Celebrating Excellence: The Great British Businesswoman Awards 2025 Shortlist!

The Great British Businesswoman Awards 2025 shortlist has been announced, shining a spotlight on the exceptional women who have made significant contributions to the business world across a range of sectors. These awards aren’t just about individual achievement but about highlighting the power of women in shaping the future of business and setting new standards of leadership and innovation.

The Great British Businesswoman Awards aim to recognise and celebrate the inspiring business women who are transforming industries, creating impact in their communities, and building successful companies. In an era where diversity and inclusion are more important than ever, these awards play a crucial role in championing women’s leadership, offering a platform for their stories and achievements to inspire the next generation.

This year’s shortlist spans a wide array of categories, highlighting the diversity of talent across the UK. From entrepreneurs, leading start-ups, to corporate executives, the awards showcase a broad spectrum of professional success.

Here are the prestigious award categories and the outstanding talent that goes along with them, each spotlighting different facets of business leadership:

Banking, Finance & Regulation Businesswoman

• Lissele Pratt, Capitalixe
• Christina Dell, Staysure
• Aissata N'diayeI, Morgan Stanley
• Louise Hill, GoHenry
• Palak Tewary, Price Mann
• Tamara Kostova, Velexa
• Georgia Wilson, Together Group
• Jay Mistry, Vermeg
• Ruth Handcock, Octopus Money (CEO)
• Archana Mohan, Meridiem Investment Management
• Roxana Mohammadian-Molina, Blend

Construction Businesswoman

• Julie White, D-Drill & Sawing
• Leanne Smith-Burchnell, THC Homes
• Brittany Harris, Qflow
• Beverley Walker, Protectcare & Houseworks London
• Zoe Brooke, Ezrah Consulting Limited
• Ashley White, Organise the Chaos Ltd

Consumer Goods Businesswoman

• Mahira Kalim, Spruce
• Anna Brightman, UpCircle Beauty
• Amy Knight, Must Have Ideas
• Laura Rudoe, Evolve Organic Beauty
• Sarah Jordan, Y.O.U Underwear

Engineering & Manufacturing Businesswoman

• Victoria Rushton, Gerallt Evans Metalcraft Ltd
• Claire Trant, Untap
• Lisa-Jayne Cook, GEA HRT / IOR
• Lucy Houghton, JCB
• Aine McGreeghan, South Eastern Regional College
• Kirsty Davies-Chinnock, Professional Polishing Services Limited
  

Creative Businesswoman

• Sian Conway-Wood, 181st Street Communications
• Tamara Barton-Campbell, Renaissance Studios
• Roberta Lee, Roberta Style Lee
• Jeannie Hind, The Online Lab
• Neliana Fuenmayor, Open Mode
• Christina Gabbitas, Christina Gabbitas Writing Ltd
• Keisha Ehigie, Imagine Me Stories
• Emily Hicks, Studio Hicks
  

Entrepreneurial Businesswoman: Innovation & Technology

• Kayla Williams, KJ Accounts
• Louise Doyle, Needi
• Sophie Thompson, VirtualSpeech
• Tommie Edwards, Tedbree
• Martina Mercer, Presshop
• Maya Almezal, Agendaat
  

Entrepreneurial Businesswoman: Consumer & Retail

• Kelly Farr, YourNorth
• Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies, Canine Business Academy
• Amanda Marshall, 3 Donkeys Clothing
• Rebecca Crawforth, Navy Professional Ltd
• Abi Selby, Spabreaks.com
• Karyna Sukha, Fabrika London
• Tahlia Gray, Sheer Chemistry International
• Nadya Ali, Essencesbynadya
• Ellie McClaren, The Escapologist
• Victoria Hargrave, The Tanning Room
• Emma Cook, Beautiful Recruitment
• Karen Simmonds, Travel Matters Ltd.
• Sumayyah Khan, Lexnis Group UK
• Merilee Karr, UnderTheDoormat Group
  

Entrepreneurial Businesswoman: Marketing and Social

• Debra Mayfield, DML Marketing
• Katie Bullon, Activ Marketing
• Julia Senah, Almond Care
• Stacey-Rebekka Karlsson, Goho
• Jemima Willcox, The Willcox Collective
• Ashleigh Donald, Halo Business Consulting Ltd
• Judi McSweeney, MUSE:HR
• Brianna Harvey, Digital Flamingo
• Bethan Davies, 'Cause Collective
  

Entrepreneurial Businesswoman: Sustainability & Impact

• Sharon Aneja, Humanity Works Consultancy
• May Al-Karooni, Globechain
• Aduke Onafowokan, Inclusivitii
• Victoria Simpson, Vcare24 limited
• Mandy Rees, Mother for Life
• Julianne Ponan MBE, Creative Nature
• Diana Verde Nieto, Edify Collective / Author of Reimagining Luxury
• Tracy Turner, Turners Occupational Health and Wellbeing Services
  

