Tag Archives: SME

News

Glitz and Giving: Cheltenham’s Elegant Ball Dazzles Raising £11,000 for Charity

The Grand Coronation Ball Committee has raised £11,000 after hosting a highly prestigious ball at the Queens Hotel on 3rd February, attended by over 120 of Cheltenham and Gloucestershire’s most esteemed business leaders and their partners.

Proceeds from the Grand Coronation Ball will be split between Linc Charity, a Cheltenham charity dedicated to supporting blood cancer patients and their families across Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and South Worcestershire, and FISHAC (Friends of Imperial Square, Heritage and Conservation).

The funds will help Linc Charity continue its critical work in providing emotional and financial support for people receiving intensive chemotherapy. FISHAC will use the donation to help with plans to reinstate new railings and entrances around Imperial Square Gardens, Cheltenham, after they were removed 83 years ago to create armaments as part of the war effort at that time.

Louise Neal, CEO of Linc Charity, said: “We would like to thank the Grand Coronation Ball Committee, including the Trustees of FISHAC, Linc Charity, Frank Smith & Co Solicitors, HeadOn PR and The Queens Hotel, who all worked tirelessly for free to make the ball such a success. Linc Charity commemorates 25 Years this year of support for local blood cancer patients and their families so what better way to celebrate than to be involved in such a wonderful, generous and glamorous event.”

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the support from local businesses and individuals in helping the ball’s remarkable triumph,” added Bob Keevil, Chairman at Friends of Imperial Square Heritage and Conservation (FISHAC). “So many volunteered their time and assistance. Nicholas Granger of British Bespoke Auctions did a grand job of hosting the auction and getting the guests bidding so generously, and The Queen’s Hotel kindly donated the use of its splendid Regency Suite, making the Ball such an elegant affair.”

For further information on Linc Charity or to donate visit https://www.lincfund.org/get-involved/donate-to-linc/make-a-donation/

Midlands News, News, South West

Local experience company, Yuup, generates £3 million in income for local businesses

Yuup, the local experiences company, has delivered £3m income for local independent businesses in less than 3 years on its mission to help local communities thrive.

Since its launch in Bristol in April 2021 and expansion into the West Midlands in 2022, Yuup has grown into a vibrant community of over 500 experience hosts. At the heart of Yuup’s mission is the dedication to championing indie businesses and empower local communities.

What sets Yuup apart is not just the diversity of experiences on offer but also the social impact it creates. From bread-making workshops to foraging adventures, Yuup provides an opportunity for individuals to experience the best their city has to offer while supporting the local community. It’s not merely about creating memorable experiences; it’s about building connections and fostering a sense of community. This November, the total income earned by hosts on the Yuup platform since its launch in 2021, surpassed £3m.

For some hosts, Yuup experiences serve as their primary source of income, while for others, it provides an extra stream of revenue. Yuup encourages creativity and diversity, ensuring that the community thrives while fostering connections with the offerings available.

The success of Yuup is leading to much larger events, which are all organised with social impact at their core. Yuup collaborated with Bristol Cathedral on spectacular light shows in 2022 and 2023. Now, the experience company is gearing up to host their most significant experience yet – Evolution, an epic drone-light show. In partnership with Celestial, the creators of various mesmerising drone light shows, Yuup is set to bring a brand-new type of entertainment to the UK. The event, scheduled for this December, is expected to captivate over 50,000 people.

Evolution embodies the essence of Yuup’s original goal. The event not only introduces a groundbreaking entertainment experience to the UK, but as the Yuup community surpasses 100,000 people across the West Country and West Midlands, the wider Yuup host community will directly benefit.

Dominic Mills, Founder, and CEO of Yuup, shared his excitement, stating, “Evolution marks a significant milestone in our journey. With a growing community of over 500 hosts, this event serves as a catalyst to bring a fresh, unparalleled experience to the UK. We hope to not only introduce a novel form of entertainment but also encourage more customers and hosts to join our community. Yuup is all about connecting people and making a positive change, and the more people in our community, the greater impact we can achieve.”

