Women in Travel Retail+ (WiTR+) hosted a webinar titled ‘Mission Impossible: Juggling Career and Personal Life in Travel Retail’ yesterday (18 November) featuring Philip Morris International (PMI) Global Travel Retail Vice President Beste Ermaner.
The session was opened by WiTR+ Vice Chair Gerry Munday and moderated by The Moodie Davitt Report Publisher Irene Revilla, underscoring an ongoing commitment to supporting and empowering women in the travel retail sector.
With more than 25 years at PMI, Ermaner has held leadership roles across marketing, sales and general management in markets including Russia, Türkiye and Switzerland. She spoke about her unconventional career path: “Professionally, I was born in Philip Morris… I joined the company as a marketeer and then moved to sales in a completely foreign environment where I didn’t speak the language. That was the biggest challenge I had, but also the period where I learned the most.”
Reflecting on women in leadership, Ermaner highlighted the strengths women bring to business: “Women have more empathy, more sincerity… They can demonstrate authentic leadership, and the key is to have the self-confidence and courage to lead bigger teams and ask for what you want.”
She also addressed the internal barriers women face, urging peers to speak confidently about their achievements: “Sometimes we create the barriers in our own minds. We need to break these barriers and trust ourselves – it will open many paths ahead in business.”
Ermaner also offered a candid glimpse into the challenges and rewards of balancing a high-profile international career with family life. She described maintaining a structured approach to spending time with her ten-year-old daughter, despite extensive travel and an international role. ✈
As reported, PMI Global Travel Retail Vice President Beste Ermaner recently addressed the company’s vision for a Smoke-Free Future in conversation with The Moodie Davitt Report President Dermot Davitt. Click above to watch the full interview.
