It’s International Women’s Day - and to mark the event, we at BusinessLive have been taking a look at some of the most inspirational business leaders from across the country,
Our editors and reporters across the country have met and written about inspirational women from senior executive to self-made millionaires and those representing business at the highest levels - and we’ve profiled them in a series of pieces here.
There’s still plenty of work to be done to promote diversity in Britain’s boardrooms and businesses. Just 5% of FTSE 100 firms have female chief executives and only 7% have chairwomen.
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But progress has been made, with the Government-backed target of having a third of all FTSE 100 board positions held by women being reached earlier than expected. A decade ago, just 12.5% of boardroom positions were held by women.
Today Elisabeth Stheeman, a member of the Bank of England’s financial policy committee, told the PA news agency that she hoped to see a female Governor in her lifetime.
Here’s just a selection of inspirational business leaders chosen by our BusinessLive teams - in no particular order - and you can read more in their regional reviews linked here too.
South West
Our South West team this week wrote about some of the region's inspirational business leaders - here's just a selection of them.
Ruth Carnie - chair of Babcock International
In 2019 Plymouth’s biggest private sector employer appointed as its new chairperson a high-flying female executive who has fought to get more women into positions of power.
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Babcock International, the aerospace and defence company which runs Devonport Dockyard, named Ruth Cairnie as successor to Mike Turner. Ms Cairnie initially joined the board as a non-executive director but assumed the role of chair in July 2019.
Ms Cairnie has had a 37-year career and was executive vice president for group strategy and planning at Royal Dutch Shell plc.
She has been senior independent director of Primark owner Associated British Foods Plc and a non-executive director of Rolls Royce Holdings plc and ContourGlobal plc. She has also chaired POWERful Women, and has advised Government departments.
She has also been a trustee of Windsor Leadership and a member of the finance committee of the University of Cambridge.
Dr Mena Fombo
Bristol-based equality and diversity campaigner Dr Mena Fombo is the co-founder of Bristol’s first black-led television production company Blak Wave.
She is also the founder of Black Girl Convention - a movement to ensure women of African and Caribbean heritage have "a sense of home" by sharing experiences.
She has a background in filmmaking, including heading up the creative production agency Eight at Knowle West Media Centre, and has more than 15 years’ experience in the voluntary sector and in community organisations and educational establishments.
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Last year, Mena was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration from UWE for services to Gender and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic equalities work.
She also holds a BSc in Youth and Community Work from Bath University, and a BA (hons) in Time-Based Media Production from UWE.
Susan Davy, Pennon Group
With 20 years’ experience in the utility sector, Susan Davy is the financial lead at Pennon Group. She is highly respected in the City and has been instrumental in building Pennon’s reputation.
Prior to her current appointment Susan was finance director at South West Water between 2007 and 2015, during which time she was responsible for the company’s business plan to 2020.
She has also held a number of other senior finance roles in the water sector. Her knowledge of the industry coupled with financial and regulatory expertise has helped develop Pennon’s strategy.
Susan is also chairman of the CBI South West council, non-executive director of Restore and a member of the A4S (Accounting for Sustainability) CFO leadership network.
Melanie Squires - NFU South West regional director
With a family background in dairy farming in Cornwall, Melanie Squires was appointed regional director of the NFU in March 2006.
She speaks for a membership of about 10,000 farming businesses across the six counties of the South West and ensures representation at all levels by lobbying as an apolitical organisation, supporting the governance structures and elected farming officeholders. She is also a board member of the Heart of the South West LEP.
In June of 2008 she was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s birthday honours for services to Gloucestershire’s rural community and for animal welfare efforts during the flooding of July 2007.
She was also awarded the Associateship of Royal Agricultural Societies (ARAgS) for her distinguished achievement in the agricultural industry in 2015.
West Midlands
Our West Midlands team this week wrote about some of the region's inspirational business leaders - here's just a selection of them.
Denise Coates - bet365
Billionaire businesswoman Denise Coates is the founder and joint chief executive of the bet365 online gambling operation - Stoke-on-Trent's largest private-sector employer.
She has often been referred to as the 海角视频's most successful businesswoman with an estimated fortune of almost £10 billion.
In 2012, Denise set up a charity - now called the Denise Coates Foundation - focusing on education, community and medical research and was awarded a CBE.
Denise is part of the wider Coates family, which includes her brother John and her Stoke-on-Trent born father Peter, who is chairman of Stoke City Football Club.
Yetunde Dania - Trowers & Hamlins
Yetunde took over the running of law firm Trowers & Hamlins’ Birmingham office at the turn of the year, succeeding Amardeep Gill after four years in the role.
She has spent eight years with T&H and helped to set up the Birmingham base with her fellow partner Rebecca McGuirk in 2011.
A property specialist, she has 25 years of experience advising on residential landlord and tenant disputes and non-contentious matters with a particular focus on representing social housing sector and private sector landlords.
She is also on the advisory board of Common Purpose and the Care Leavers Covenant and is passionate about increasing the diversity and inclusion of the legal profession, regularly talking at events hosted by other firms and organisations focused on inspiring the next generation.
