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WiB campaign launch endorsed by the prime minister


The launch of the 2017 WiB campaign and Awards, organised by The Business Magazine, took place on Friday March 31 in the picturesque setting of The Oakley Court Hotel, Windsor. The campaign has been personally endorsed by prime minister Theresa May


The WiB timetable and nomination categories


Napier-Munn then outlined the WiB timetable: nominations opened March 31 and will close on June 23, with the WiB Awards evening taking place on September 21 at Oakley Hall Hotel, near Basingstoke.


In addition to the five existing WiB Awards categories, Napier-Munn explained that this year, there would be three new accolades:


• Career-break Returner of the Year (also open to men) • Spotlight on Women in STEM • Role Model of the Year


Leading by example


To read the meassage from the PM, visit: womeninbusiness.biz


Around 100 business representatives came together to network, learn about the awards (and the three new categories), and listen to inspirational speakers from the world of business.


The event was sponsored by Barclays, Blake Morgan, KPMG and Windsor Vehicle Leasing, and supported by The Institute of Directors.


Tamsin Napier-Munn, campaigns manager for The Business Magazine, set the scene for the fourth annual WiB Awards by highlighting the importance of women on the global scene and their role in changing the political and economic landscape. This was particularly pertinent coming so soon after the triggering of Article 50 by the UK Government.


The woman at the centre of this momentous decision, Theresa May, is also MP for Maidenhead. She had been invited to the WiB launch event, but unfortunately, owing to other work commitments, was unable to attend. However, since this is a topic which the prime minister is passionate about, she sent a letter detailing how proud she was of the progress made to date, and endorsing the efforts of the WiB campaign in inspiring women. She added that “more still needed to be done to remove barriers” and that “women should share their experiences, help mentor, and inspire others ... to encourage women to go as far as their talents will take them …”.


26 businessmag.co.uk


Role models were in abundance, with a selection of winners from the 2016 WiB Awards also present in a Q&A panel session introduced by Katie James of Blake Morgan (event sponsor). They discussed their respective journeys and what winning the WIB award had meant for them. The panel:


• Barinder Hothi – CEO, The Knowledge Academy – 2016 Women Business Owner of the Year


• Linda Christmas – chief human resources officer, Chiltern – 2016 Champion of Change


• Nicola McQueen – managing director, Capita Resourcing – 2016 Board Level & Senior Executive, Woman of the Year


• Catherine Turness – executive director, Winchester Bid – 2016 Rising Star of the Year


Hothi opened up the discussion by recounting her career path; how she had originally fallen into a sales role ‘because the salaries looked quite interesting’, but had subsequently quit her job owing to a family illness. She then set up


For full details visit: womeninbusiness.biz


The Knowledge Academy along with her husband, and this has taken her on a ‘roller coaster ride’ through to its present-day turnover of £30m.


Now in charge of HR for a clinical research organisation, which is “all about people – we make no products ourselves”, Christmas outlined the emotional intelligence needed to drive such a fast- moving business, especially one in which “we made three acquisitions in quick succession, each with their own specific culture which needed to be carefully integrated”.


McQueen recounted how she had to be encouraged to enter the WiB awards, agreeing with the panel that women often “don’t push themselves forwards enough”. She is now the person who is ‘tapping people on the shoulder’ and encouraging them to apply for promotions or competitions.


Turness agreed with McQueen on the need for encouragement; “I was originally entered for the WiB awards by my boss – I needed that initial push and finished runner-up in 2015, which then gave me the confidence to apply by myself in 2016.”


Tamsin Napier-Munn, Barinder Hothi, LInda Christmas, Nicola McQueen and Catherine Turness THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – MAY 2017


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