Food and Drink Businesswoman

• Anne-Marie harries, Farmers Food At Home
• Shelly Nuruzzaman, Bang Curry
• Nadia Hamila, Amboora
• Eva Rodgers, Icon Foods LTD
• Tolu Oke, Diageo
• Cathy Moseley, Boundless
• Raissa de Haas, Double Dutch Drinks
• Carol Jackson, ELJ Drinks Ltd
  

Media Businesswomen

• Lisa-Marie Tonelli FRSA, North East International Film Festival CIC
• Katherine George, Oh So Social
• Rebecca Ellul, BBC Studios
• Tamara Barton-Campbell, Renaissance Studios
• Bonita Darkoh, EPAM
• Martina Mercer, Sunday Woman
  

Male Advocate of the year Award

• Vince Pizzoni, University of Nottingham
• James Groves, Indigo Swan
• Linus Surguy, Magrathea Telecommunications Ltd
• Simon Scott-Nelson, Wellity Global
• Stephen Gill, World Refrigeration Day
• Alexander Nicolaus, Paysend
• Martin McFadyen, Virgin Media O2 Business
• Martijn van der Meulen, Snap Finger Click
  

Social Enterprise Businesswoman

• Kelly Farr, YourNorth
• Lisa-Marie Tonelli FRSA, North East International Film Festival CIC
• Evelyn Odogwu, Youthworx
• Arlyne Chinyanganya, Roots to Froots
• Sarah Jordan, Y.O.U Underwear
• Sarah Hopley, Venture Studio from Crisis
• Sasha Burgoyne, TechSwitch
• Elizabeth Peyton-Jones, Models Trust & Talent Trust
• Sol Escobar, Give Your Best
• Esther Foreman, The Social Change Agency, The Social Change Nest, The Social Change Hive
• Jane Hatton, Evenbreak
• Lise Pape, Walk With Path
• Kayley Hyman, Holistic Hoarding
• Elena Sinel, Teens in AI
• Kate Smith, Memory Matters CIC
  

Technology Businesswoman

• Margareta Klincic Tremac, Google Cloud
• Victoria Southam, Microsoft
• Lillian Philip, EDF Energy
• Ankita Aggarwal, RELX
• Naina Bhattacharya, Danone
• Priya Guliani, EarthID
• Maria Scott, TAINA Technology
• Adora Nwodo, NexaScale
• Akua Opong, London Stock Exchange Group
• May Al-Karooni, Globechain
• Monica Eaton, Chargebacks911
• Charlotte Fisher, BT
  

Telecoms Businesswoman

• Margareta Klincic Tremac, Google Cloud
• Daisie Henshall-Brown, British Telecom
• Gillian Mahon, Totalmobile
• Louise Healey, Ogi
• Nicola Brumell, Zen Internet Ltd
  

Transport & Logistics Businesswoman

• Irene McAleese, Limeforge Ltd (See.Sense)
• Carrie Harris, British Airways
• Sonia Mamica, ATA Sameday
• Lauren Aste, CWT
• Beth Chapman, Starlinks Global
• Zoe Upson, FACT - Freight and Commodity Talent Ltd
• Toni Lythall, Octopus Energy
• Victoria Simpson, vcare24
  

Utilities Businesswoman

• Julia Stichling, R2M Ltd.
• Aimee Konieczny, Indigo Swan
• Ramona Vlasiu, E.ON Next
• Georgina Stephens, The First Mile
• Lauren Tingey, National Grid Electricity Distribution
• Cara King, Cobra Hydro UK
  

Young Businesswoman

• Kaleigh Thomas, Onyx Insurance Brokers Limited
• Georgia Cocks, IAMH Global, Wellity Global
• Elin Roberts, Better Nature
• Eva Rodgers, ICON FOODS LTD
• Ahana Banerjee, Clear
• Grace Jansen, IBM
• Lauren Elliott-Cranford, Teem
• Penny Day, XR Therapeutics
• Jennifer Paterson, Occutrace
• Saira Hussain, HAD & CO
• Emily Banks FRSA, Enna Global
  

Diversity Initiative of the Year Award

• LSE Generate
• Studio Lutalica
• Han Law
• Skills 4 Ltd
• XR Therapeutics
• Teens in AI
  

Game changer in sport award

• Georgina Mitchell, Ambitions Gymnastics Ltd
• Nikita Thakrar, Journey with Nikita
• Grace Williams, Crystal Palace Football Club
• Nina Darmeci, Ninaschoreography
• Georgina Bowman, MySports Community Ltd
• Charlene Gravesande, Ink Media Ltd
  

