As organisations increasingly recognise the value of diversity in leadership teams, there is hope that more women will be given the opportunities they deserve. Initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality and inclusivity are crucial for fostering an environment where women can thrive.

Historically, finance has been a male-dominated field, but recent shifts in societal attitudes, educational opportunities, and corporate policies have opened the door for more women to excel in this arena.

Women in Corinthia have been breaking barriers, making significant contributions to the Company’s financial sector and have risen to prominent positions. They also serve as role models for young women aspiring to enter this profession. 

The success of women in Corinthia’s financial sector highlights their determination and resilience in overcoming challenges.

I have decided to write a few articles about women leaders in Corinthia’s financial sector, and have met some shining examples of breaking barriers. 

Dawn Fenech

“I can confidently say that I have not encountered any challenges specifically related to my gender throughout my career. Both Corinthia, as an employer, and the hospitality industry are inclusive and gender neutral. Opportunities are based on merit and hard work.” That excellent positive certificate was given in black and white by Dawn Fenech, Head of Finance – Hotel Operations.

Based in London, Dawn is ever grateful to her mentors Brenda Buhagiar, Director of Finance, NLI,  and Michael Izzo, Group Chief Strategy Officer, IHI. Both have supported her development since moving to London nearly 9 years ago, and helped her grow into her current position. “I believe it is important to nurture great talent within the company so that they can become the future leaders of the organisation. I have always encouraged my team to continue with their ACCA/CIMA qualification and I equally find great value in sharing my own experiences and insights, helping them develop not only technical knowledge but also the confidence and skills to excel in their roles.”

Dawn’s journey with Corinthia began in 2012, when she joined the finance team at the Marina Hotel in Malta, straight out of university. Her development was fast- paced. “Over the course of four formative years at Marina, I was promoted from Accounts Executive to Assistant Financial Controller, all while studying part-time and successfully completing my ACCA qualification. I look back on my time at Marina with great fondness, not only because of the supportive colleagues I worked with, but also because those were my foundational years. During that time, I gained knowledge and skills that continue to benefit me to this day.”

As soon as Dawn sat for her final ACCA exam, she expressed a strong desire to gain international experience. “With the support of both my manager at the time and head office, I was offered an opportunity to join the London hotel team on secondment. This led to a permanent role in October 2016, at which point I officially relocated to London. In London, I reported to Brenda, who was the Director of Finance at the time. Her mentorship and support were instrumental in helping me navigate the transition to both a new country and a much larger property—going from one of Corinthia’s smallest managed hotels to its flagship. For two years, I served as Assistant Financial Controller at the London hotel, where I had the privilege of leading a team of 11. This hands-on operational experience was both challenging and rewarding. Following this, I transitioned into a corporate role and was promoted to Group Reporting Controller for NLI Group, where I managed consolidations, bank reporting, external audits, and financial statements.”

It was during this time that Dawn began working more closely with Michael Izzo, now Group Chief Strategy Officer at IHI. “Together, we handled the accounts of Corinthia Hotels (UK) Limited, which was still in its early stages, as well as CDI. Thanks to Michael’s guidance, I also gained exposure to feasibility studies for potential new Corinthia properties—including the Surrey Hotel in New York. As Corinthia Hotels Limited UK expanded and CHL US subsidiaries were launched to support the Surrey Hotel HMA, I moved into the role of Financial Controller – Operations. In this position, I stepped away from my NLI Group responsibilities to focus more on the accounting functions of Corinthia Hotels as a management company, while also collaborating with the hotel finance teams.”

Dawn’s prior experience in Malta and London was crucial in preparing her for her next step. “Today, I serve as Head of Finance – Hotel Operations, a role that has evolved to include closer engagement with our hotel finance teams and the leadership of the finance transformation Sun Cloud project, which spans all Corinthia-managed properties.”

What are her current duties? “In my current role as Head of Finance – Hotel Operations, I work closely with our hotel finance teams to support and elevate financial standards across all Corinthia-managed properties. A core aspect of my responsibilities includes developing and issuing finance policies and procedures, as well as promoting greater awareness and implementation of USALI (Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry) to ensure consistency in financial reporting. I also oversee the financial aspects of key software platforms used at property level, ensuring they align with operational needs and compliance requirements. A significant focus of my role is leading the finance transformation initiative, which includes the rollout of Sun Cloud and Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) solutions across the portfolio.”

With family

Together with her team, she maintains ongoing communication with hotel finance teams to provide support, streamline workflows, and continuously improve processes. “We conduct monthly and quarterly performance reviews, lead balance sheet audits, and manage the annual budgeting cycle for each hotel. In addition, we play a pivotal role in the pre-opening phase of new hotels. Thanks to my team’s backing, we have successfully supported the opening of three new properties over the past six months—in New York, Brussels, and Bucharest.”

With close friends in Singapore

But man – or should I say woman – does not live on work alone. How does Dawn relax? “I love travelling and this is perhaps a big contributor to me working in the hospitality industry. Travelling exposes you to different cultures and traditions and enriches you with knowledge which traditional learning methods cannot offer. I also like reading and playing the piano. I started learning piano when I was seven, and it still serves as an outlet for me to unwind and recharge after a busy week.”

Dawn’s fast-paced development has merged her past quickly with her present. What does she see as the major changes she is experiencing?

“The biggest changes we are seeing at present is the increased importance of technology, automated reporting, and the development of more efficient systems for managing large volumes of data. There is an increasing focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting, a relatively new yet rapidly evolving area within hospitality finance that is becoming crucial for transparency.”

Dawn paused for a moment and concluded : “I think now more than ever is an exciting time for any finance professional to join the industry. It’s encouraging to see a growing number of women stepping in leadership roles.”