The event

For those eager to be part of this extraordinary winter entertainment experience, tickets for Evolution can be purchased at https://www.yuup.co/evolution. Don’t miss the chance to be part of a spectacular experience, celebrating and bringing local communities together.

—

About Evolution

The drone light show Evolution, brings the very latest in creative entertainment for all ages in this spellbinding celebration of the living world.  Those who attend will be immersed in an epic-scale event that fuses cutting-edge technology and creativity to spark the imagination and stir the soul.

About Yuup

Yuup, the local experiences company, helps people find and book exciting things to do in their community. Yuup has earned a reputation for curating unique experiences for everyone to enjoy, building a place where people follow their passions, create memories, and discover things that make life awesome.

The collaboration that Yuup has conceived with Celestial is the latest strategic partnership that will support Yuup’s scale-up across the UK. At the heart of Yuup is an ambition to create positive social impact both through connecting people with their communities and providing experience hosts with additional ways to reach new audiences.

News

Britain’s most inspiring women in business crowned at national awards

The business women leading the way in their industries have been named in the second annual Great British Businesswoman Awards.

The programme launched in 2021 to recognise the growing number of trailblazing women in business leadership and entrepreneurship, champion their peers and advocates, and inspire the next generation of businesswomen.

In 2021, over 140,000 female-founded companies were established, a figure that is growing by a third every year, and the number of women in leadership positions in FTSE 100 companies increased to 32.5%, from 30.6% in 2020. It’s thought that this increase in representation of women in business could unlock a huge amount of economic potential, especially as the trajectory continues.

The final took place at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London as the awards was held in person for the first time, after coronavirus meant the first ever ceremony was held online.

The overall Great British Businesswoman of the Year was awarded to Beth Knight, Amazon in the Community Leader for Europe, whose work surrounds building a better working world for women.

From helping women and girls to advance their careers in technology with programs like Amazon Future Engineer, to overseeing large-scale philanthropy initiatives for refugees fleeing the current crisis in the Ukraine, Beth has been highly commended for the work she has undertaken so far in her career.

The programme was founded by the team behind the Great British Entrepreneur Awards in 2021, who had been blown away by the increasing volume and quality of applications to the prestigious awards series by women in previous years.

The winners were selected by a panel of expert judges from companies including Burberry, easyJet, WarnerMedia, Cabinet Office, Greggs and Heathrow Airport, who all have their own vast experience working within diversity and inclusion.

The Great British Businesswoman Awards were founded by Francesca James, who said that the showcased winners would play an important role in inspiring others: “It has been a great honour to highlight the commendable stories of the winners, not only because they thoroughly deserve to be applauded for their tenacity and leadership, but because the value of positive female role models and male allies in business cannot be underestimated.

“Statistics show that the participation of women in business is on the rise, but we want to play a part in ensuring this continues by shining a light on the stories that will instil confidence in the next generation and make certain that no stories of success go unnoticed.

“Congratulations to our fantastic winners, not only for your awards, but for the important work you are doing to lead and innovate your industries.”

Full list of winners:

Banking & Finance Businesswoman of the Year: Natasha Frangos, Partner, Head of Corporate, Haysmacintyre LLP

Construction Businesswoman of the Year: Gauri Talathi-Lamb, Co-Founder, Iolas Capital

Consumer Goods Businesswoman of the Year: Martha Keith, Founder & CEO, Martha Brook

Creative Industries Businesswoman of the Year: Lucy McCarraher, Founder, Rethink Press

Engineering & Manufacturing Businesswoman of the Year: Samidha Anand, Engineering Manager, Caterpillar

Entrepreneurial Businesswoman of the Year: Lizzie Carter, Founder, Only Curls Ltd

Food & Drink Businesswoman of the Year: Joyce De Hass & Raissa De Hass, Co-Founders, Double Dutch Drinks

