Cath Kidston
Five of the UK’s leading female executives have today been announced on the short-listed for the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award for 2009. The winner will be announced at a gala event at London’s Saatchi Gallery on the evening of Tuesday 28th April.
In business world The Veuve Clicquot Award is regarded as the ‘Oscar’ for women entrepreneurs and those working in the corporate world in the UK. Highly prized and sought after, it is the first and original award created specially to recognise the contribution women have made to business life in the UK.
Now in its 36th year, the award celebrates the memory of Mme Veuve Clicquot, a formidable and successful 19th century businesswoman, who created the champagne house that still bears her name. Her audacity, bravery and creativity are celebrated each year, reflected in the light of the achievements of the finalists.
The five finalists for 2009 are:
Cath Kidston - Creative Director & Founder, Cath Kidston Ltd
In 1993, aged 34 and with just £15,000, Cath Kidston opened her first eponymous ‘Cath Kidston’ shop in London’s Holland Park. She began by selling vintage fabrics, wallpapers and brightly-painted junk furniture which evolved into her own design in prints and products. These were based on old-fashioned, classic prints but with a clean and modern feel, and she now has 34 shops including 4 concessions worldwide. She has also undertaken a number of high profile associations which have included Roberts Radios and most recently a range of eco bags with Tesco for Marie Curie. Cath has fully been committed to reducing the carbon footprint of the company since the start-up and is constantly improving processes in packaging recycling and product development. In addition she has set up a scheme with an academy in south London offering work experience, talks and a number of other projects for children.
Gail Rebuck CBE - Chief Executive Officer, The Random House Group
Gail Rebuck CBE is undoubtedly one of the most influential people in publishing and heads up one of the UK’s biggest publishing companies and its subsidiaries in Australia, New Zealand and India and a joint venture in South Africa. The Group publishes many of the world’s best known authors such as Ian McEwan, Salman Rushdie, Ruth Rendell and Dan Brown, one of the world’s most commercially successful adult novelists. Alongside her longstanding business success Gail is a passionate advocate promoting literacy in both children and adults - she is a Trustee for the National Literacy Trust and chairs the Quick Reads adult literacy initiative, part of World Book Day Charity which she co-launched. Furthermore she is a Non-Executive Director of BSKYB and Director of Skillset (Sector Skills Council for Creative Media).
Harriet Green - Chief Executive Officer, Premier Farnell plc
Harriet was appointed as CEO at Premier Farnell in 2006 with a remit to arrest the decline within the organisation, and since then has delivered quarter on quarter growth and a new, focused strategy. The company’s turnover is now in excess of £800 million with customers in over 100 countries, and 4,100 employees focused on electronic component distribution and high technology web based support services for design engineers. The group has been a member of the FTSE4Good Index of Corporate and Social Responsibility since its launch in 2001, and also listed in the Sunday Times ‘Companies that count’ as part of its ongoing focus on CSR. Harriet works with children and young people in various capacities through mentoring, the Peaceworks Charity and the establishment of a school Starfish award for children making a difference to individuals and their local community.
Kate Bleasdale - Vice Chairman, Healthcare Locums plc
Kate was named AIM (alternative investment market) entrepreneur of the year in 1997, and again in 2008, and quoted company entrepreneur of the year 2009 for her work at Healthcare Locums - which is the largest health and social care recruiter in the UK with an annual turnover of £180 million and locations in Dubai, New York and Australia. Its success is underpinned by a commitment to driving innovation through our recruitment services to hospitals, clinics, social services, local authorities and a wealth of private institutions. HCL has an active training programme in a number of 3rd world countries and is committed to ethical recruitment practices.
Ruby McGregor Smith - Chief Executive, MITIE Group plc
Ruby is one of only a small number of women holding the position of Chief Executive in a FTSE 350 company and is the first Asian woman to be appointed in such as role within that group of companies. Since joining the strategic outsourcing company MITIE in 2002, she has overseen growth of turnover from £0.5 billion pounds to over £1.4 billion. At the heart of the organisation there are number of initiatives brought about by Ruby, such as introducing construction skill centres at secondary schools, supporting the Women and Work commission and promoting women in construction.
The winner will be announced on Tuesday 28th April at the Saatchi Gallery, London.