Medilink confirms northern merger
THE CO-FOUNDER of a company which provides learning software for vocational training was crowned as the overall business woman of the year at a national awards ceremony yesterday.
Susanna Lawson, director of Onefile, walked off with the top award at the Forward Ladies National Women in Business Awards after leaving the judges “stunned” with her “drive, passion and innovation”.
Jennifer Crawley, head of the judging panel and UK deputy director of small businesses for HSBC, said: “Her organisation has pioneered the ed-tech revolution over a decade and has had a significant impact on the sector so much so that she was the proud winner of the 2017 Queen’s Award for Innovation.”
Ms Lawson, who also picked up the digital business award, started her company after witnessing huge inefficiencies in the training delivery models used in the health and social care sector.
In five years the business has grown from 19 to 75 staff and revenue has increased by 300 per cent.
Griselda Togobo, managing director of Forward Ladies, said: “We’ve had another fantastic awards ceremony.
“We’ve had women and business leaders from all over the country descend on Yorkshire, which we are proud to do.
“We could not be more proud of the winners we’ve had today.”
The awards ceremony, which attracted hundreds of guests to the Royal Armouries in Leeds, heard from speakers including Ian Stuart, CEO of HSBC UK; Lady Barbara Judge CBE, chairman of the UK IoD; Inga Beale DBE, CEO of Lloyd’s of London; Fiona Rayment OBE, executive director of NIRO, a division of the UK National Nuclear Laboratory charged with providing strategic nuclear advice to the government; and Jan Flawn CBE, founder and chairman of PJ Care.
The not-for-profit and social enterprise award was presented by to Kerryanne Wilde, CEO of CERT-UK.
Yorkshire winners included Leanne Silverwood, managing director of nursing, social and healthcare agency Local Care Force, based in Leeds, who was named inspiring leader; Nikki Dixon, senior manager of own brand strategy at Asda, who won the rising star category; Katie Mallinson, founder of Scriba PR in Huddersfield, who won the start up category; and Andrea Eli, director at Ventura Office Supplies in Bingley, who was the winner of the SME emerging award.
Lady Barbara Judge won a special lifetime achievement award.
was the media partner for the event, and the main sponsor was HSBC.
Membership-based representative body for the health sector, Medilink, has announced the transition to Medilink North of England Ltd, incorporating Medilink (Yorkshire and the Humber), Medilink North West and Medilink North East.
Taking place in Medilink’s 20th anniversary year, a spokesman said “this new development will enhance sector connectivity and collaboration across the North of England”.