Social Enterprise Businesswoman of the Year: Emily Aklan, CEO, Serenity Welfare

Technology Businesswoman of the Year: Collette Allen, Chief Operating Officer, SmartSearch

Telecoms Businesswoman of the Year: Tejal Maniar, CEO, BT OnePhone Ltd

Transport & Logistics Businesswoman of the Year: Nancy Hobhouse, Head of ESG ,Evri

Utilities Businesswoman of the Year: Lisa Waterhouse, Diversity & Inclusion Manager, National Grid

Young Businesswoman of the Year: Laura Cooper-Jackson, Director, Industrial Signs Group

Rising Star Award: Krystle McGilvery, Founder, Mind Over Money

Gamechanger in Sport Award: Charlene Gravesande, Assistant Producer, Sky UK Limited

Team of the Year Award: PUMA UK&I

Role Model of the Year Award: Lucile Kamar, Head of Diversity and Inclusion, ITN

Diversity Award: OLIVER

Male Advocate of the Year Award: Conor Whelan, Chief Information Officer, Experian PLC

Female Ambassador of the Year: Beth Knight, Amazon in the Community Leader, Europe, Amazon

Great British Businesswoman of the Year : Beth Knight, Amazon in the Community Leader, Europe, Amazon

News

US market key to Hagley West 2023 growth strategy

Specialist watch company, Hagley West has set out ambitious growth targets for 2023 and beyond, with the company set to announce a turnover of more than £850k at the end of the current financial year. To continue on this trajectory, founder and owner, Tim Hayden will temporarily relocate to the east coast of America during the first quarter of 2023, with the ambition of further growing that market.

Last year saw a significant increase in US sales compared to 2021 and a real appetite from American fans of the brand to join in with the international #loveyourjourney company campaign and the ever-popular #FindTim challenges.

“Basing ourselves on the east coast, initially in Brooklyn NY, from February for an extended period of time provides a big opportunity to travel more easily across US states,” explained Tim Hayden. “I’ve loved the US visits we’ve done already and we’ve seen some incredible success from these trips so far. However,I’ve often felt we haven’t had quite enough time to meet people and travel to more of the places we’d like to. This extended visit will afford us those opportunities.”

Hayden is quick to point out this doesn’t mean he’s abandoning the UK or his loyal followers back home. “We’ve got so many plans for this year and the UK is a huge part of that. I’ll be getting out and about meeting people. We’ve got some exciting new products coming and we’re doing our bit to support some great charities too. We’re really proud of what we’ve achieved in the past year or so, particularly smashing our single day sales record during our live Black Friday launch event. Our company motto is #loveyourjourney and I think we’re all loving where this adventure is taking us.”

Hayden has also amassed a significant social media following with his personal TikTok account surpassing one million followers at the end of last year, something which has been one of the key pillars of his success with Hagley West. This year the aim is to diversify and create more content across Instagram and YouTube, as well as continuing to serve it’s loyal TikTok audience base.

For more information on Hagley West, visit www.hagleywest.com. Alternatively, follow founder, Tim Hayden on TikTok @timhayden6.

News

Knightsbridge Furniture welcomes new National Business Development Manager

Bradford-based contract furniture company, Knightsbridge Furniture, expands its team with the appointment of Vicky Taylor as the new National Business Development Manager. 

Vicky will be supporting the Knightsbridge Furniture team to grow the business across all sectors, with a particular national focus on mental health and healthcare environments. Her new role will involve exploring trends across the contract furniture industry and analysing how those trends positively influence interior choices within care settings. 

Since achieving her BA (Hons) Interior Design degree at the Manchester Metropolitan University, Vicky has collaborated on a vast range of interior design projects, including residential, commercial, retail and care schemes. She has a wealth of experience in design, stakeholder engagement and project delivery, and is well versed in creating inspiring environments that support well-being and enhance the user experience.  

