender pay gap and discrimination.

Who has inspired you in your career or personal life?

My inspiration has always been people with low ego and high emotional intelligence, who lead from the front and have a healthy, balanced view on themselves, other people and the Universe.

At The Adecco Group we are on a mission to make the future work for everyone.

We continuously strive to establish and sustain a culture of belonging, trust and participation amongst ourselves, recognizing and valuing differences to help our business, communities and clients win.

As a people business we put our expertise and energy into improving everyone’s chances of being part of the world of work. You – our people – are at the core of our business. We are dedicated to creating an inclusive culture for our employees, associates and candidates to feel supported in their day-to-day work and during their development throughout their career. Our commitment is to provide equal opportunity regardless of, for example gender, age, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or beliefs.

The Adecco Group is a member of the @p4parity coalition, a collaborative, researched-based effort to eliminate the gender gap in corporate leadership. As a member of Paradigm for Parity, we have committed to achieve gender parity in leadership roles by 2030, giving equal opportunity to both men and women. Know more.