Female Ambassador of the year: SME

• Hannah Strawbridge, HanLawCo
• Nicky Crisp, Impamark
• Bethan Davies, 'Cause Collective
• Nadia Edwards-Dashti, Harrington Starr
• Julianne Ponan MBE, Creative Nature
• Zannah Ryabchuk, Breakthrough Global
  

Female Ambassador of the year: Large Company

• Eve Calderbank, Essex County Council
• Shelley Cotterill, DXC Technology
• Dr. Paroma, LSE Generate
• Claire Maillet, Vanguard
• Akua Opong, LSEG
• Lizzie Crutchfield, Entain
• Lisa-Jayne Cook, GEA HRT / IOR
  

Rising Star Award: SME

• Naomi Ekpoki, Omie Energy
• Clare Lucas, UK Ducks In A Row Ltd
• Dr Sioned Fôn Jones, BoobyBiome
• Hayey Leech, Indigo Swan
• Ekua Cant, Be Your No.1 Cheerleader
• Natasha Sonawane Berry, Coastr
• Emily Allcroft, Ticket Buddiez
• Natalie Klausen, Let’s Abode Limited
• Jade Cohen, Qflow
• Aine McGreeghan, South Eastern Regional College
• Carol Murdoch, Love Outdoor Learning
  

Rising Star Award: Large Company

• Krysta Broughton-Munford, Bupa
• Evangelia Bourelou, Caterpillar
• Jenny Macfarlane, Corporate & investment bank Barclays
• Grace Jansen, IBM
• Rebekkah Field, Donaldson Filtration (GB) Limited
  

Role Model of the Year Award: SME

• Monica Collings, Swarm Energy
• Lisa Smith, Be The Change
• Jayne Little, Skills 4 Ltd
• Sandy Abdel Rahman, Skaped
• Zannah Ryabchuk, Breakthrough Global
• Bethan Davies, Cause Collective
• Dawn Bates, Dawn Bates International
• Fiona Wylie, Brand Champions
  

Role Model of the Year Award: Large Company

• Jenn Barnett, Grant Thornton UK LLP
• Vicky Soden, Deloitte
• Kelly Shrives-Wrist, Hilton Woking
• Tolu Oke, Diageo
• Bamidele Farinre, NHS
• Liliana Balan, Worldline Merchants Services UK
• Katie Major, Danish Crown
• Carlotta Zorzi-Chapman, Shopify
• LJ Silverman, LSE Generate
• Sharon Sharples, Barclays
  

Support Network of The Year

• Essex County Council
• Womens Utilities Network (WUN)
• LSE Generate
• Vanguard
• Businesswomen UnLtd
• Magrathea Telecom
• HR Independents Ltd
• Limit Break
  

Team of the Year Award

• Health & Her
• HanLawCo
• Noble Events
• Wellity Global
• DXC Technology
• Lawray Architects
• Liverpool Film Office
• iCan Wellbeing Group CIO
  

The Great British Businesswoman Awards are not only a celebration but a powerful reminder of the importance of female representation in business. While progress has been made, women remain underrepresented in senior leadership roles, particularly in certain industries like finance, technology, and engineering.

The awards ceremony will take place on the 30th January 2025 where winners will be announced at this grand gala. For now, the shining spotlight is firmly on the impressive shortlist.

These women have already achieved so much, and their stories will undoubtedly continue to inspire. It’s clear the future of business is bright - and it’s increasingly led by extraordinary women who are breaking barriers and driving meaningful change.

About Us:

The Great British Businesswoman Awards

As part of GRC World Forums, we're proud to present this prestigious awards program that celebrates exceptional female leaders across various industries. It recognises their achievements, contributions to their organisations, and their role in inspiring the next generation of women in business. Past winners hail from industry giants like; HSBC, BT, Aviva, EDF, highlighting the program's commitment to showcasing top talent.

GRC World Forums and Emerald:

GRC World Forums provides valuable insight, information and resources for governance, risk, and compliance professionals, GC & legal counsels, privacy professionals and heads of lines of business, worldwide.

Our flagship event is #RISK which in 2024 will take place in London for the third year, Dubai for the second year and will debut in New York in December.

The #Risk series of in-person events equips business leaders across all functions with the knowledge, insights, and connections essential for navigating and thriving in today's rapidly evolving risk landscape. Our award programs perfectly complement and reinforce the theme of "Risks Can't Exist in Silos," further honoring exceptional female leaders and their peers who are shaping the future of business.

GRC World Forums and its associated brands are part of Emerald, America’s largest producer of business-to-business trade shows and their associated conferences, content, and commerce, including the renowned Advertising Week.

For more information, contact Niki Dowdall: nicola@dataprotectionworldforum.com