Speaking about her new appointment: “I’m thrilled to have been appointed as the National Business Development Manager at Knightsbridge. This is a great opportunity for me to utilise my skills and previous experience to grow the business even further. I have a huge passion for furniture, and enjoy collaborating with partners across multiple sectors, so this role is the perfect fit. I’m looking forward to working alongside a dynamic and forward-thinking team.”

Knightsbridge Furniture is one of few contract furniture suppliers in the UK to design and manufacture its furniture pieces in-house. The Yorkshire furniture company has over 80 years of experience creating furniture for the healthcare, hospitality, workplace, care and challenging environments sectors. 

News

JustCarbon helps SMEs support race to net zero

Climate-conscious companies are increasingly feeling the pressure to step up the pace in the Race to Net Zero.

 

But for some that will be a tough exercise. No matter how great their intentions and practical efforts to cut emissions, they will continue to produce carbon that impacts the climate.

 

That goal of net zero – putting no more carbon into the atmosphere than you’re taking out of it – can seem unattainable to a small business. But, instead of striving for the impossible, the solution is to offset the carbon that absolutely can’t be reduced, says JustCarbon, a blockchain carbon credit marketplace.

 

“With COP27 just around the corner and a keenness for politicians to take more action to tackle the climate emergency,businesses will, in time, have to make the leap into making a real commitment as part of the evolutionary low carbon economy,” stresses Adrian Rimmer, JustCarbon co-founder. “Because what you do, no matter how small your business, can make a real difference to the planet.

 

“However, we understand that it is still a voluntary decision and it may be very difficult to address unavoidable carbon emissions that occur even with emissions-reducing techniques. This is where alternatives come into play, for example engaging another organisation to purchase carbon credits that help fund capture carbon elsewhere through things like tree-planting projects to support carbon sequestration.”

 

Not only do opportunities like this reduce net emissions, they can also produce benefits in other ways, like improving biodiversity and people’s livelihoods. Nature-based carbon offsets that are certified and verified ensure positive effects on climate change mitigation.

 

Adrian Rimmer continues: “Businesses should understand that not all carbon offsets are the same. Some are poor quality and have limited or negative impacts. Equally, continuing a ‘business as usual’ approach, while purchasing offsets without a combined emissions reduction strategy is equally as detrimental and could be seen as greenwashing.”

 

JustCarbon, which supports the UK government’s partnership with business and climate group, the UK Business Climate Hub, offers businesses a simple, straightforward way to take meaningful action to offset their climate impact through the purchase of high quality, nature-based carbon credits. Converting carbon credits to JustCarbon Removal Units (JCRs) and making these available for sale, provides climate project developers with a simple and accessible way of monetising their carbon removal activities.

 

“Small businesses account for 99% of UK enterprises so the potential for meaningful change is enormous. Our aim is to encourage more and more to take practical action on climate change as, collectively, the individual actions of many companies can be transformational.” Ended Adrian Rimmer.

 

The UN’s ambition to combat global warming requires emissions to reduce by 45% by 2030 and to reach net zero by 2050. The UK Business Climate Hub has advice, tools and resources to help companies cut their carbon emissions, including how to offset those that cannot be reduced.

News

UK watch business breaks into US with a hand from TikTok

British-based watch brand Hagley West is making inroads into the vital US market thanks to significantly increased exposure on TikTok.

Owner, entrepreneur and TikTok influencer, Tim Hayden, has had two recent trips stateside, where he travelled to different states, hosting a number of live streams, to his nearly one million followers. A third trip is also planned for the end of this month, due to the success of the previous visits.

During his visits Hayden runs his now legendary ‘Find Tim’ live stream challenges to give social media fans a chance to locate him and potentially win a free watch. As a direct result of the visits, the brand has already seen more than 796 US sales and many more enquiries.

The first visit to the US alone delivered more than 300 new US customers and another 40,000 new US social media followers. This spurred Hayden on to want to visit again and also look at different sectors.

“Our famous strapline is ‘love your journey’ and there is nothing more exciting than breaking into new markets”, explained Tim Hayden. “We’re obviously really proud of our British heritage and we’ll never lose that, but there’s already so much interest in the US and we’re only really just getting started.”