Last year, she was named Lawyer of the Year by Birmingham Black Lawyers.
Sarah Cooper-Jones - NatWest
In a career spanning three decades with NatWest/RBS, Sarah Cooper-Jones has undertaken a number of senior leadership roles with global and 海角视频 remits based in London, Manchester and Birmingham. In 2003, she changed career direction from banking to human resources working in strategic partnership with the bank's executives across senior boards in head of HR positions.
In 2016, she returned to banking as regional director for corporate and commercial banking in the West Midlands, responsible for around 3,000 customers starting at £2 million turnover to large corporates. Last year, she was named advocate of the year award at the 2019 Women in Finance Awards in London.
Liv Garfield - Severn Trent
Liv Garfield has been chief executive of Severn Trent Water since 2014. She joined BT Group in 2002 and held a number of senior roles including group director of strategy and regulation, managing director of commercial and brands and chief executive of BT's Openreach business.
While there, she oversaw the £2.5 billion rollout of fibre broadband to two-thirds of the 海角视频. At 38, she was the youngest female chief executive of a FTSE company and listed at number ten in Fortune Magazine's hottest rising business stars. A Cambridge graduate, she resigned from the board of Tesco in 2015 to concentrate on her Severn Trent role.
Carol Shanahan - Synectics Solutions and Port Vale FC
Carol Shanahan set up fintech company Synectics Solutions almost 30 years ago with her husband Kevin - a company which employs almost 400 people in Stoke-on-Trent.
Since then she has gone on to establish a catering and hospitality business, called Summit Hospitality, and The Hubb Foundation charity which supports school children and their families across North Staffordshire during the school holidays.
In May last year, Carol finally sealed the deal to buy Port Vale and now sits on the board of directors as chairwoman and co-owner.
East Midlands
Our East Midlands team this week wrote about some of the region's inspirational business leaders - here's just a selection of them.
Elizabeth Fagan - D2N2 LEP
As the chairman of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, Elizabeth plays a key role in supporting economic growth in the region. D2N2 helps create new jobs, homes and skills across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
Elizabeth brings her vast business experience to the role. In her career she held a number of top roles at pharmacy giant Boots.
And in 2016, she became the Nottingham headquartered firm’s first female managing director, heading up the company’s operations in the 海角视频 and Ireland. She later went on to become non-executive chairman.
Recently made a CBE in the New Year’s Honours List for services to gender equality in business, Elizabeth left Boots last month after a long and distinguished career, in order to focus on non-executive roles with other organisations.
Margaret Miles-Bramwell - Slimming World
Margaret founded Slimming World in 1969 after borrowing £200 from a friend to start the business. She began with her first weight loss group in Mansfield Woodhouse.
Today, Slimming World is a leading weight-loss organisation, with more than 19,000 weekly groups supporting 900,000 members across the 海角视频 and Ireland.
The groups are run by a network of 5,500 community-based Slimming World consultants, who receive specific training at the firm’s Derbyshire head office.
In 2009, Margaret was honoured with an OBE for services to the community in Derbyshire and to the field of weight loss management.
Kavita Oberoi - Oberoi Consulting
Kavita is the boss of Derby-based IT and business healthcare consultancy Oberoi Consulting - a company she founded back in 2001.
Since then, her business interests and investments have grown, with Oberoi Consulting developing pioneering technology that can ultimately save lives.
At the same time, Kavita has been helping budding entrepreneurs and small firms through the Oberoi Business Hub, which she founded in 2012.
A familiar face to fans of the TV show The Apprentice: You’re Fired, she was made an OBE in 2014 for services to entrepreneurship and start-up businesses.
Yorkshire & Humber
Professor Susan Lea - University of Hull
The Vice Chancellor of the . She has previously worked at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and the University of Greenwich.
A chartered psychologist and academic, she became the first woman to hold the position in the campus’ near 100 year history when she took over from Prof Callie Pistorius in 2017.
Prof Lea has a track record of leading successful organisational change and driving performance. Last year the university was recognised as one of most improving academic institutions in Britain.
Louise Cheeseman - Hull Trains
The managing director at Hull Trains has just overseen the arrival of new rolling stock, worth £60 million.
An operational whizz, before alighting at Paragon Station she managed train operations for Docklands Light Railway during the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games - recognised as the most successful transport infrastructure in the history of the greatest sporting show on Earth.
It led to her creating a crowd management procedure and event plan process adopted by the London Marathon, Tour de France and many other large events at key London locations.
Daniella Draper - eponymous jeweller
Accessorising the look of celebrities and royalty has rocketed the Cleethorpes jeweller to the top of the fashion stakes, with a run of boutique openings.
From her coastal home to a workshop, she now has high street locations in Leeds, Lincoln, Beverley, Bowness and her beloved resort.
Ed Sheeran, Kate Moss and the Duchess of Cambridge are fans of her ethical craft, and after a decade of design work national accolades have flowed, with a Take That collaboration seeing her shine too.
Bernadette Spofforth and Lesley Beach - Get Soaked / Splash About International
A pair to watch as they make a splash in swimwear.
