Royal Academy of Engineering CEO: “There is a cultural perception that engineering is a male subject”
Hayaatun Sillem, chief executive of the Royal Academy of Engineering, debunks the myths around what it means to be an engineer and opens up about what makes her different.
What image comes to mind when you think of an engineer? Be honest - you thought of a white man wearing a hard hat and holding a clipboard, who is probably working on some building site or inside the bonnet of a car.
I bet you don’t think of an eloquent, well-dressed, Indian-South African woman from West London.
Hayaatun Sillem is the chief executive of the Royal Academy of Engineering. MT met with her at the Institute of Engineering and Technology in London, just before she hosted a panel discussion ahead of International Women in Engineering Day (23rd June).