Hagley West is a UK small business success story set against a really difficult current economic landscape. The business is less than five years old and run primarily from Hayden’s Hertfordshire home, with his kitchen doubling as his office. Nevertheless, each year has seen a significant increase in profits and social media following.

Hayden continued, “Times are difficult for a lot of people at the moment and if we can be a source of inspiration for other small businesses on their own journey, I take a lot of personal pride in that.

“This US agenda is just one of a number of really interesting initiatives we are currently undertaking on our growth journey. There are so many places we are keen to take the brand, but that’s not to say we’re forgetting our UK audience.”

Hagley West is currently gearing up for its big Black Friday event, with exciting discounts and opportunities set to be announced in the coming weeks. Hayden is also collaborating with other influencers and supporting charity initiatives via his social presence.

For more information on Hagley West, visit www.hagleywest.com or follow founder, Tim Hayden on TikTok @timhayden6.

News

One Stop Business Finance secures facility increase with Shawbrook Bank

Specialist working capital, property development and bridging lender, One Stop Business Finance Limited has secured an extension of up to £4 million to its existing £6 million funding line from Shawbrook.

The amendment to the facility, signed on the 13th of September – contributes to the alternative lender, One Stop Business Finance Limited continuing to grow its loan book and exceed lending targets for the year.

The facility has increased to £10 million on an uncommitted basis, which allows One Stop Business Finance Limited to continue to support SME businesses throughout England and Wales. This follows sustained profit growth and a successful recruitment campaign, which saw eight new team members join the group earlier this year.

The company typically funds secured property transactions, offering responsible, alternative funding solutions such as working capital, bridging, revolving credit facilities, and invoice finance.

This agreement is a strong endorsement of the development of One Stop Business Finance’s commitment to investing in business growth, operations and risk procedures and offering exemplary customer service.

Due to its proximity to its customers and the market, owner-controlled One Stop Business Finance has the flexibility, knowledge, and appetite to help businesses when their bank is unable to do so.

Andrew Mackenzie, Group Managing Director of One Stop Business Finance, commented on the facility increase: “I am delighted that we have been able to build further on the relationship that we began with Shawbrook in 2019. This additional funding line continues to sit well alongside our private money and ensures that we have sufficient cash availability to deliver our short-and medium-term plans. Shawbrook continues to be very easy to deal with and has wholeheartedly bought into our strategic growth plans.”

The Speciality Finance team at Shawbrook has an established track record in providing funding lines to non-bank specialist lenders across multiple sectors, including property, SME, and consumer finance.

Luke Randell, Associate Director of Speciality Finance, commented that “Shawbrook has proudly supported One Stop Business Finance since 2019 recognising the business’ success in providing flexible financial solutions. We were able to provide a bespoke funding solution increasing our facility to £10 million following years of successful prudent loan book growth. We value our relationship with One Stop Business Finance and look forward to remaining a key funding partner as the business continues to grow.”

News

UK watch business breaks into US with a hand from TikTok

British-based watch brand Hagley West is making inroads into the vital US market thanks to significantly increased exposure on TikTok.

Owner, entrepreneur and TikTok influencer, Tim Hayden, has had two recent trips stateside, where he travelled to different states, hosting a number of live streams, to his nearly one million followers. A third trip is also planned for the end of this month, due to the success of the previous visits.

During his visits Hayden runs his now legendary ‘Find Tim’ live stream challenges to give social media fans a chance to locate him and potentially win a free watch. As a direct result of the visits, the brand has already seen more than 796 US sales and many more enquiries.

The first visit to the US alone delivered more than 300 new US customers and another 40,000 new US social media followers. This spurred Hayden on to want to visit again and also look at different sectors.

“Our famous strapline is ‘love your journey’ and there is nothing more exciting than breaking into new markets”, explained Tim Hayden.

“We’re obviously really proud of our British heritage and we’ll never lose that, but there’s already so much interest in the US and we’re only really just getting started.”