Having bought out a niche infant business with some sought-after innovation they have taken on the mainstream, expanding into huge new premises and bringing online pick and pack and retail logistics in-house in Stallingborough, near Grimsby
It is currently rolling out an entire new range to 1,000 leisure centres and holiday parks, while enjoying listings with Amazon, Boots, JoJo Maman Bebe, Sainsbury’s and Macy’s.
North East
Heidi Mottram
The chief executive of Northumbrian Water, a former winner of the North East Business Executive of the Year, is a board member at the North East LEP and Prince of Wales’ North East business ambassador.
Ms Mottram began her career with British Rail in the mid-1980s, holding a number of leadership positions with rail companies, latterly as MD of Northern Rail.
Under her leadership, Northumbrian Water has become one of the 海角视频’s leading water companies and the only one on the World’s Most Ethical Companies list for nine years in a row. She is on the national board of the CBI’s climate change group, a member of the national CBI board, a non-executive director of Eurostar, and vice chair of Newcastle University Council.
Dame Margaret Barbour
Dame Margaret has turned the family business into a renowned global brand selling in over 40 countries. Fans include the Royal Family, and even James Bond, who wore one of the jackets in Skyfall.
Barbour grew turnover from £202m to £225m in 2019, with a profit of £38.4m. In 1988 Dame Margaret set-up the Barbour Foundation, which to date has made more than £13.1m in grants, mainly to North East charities and projects.
She is also behind the Women’s Fund, run under the auspices of the Community Foundation to support organisations delivering benefit and social well-being to women in Tyne and Wear and Northumberland.
Sarah Glendinning
Regional director of the employers’ organisation CBI since 2015, Sarah is a consistent champion of both the North East and women in business, and has been prominent in bringing together business organisations to campaign for the region’s best interests.
Sarah joined as assistant regional director, having previously worked at recruitment agency Nigel Wright in Newcastle as an executive search consultant recruiting at senior management, director and non-executive levels throughout the north of the 海角视频.
Now she works with a number of regional organisations including the NECA Economic Development and Regeneration Advisory Board, the North East LEP Employment & Skills Board, and works with both the North East and Tees Valley LEP’s on education and economic projects.
In 2018 she was named “Women of Influence” in the inaugural English Women’s Awards due to her work on the diversity and skills agendas on behalf of CBI members.
Helen Golightly
Helen is the executive director for the North East LEP and chief executive of the North East Combined Authority.
She leads the delivery of the North East Strategic Economic Plan, working with partners to grow the region’s economy. Helen has been with the North East LEP since 2012, and the chief executive officer since 2015.
As the senior executive at the LEP, Helen leads the delivery of the North East Strategic Economic Plan, working with partners to grow the local economy. Her previous experience includes over twenty years in a number of local government roles in planning, regeneration, economic development and corporate governance.
She has extensive programme and fund management experience with responsibility for delivering a wide range of programmes and commercial negotiations.
North West
Our North West team this week wrote about some of the region's inspirational business leaders - .
Jo Whitfield - Co-op Food CEO
Co-operative Group prides itself on inclusiveness and diversity, which they say is a top priority.
Its leadership and transformation team is split 50/50 in terms of gender diversity and the group executive board has two men and five women.
In 2017, Jo Whitfield was appointed the chief executive of Co-op Food and became the first female boss of a retail business of such a large scale.
In 2019, the group reported like-for-like food sales were up 4.4%, marking the fifth consecutive year of growth and, in May last year, Whitfield was named Veuve Clicquot businesswoman of the year for her role in boosting sales for the Co-op’s retail arm.
Denise Barrett-Baxendale - CEO of Everton
One of the most prominent and respected women in sport, Prof Denise Barrett-Baxendale MBE is a director and CEO at Everton FC.
Before venturing into the third sector and world of sport, Denise spent 16 years working in education and fulfilled a variety of academic and leadership roles within higher education.
The past year has been a busy one for Denise and the Blues - with plans for a new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock well underway, and the club hoping for a strong finish in this season's Premier League.
Marnie Millard, CEO at Nichols Plc
- and as chief executive of Vimto-maker Nichols plc, Marnie Millard is its champion.
While Vimto might be a brand most commonly associated with the North West, it's sold across the world - and is massively popular in the Middle East.
While Marnie jokes that the company is on a mission to "turn the world purple", Vimto has been behind a major milestone for gender equality in Saudi Arabia.
Wales
Business Live's Wales team has created a list of 30 inspiring Welsh women in business - It includes leaders from the three bosses of production firm Bad Wolf to GoCompare founder and investor Hayley Parsons.
This week we also reported on Future Female Founders, a new initiative to encourage Welsh women to start their own businesses.
The scheme collaboration between Chwarae Teg, NatWest and Simply Do Ideas, was unveiled by NatWest CEO Alison Rose - herself one of the leading women in the British business world - at the bank’s accelerator hub in Cardiff.
Today we're also reporting on to promote female role models - as Dylan Jones-Evans has written about the need for more such inspirational figures.