Lamborghini is celebrating innovative women with its new award

Automobili Lamborghini’s Silvia Saliti discusses how its Female Advisory Board – FAB for short – is creating a sisterhood with the inaugural Future FAB Award.

In a business world where female leaders are still few and far between among the many men in executive positions, how can more women be encouraged to take up leadership roles? Automobili Lamborghini has the answer with its new Future FAB Award.

Born out of its Female Advisory Board (FAB) – an all-female network that rounds up collaboration among like-minded women, the inaugural awards will celebrate innovative thinkers.

Silvia Saliti (pictured above), Head of Marketing and PR for APAC at Automobili Lamborghini, says that since its foundation in 2018, more than 150 influential women from all over the world have attended a series of FAB meetings, workshops and events. She describes it as “creating a sisterhood and bonding over a desire to help shape the future”.

“Lamborghini created FAB to foster dialogue among women, providing a platform for them to discuss their experiences and challenges, and to share new ideas for the industry and beyond,” Saliti tells The CEO Magazine.

“More women are taking the driver’s seat, with the resources and desire to invest in a supercar of their own,” – Silvia Saliti

Pointing out that “women ultimately influence 85% of car purchases”, the idea for FAB was born out of an informal conversation about the potential of women as car buyers.

“We were reading some research observing a rise in financially independent women today, where more women are taking the driver’s seat, with the resources and desire to invest in a supercar of their own,” she says.

Saliti works with Katia Bassi, Automobili Lamborghini’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, and the first woman to join the Lamborghini Management Board, to coordinate the FAB project worldwide.

The influential FAB women come from all corners of the globe, including Singapore, Los Angeles, Sydney, Dubai, Tokyo, London, New York, Macau, Milan and Bangkok.

Spinning off from FAB, Lamborghini’s inaugural Future FAB Award – which opened on 14 June 2019 and will close on 14 October 2019 – encourages women under 30 from around the globe and in all industries to present their innovative ideas in one of three categories: technology, sustainability and art.

“The categories were chosen out of a sense of duty to innovate and contribute to the society we live in through the discovery of smart technology which, in turn, will create a future of sustainability, while a focus on art and design will feed the imagination,” Saliti explains.

“Innovation and transformation are intrinsic to the Lamborghini way of life – and are themes running through women’s contribution to society – reflecting the company’s commitment to creating a sustainable future while pushing the frontiers of technology and the creative force of art,” she adds.

“FAB continues along this path, involving women who are leaders in their sectors, whose experience of challenges, successes and purchasing habits supports us in our market research and provides vital information on the trends of the luxury market, automotive and beyond.”

Automobili Lamborghini decided to launch the Future FAB Award “as a reflection of the brand’s commitment to innovation and, looking towards the future, supporting younger generations”, Saliti explains.

“The goal of the Future FAB Award is to inspire and support the next generation of women, readying them for leadership and executive opportunities within existing organisations or their own entrepreneurial endeavours and to help them decide which opportunities are right for their career path.”

The three judging committees – comprised of members of the Lamborghini Management Board and select FAB members, who Saliti describes as “leaders and future shapers in each of the award categories”, are looking for three things: “The ability to positively impact the world we live in and encourage positive social change and benefits for communities; innovative content with a vision for a better future; and feasibility. However creative and visionary, each project should be designed to be realised,” Saliti says.

“Leadership involves building a sustainable and inclusive future with a view to corporate social responsibility,” she adds.

“FAB provides a forum for this where Lamborghini is able to give continuity to the brand and the Future FAB initiative offers young women the opportunity to present their projects, be inspired by experienced women leaders, and contribute along with us to innovation and progress.”

Saliti believes mentorship and having role models is one of the best ways to foster female leadership, which is exactly what FAB and its award offer.

“It is crucial for women in the workplace to have role models, and one of the best ways to build sustainable female leadership is through mentoring,” – Saliti

“Women should support each other substantially, an attitude which is the real turnaround point of female leadership,” she says.

“Mentoring is a tried and tested approach to helping people realise their potential, and this extension of the FAB family will assist tomorrow’s female leaders by providing support, insight and help with career navigation.

“By taking part in the Future FAB Award, these rising stars will grow in confidence and realise how much they are capable of.”