Hagley West is a UK small business success story set against a really difficult current economic landscape. The business is less than five years old and run primarily from Hayden’s Hertfordshire home, with his kitchen doubling as his office. Nevertheless, each year has seen a significant increase in profits and social media following.

Hayden continued, “Times are difficult for a lot of people at the moment and if we can be a source of inspiration for other small businesses on their own journey, I take a lot of personal pride in that.

“This US agenda is just one of a number of really interesting initiatives we are currently undertaking on our growth journey. There are so many places we are keen to take the brand, but that’s not to say we’re forgetting our UK audience.”

Hagley West is currently gearing up for its big Black Friday event, with exciting discounts and opportunities set to be announced in the coming weeks. Hayden is also collaborating with other influencers and supporting charity initiatives via his social presence.

Awards, News

Great British Businesswoman Awards 2022 finalists revealed

  • The most inspiring women in business have been shortlisted ahead of the Great British Businesswoman Awards Grand Final
  • The second annual awards ceremony will celebrate businesswomen in industries from tech to creative
  • Grand Final is to be held in London on November 29
The shortlist for the Great British Businesswoman Awards 2022 has been unveiled ahead of a Grand Final in November.
160 women in business have been named as finalists in the second annual awards in categories including Construction Businesswoman, Social Enterprise Businesswoman and Diversity Initiative of the Year. One of the winners will also be crowned the overall Great British Businesswoman of the Year, which was won last year by Unilever’s Leena Nair.
The programme launched last year to recognise the inspiring women innovating and leading the way in their respective industries. Despite this, statistics still show that there is still a long way to go before the number of women in top corporate jobs is equal to men.
Research has estimated that £250 billion could be injected into the UK economy if women were equally as prominent in leading businesses as men.* It’s hoped that the awards will play an active role in showcasing the importance of having more women in leading corporate positions and, ultimately, getting closer to realising that untapped potential.
The awards took place for the first time virtually last year, but the organisers are making the event bigger and better this year by holding it in-person at the De Vere Connaught Rooms in London.
It’s hoped that the live ceremony will offer guests the opportunity to connect with their fellow attendees, and ticket holders will also have access to a finalist networking conference in the daytime before the main prize-giving event.
Founded by the team behind the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, finalists and winners are also encouraged to remain engaged with the programme after the final as they are welcomed into a growing alumni network where previous award applicants can connect, learn and share ideas.
The finalists will be whittled down to 21 winners selected by a panel of expert judges spanning a wide range of industries and big name companies, from Greggs PLC Chief Executive Roisin Currie, to Easyjet Trading & RM Director Melissa Skluzacek.
