Our annual celebration of talented businesswomen in the south ...


Oakley Hall was the elegant setting for the second year of Women in Business – and an awards evening that sparkled with winning smiles from leading businesswomen from throughout the Thames Valley and Solent regions


David Murray, founder and publisher of The Business Magazine welcomed more than 170 diners to the gala event – a natural highpoint of the year to recognise the talent and achievements of women involved in successful local businesses.


But, as Murray pointed out, the evening was much more than an awards event.


“When Barclays first approached us with the idea for Women in Business, we all saw it as a campaign that would encourage women to develop their skills, mentor other women, and overcome barriers and entrenched perceptions that might stand in their way,“ he explained.


To that end, a series of other Women in Business initiatives are being staged, including discussions and networking events that help create a platform for shared experience, and best practice.


These include a Roundtable discussion taking place on October 24 at Oakley Hall, which will be reported in The Business Magazine.


The gala awards evening itself carried forward those constructive aims with a pre-awards insight by Dame Stephanie Shirley into her ’rags to riches’ journey as a woman in the competitive working world of information technology (IT). Her highly interesting and illuminating 20-minute talk was too short for many, but fortunately, with the compliments of the sponsors, all those attending went away with a signed copy of Dame Stephanie’s memoirs Let IT Go.


Those generous event sponsors – Barclays, Deloitte, Blake Morgan, and GCS – were roundly applauded and thanked. “Without their support, tonight would not be happening,“


said Murray on behalf of guests, award judges and the organising team from The Business Magazine.


The quality of nominations this year was “absolutely outstanding,“ said Murray, with extraordinary stories of women running businesses in sectors traditionally dominated by men; women creating enterprises after life- changing personal challenges; women using their own experiences to help and mentor others.


The judging panel’s difficult task of deciding upon finalists in most cases involved telephone interviews to back up the written nominations, but eventually 22 finalists in four awards categories were selected.


“It’s a cliché, I know, but nonetheless true, that all of the finalists are winners – all of you here tonight deserve to be called outstanding women in your own right.“


Fittingly, the host presenter for the evening was also a highly successful businesswoman – Nadine Dereza. Not only has she presented on Sky and BBC, but she became Financial Journalist of the Year while working for the FT, and now she chairs, moderates and runs events globally across many sectors.


As everyone settled to enjoy a sumptuous starter, Dereza announced one certain winner of the evening – Prior’s Court Foundation – and urged guest to make table donations for the Awards’ chosen charity (representatives of one company, Utilita Energy from Winchester, subsequently donated £1,000).


Priors Court specialises in supporting children with autism and complex learning difficulties and provides an independent, specialist school and young adult provision at Hermitage, near Newbury, for pupils aged five to 25. On the night, it ’won’ a welcome financial boost of £2,685.99 plus two euros.


Thanks to the 2014 Women in Business Awards judges


Sara Appleton, Barclays; Ian Workman, Barclays; Susan Anderton, Blake Morgan; Kath Shimmin, Blake Morgan; Cath Ingham, Deloitte; Fiona Symington, Deloitte; David Bloxham, GCS Recruitment; Daniel Evans, GCS Recruitment.


Judges were excluded from voting or discussion on any categories in which they had an interest.


www.businessmag.co.uk


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – OCTOBER 2014


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