Bentley announces the third edition of Extraordinary Women

The third edition of Extraordinary Women, a mentorship programme designed specifically to encourage and develop the next generation of female leaders, has been announced by Bentley.

The initiative connects students, universities and also what the firm has dubbed female Pioneers - "selected, high-achieving women" - from the U.K. and Qatar. 

Outstanding Women creates an opportunity for students to explore careers in STEM and the automotive industry through empowering them

Following prior runs in 2022 and 2023, this year's edition is organised in collaboration with five universities - the University of Bath, Loughborough, Warwick and Manchester Metropolitan in the U.K., and the University of Doha for Science in Technology in Qatar.

Focusing on female students in the field of engineering, design, technology and business, the programme was crafted to encourage women to explore career pathways in STEM and automotive sectors. 

The substance of this programme lies in highlighting the range of opportunities available to women. In previous years, students were paired with Pioneers across various fields, namely, Amanda Levete, a Stirling Prize-winning architect appointed CBE for her contributions to architecture; Saudi Arabia's Mishaal Ashemimry, the first female aerospace engineer in the Gulf region; and Amna Al Hashemi, an Emirati thought leader and serial entrepreneur.

For this third edition, eight students from both the U.K. and Qatar will be selected to be a part of this programme, after which they will be involved in direct one-on-one mentorship by the Pioneers. Their journey in this programme ends with a week-long visit to Bentley's headquarters in Crewe, England, in June.

As an exciting update for this latest edition, an additional Pioneer, Sara Davies MBE, will join the programme and mentor a student from the U.K.

Sara Davies MBE, best known for appearing in Dragons' Den as its youngest ever female investor, joins this year's edition as the programme's latest Pioneer

Sara brings invaluable insights into the world of business to the table as founder and owner of Crafter's Companion, a craft supply company with more than 150 employees worldwide. She is also best known for appearing on the BBC One show, Dragons' Den, as its youngest ever female investor. 

The Extraordinary Women initiative forms yet another part of the Bentley's wide-reaching Beyond100 strategy. Although largely aimed at sustainability efforts, Bentley is also striving to be the most diverse luxury car company through diversity and inclusion via the strategy.