Awards founder Francesca James said that the judges have a tough decision on their hands: “The standard of entries was fantastic and the breadth of talent and achievement demonstrated by the finalists is nothing short of inspirational. The finalists should be very proud to have been shortlisted out of so many worthy applicants, and I don’t envy the judges who now have the task of choosing the winners.
“Celebrating and supporting women in business is not just for other women – if we want to see more women leaders in business, it will be strong collaboration between us all that achieves it. We’ve created these awards to reflect that, with categories honouring male advocates, corporate initiatives and teams that are empowering business women and championing equality and diversity.
“Congratulations to all of our fantastic finalists – I look forward to finding out who our 2022 winners will be!”
The Grand Final of the Great British Businesswoman Awards 2022 will be held on 29th November 2022 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Tickets are available at freshbusinessthinking.com/great-british-businesswoman-series/tickets.
Great British Businesswoman Awards 2022 Finalists: 
Banking and Finance Businesswoman sponsored by Global Processing Services 
• Dr Narisa Chauvidul-Aw, KogoPAY Group
• Roxana Mohammadian-Molina, Blend Network
• Natasha Frangos, Haysmacintyre LLP
• Rosie Lyon, Allied Irish Bank GB
• Liz Jackson MBE, BCMS
• Palak Tewary, Price Mann
• Katharine Wooller, Dacxi
• Chloe Mercer
• Private Markets Alpha Limited
Construction Businesswoman 
• Carol Massay, Access Group
• Sophia Graves, Real
• Louise Stewart, ProjectPay
• Roni Savage, Jomas Associates
• Leanne Coop, The Tiny Housing Co
• Kelly Cartwright, Core Recruiter Ltd
• Gauri Talathi-Lamb, Iolas Capital
• Mandy St John Davey, Mandy St John Davey
Consumer Goods Businesswoman 
• Greta McDonald, Sweet Lounge
• Emma Macdonald, The Tartan Blanket Co
• Martha Keith, Martha Brook
• Monika Ludwiczak, Everlasting Brows
• Bethan John, The British Blanket Company
• Amanda Mountain, Lola Design
• Emma Naumann, Cogito Talent Limited
• Mellanie Lykourina Struthers, Draught Drop
Creative Industries Businesswoman 
• Shannon Jennings, The Very Group
• Priya Downes, Nudea
• Chloe Baldwin & Abigail Baldwin, Buttercrumble
• Claire Menzies, Istoria Group Ltd.
• Debra Mayfield, DML Marketing
• Anna Kyriacou, The Zeros Art
• Sedge Beswick, SEEN Connects
• Lucy McCarraher, Rethink Press
Engineering & Manufacturing Businesswoman 
• Samidha Anand, Caterpillar
• Beverley Gibbs, NMITE
• Nathalie Sorde, CMR Surgical
• Dr Zoe Tolkien, Advanced Furnace Technology Ltd
• Lara Edison, Encirc
• Lana Harrison, Exterior Solutions Ltd
• Mandy Forster, AA Flags Limited
• Rachel Garrett, CMG Technologies
Entrepreneurial Businesswoman 
• Sharon Daly, Venture Life Group Plc
• Lizzie Carter, Only Curls Ltd
• Abi Selby, Spabreaks.com
• Emily Riddington, TechNET IT Recruitment
• Emma Bardwell, Bardwood Support Services
• Alice Hall, Rowen Homes
• Hannah Allen, Operatix
• Anita Dougall, Sagacity Solutions Ltd
Food & Drink Businesswoman 
• Joyce De Hass & Raissa De Hass, Double Dutch
• Krisi Smith, Bird & Blend Tea Co.
• Shakshi Chhabra Mittal, FoodHak
• Ellie Webb, Caleño Drinks
• Hannah Williams, Tiny Rebel
• Laura Belshaw, Musclefood
• Olivia Ferdi, TRIP CBD
• Nirali Buch Mankodi, Superfoodio
Social Enterprise Businesswoman
• Hannah Samano, Unfabled
• Alison Delaney, Little Bird People Development
• Melanie Vaxevanakis, The MAZI Project
• Toni Horn, Think Differently Coaching CIC
• Emily Aklan, Serenity Welfare
• Julie Hawker & Kate Doodson, Cosmic
• Marva Trenton, Lifelong Family Links
• Anisa Morridadi, Beatfreeks
Technology Businesswoman 
• Georgina Nelson, TruRating
• Laura Hutton, Quantexa
• Tanya Field, Novatiq
• Charu Bjuvestig, QA Talent
• Lesley Da Costa, Bendac
• Collette Allen, SmartSearch
• Deepti Velury, Tag Worldwide
• Sarah-Jayne van Greune, Payen Limited
Telecoms Businesswoman 
• Beverley Brookes, Spoke Interactive Limited
• Nektaria Efthymiou, BT
• Tejal Maniar, BT OnePhone Ltd
• Amanda Jobbins, Vodafone
• Jeanie York, Virgin Media O2
• Claire Harvey MBE, Vodafone
• Gill Cooke, Three UK
• Rebecca Armstrong, Talk Talk
Transport & Logistics Businesswoman 
• Sarah Taylor-Jones, Evri
• Fiona Smith, AGS Airports Ltd
• Lorna McAtear, National Grid
• Ginny Buckley, Electrifying.com
• Nancy Hobhouse, Evri
• Caroline Green MBE, Pallet-Track Ltd
• Rachel Houghton, Business Moves Group
• Katie McIntyre, Adverttu
Utilities Businesswoman 
• Lisa Waterhouse, National Grid
• Charlotte Swift, British Gas
• Sharna Matson, Cadent Gas Limited
• Lynne Higgins, Octopus Energy
• Marianne Moberg, Utility Warehouse
• Jacqueline O’Donovan, O’Donovan Waste Disposal Ltd
• Vicky Kelsall, Scottish Power
• Katie Jackson, Shell UK
Young Businesswoman sponsored by EMCOR UK 
• Rachel Thomas, The THOMAS Recruitment Group
• Jade Cohen & Brittany Harris, Qualis Flow
• Laura Cooper-Jackson, Industrial Signs Group
• Chiara Macarti Speranza, Google
• Lucie Rowley, Evri
• Natalie Porter, Happy Plants
• Lissele Pratt, Capitalixe
• Millie Goodwin, With Love Cosmetics LTD
• Nipuni Karunaratne, IVY TECH Ltd
• Megan Gamble, Hashtag Me
Diversity Initiative of the Year Award 
• Lucile Kamar, ITN
• Tasneem Bhopalwala, Oxford University Press
• Christopher Sumner-Smith, Charu Bjuvestig, Hannah McDougall, Christina El-Hawi and Kieran Prout, Qa LTd
• Carol Poloni, Amina Folarin, Sagina Shabaya, Vijay Chohan, Theresa Sarbeng, Melanie O’Hagan and Jerome Ntumba, OLIVER
• Nadia Edwards-Dashti, Harrington Starr
• Nadine Campbell, ACE Entrepreneurs
• Charlene Brown, Howlett Brown
• Jodie Greer, Be #PeopleSmart LTd
Female Ambassador of the Year Award 
• Fran Pestana, E.ON
• Nikki Ross, Thames Valley Partnership
• Beth Knight, Amazon
• Chloe Foster, Valorum Care Group
• Angela De Souza, Women’s Business Club
• Patricia Phillips, Panasonic
• Ruby Sweeney, The Events Hub
• Tracey Secker, The Haven Wolverhampton
Gamechanger in Sport Award 
• Jess Roper, I am Fighting Fit
• Katie James, bpsorty Ltd
• Yvette Curtis, Waves Wahines CIC
• Charlene Gravesande, Sky UK Limited
Male Advocate of the Year Award 
• Conor Whelan, Experian PLC
• Richard Port MBE, George Green LLP
• Matthew Read, Volume99
• Seb York, CatSci Ltd
• Ian Boyd, Trekstock
• Simon Martin, OLIVER
• Lee Proctor-Wright, Encric
• Daniele Fiandaca, Token Man Consulting
Rising Star Award 
• Janani Prasad, Minority Supplier Development UK
• Lauren Williams, gemsatwork Ltd
• Joan Tolentino, Infoteam International Limited
• Krystle McGilvery, Mind Over Money
• Giulia Pedretti, Arteak Limited
• Louise Blisset, Inception Consultants Ltd
• Lisa Dukes, Dukes & King
• Lucie Grech, The Laser Lounge Enterprise Limited
Role Model of the Year Award sponsored by Moody’s 
• Lucile Kamar, ITN
• Raqual Amador Quintanilla, Bango
• Sadie Restorick, Wellity Global
• Emma-Jane Taylor-Moran, Rebel Law Ltd
• Georgina Moseley, Help Harry Help Others Cancer Support Charity
• Melyni Bronson, Masterclassing Ltd
• Claire Russell, Mental Health in Business
• Mahira Kalim, Spruce
Team of the Year Award 
• Bendac Group
• Criteo
• PUMA UK&I
• Independent Schools Examination Board
• Mount Street
• Pallet-Track
• Your Space Property Group
• Noble Events
• Lendology CIC
• OLIVER