Region’s brightest female role models
WE NAME THE TOP 100 INSPIRING WOMEN
ONE hundred of the most inspirational women across the region have today been revealed by Greater Manchester Business Week.
From company directors to pioneering sporting achievements, Manchester is not short of inspirational female role models and our 100 Inspiring Women’s list aims to celebrate those who have made their mark.
The women are a mixture of female trailblazers – high-profile and influential women which include entrepreneurs, sportswomen, lawyers, fashion icons, artists and politicians. It is the first time M.E.N. Media has compiled such a list, with many of the names suggested by some of the region’s leaders.
The list was unveiled during a private event held at the Principal Manchester hotel on International Women’s Day with guest speaker Dr Erinma Bell, the influential Manchester peace activist who was awarded an MBE for her work to rid Moss Side streets of gun crime.
As part of the celebrations, a photo exhibition of the inspiring women was also revealed.
Shelina Begum, MEN Media business editor, said: “We wanted to highlight, celebrate and create a discussion around the achievements of women in the region. As business editor I feel inspired by the women on our list, many who I have written about, and I wanted other women to feel inspired too. Manchester and the surrounding regions has some great role models and it’s important that we highlight the work that these women are doing, many who are making an impact in the region.”
The campaign has been supported by Manchester-based recruiter Sellick Partnership.
Jo Sellick said: “International Women’s Day is now a global day of recognition and celebration.
“Thousands of events are held annually around the world to celebrate the achievements of women and inspire others to emulate their successes.
“This year’s theme, #BeBoldFor Change is one that I believe resonates with businesswomen from across the north west, and I am delighted to help unveil the first 100 Inspiring Women list as part of the 2017 celebrations. It has been our absolute pleasure to work with the Manchester Evening News in creating this special event.
“Strong female role models such as those featured are key to helping reduce the gender gap across all industries and sectors.
“At Sellick Partnership we are proud that half of our senior roles are currently held by women, heading up three of our regional offices and making up 50 percent of our board of directors, a feat rarely seen across the UK business community.”
Ann Coffey MP, Stockport
The Labour MP for Stockport was elected in 1992. She chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group for Runaway and Missing Children and Adults, and has criticised perceived failings in authorities in responding to signs of abuse and exploitation. She chaired an inquiry into the issue of child sexual abuse following widespread criticism of the investigation of the Rochdale sex trafficking gang. In January 2015, Coffey tabled amendments calling for the removal of the term “child prostitution” from UK legislation, arguing the term implied children were complicit in their own abuse and the change was necessary to change authorities’ attitudes.
Alice Webb Director of BBC North
Alice Webb was appointed director of BBC North last year to oversee the organisation’s corporate activities and drive local partnerships. Webb, who is also director of BBC Children’s, orchestrated the move to MediaCityUK, overseeing the relocation of major departments including Sport, Children’s and 5 live. Prior to this, Webb was chief operating officer, BBC England, and was responsible for overseeing all aspects of technology, people, workspace, migration and ways of working across the BBC sites in Salford, Bristol and Birmingham.
Alison Loveday CEO, berg and chair of pro.manchester
Alison Loveday has been instrumental in the growth of law firm berg, having set up its successful employment department and in recent years has led the firm’s work in financial regulation and mis-selling by the banks. She joined berg as a trainee solicitor, later qualifying as a lawyer in 1992, and was appointed partner in 1997. She became managing partner in 2007 and moved into her current role as CEO last year. Last July, Berg was announced as the chair of promanchester, the business development organisation, which she has been involved in for around 20 ye ars.
Alison Woodward Barrister, Deans Court Chamber
Alison Woodward is a highly respected barrister specialising in public and private law childcare work. Having established a busy family practice at Hollins Chambers in Manchester in 2001, Woodward moved to Deans Court Chambers where she has won a formidable reputation as an exceptional children law practitioner. Woodward is frequently instructed in the most complex public law proceedings in which the central issues include exceptionally grave non-accidental injuries and death of children, serious sexual abuse including historic allegations, chronic neglect and factitious and/ or induced illness.
Angela Rayner Labour MP and Shadow Secretary
of State for Education
Angela Rayner was picked from an all-women shortlist to become Ashton-Under-Lyne’s first female MP. The mother of three started her career as a care assistant for the elderly before being elected as a union representative for UNISON. She also served on Labour’s national policy forum to ensure delivery of equal pay for women working in the public sector. In June last year, Rayner was promoted to Shadow Women and Equalities Minister, and was further promoted later that week to Shadow Education Secretary.
Angela Spindler CEO, N Brown
Angela Spindler, the former boss of the Original Factory Shop, was appointed as CEO of the home shopping giant N Brown in 2013. Manchester-headquartered, FTSElisted N Brown owns JD Williams, Jacamo and Simply Be. Since joining the group, Spindler has been instrumental in the company’s transformation to become a digitally led operation. Prior to this, Spindler had been at the helm of The Original Factory Shop since 2009, where she led the team responsible for substantial growth in the business. She was also managing director of Debenhams and George at Asda. Spindler began her career in sales and marketing roles at Cadbury, Coca Cola and Mars.
Angie Robinson CEO, Manchester Central
Angie Robinson was appointed to lead Manchester Central in 2011 after a period of six years on the venue’s board. Manchester Central is the city’s dedicated conference and events venue which attracts around half a million people to Manchester each year, generating £75m economic impact. Robinson has held senior positions in both the private and public sector. Before joining Manchester Central, she was the CEO of MIDAS, the Inward Investment Agency for Manchester; and was also the first female CEO of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce.
Anna Ford Former broadcaster and journalist
Anna Ford is an English former journalist, television presenter and newsreader. She first worked as a researcher, news reporter and later newsreader for Granada Television, ITN, and the BBC. In her youth she took her place among university activists and in 1966 led a protest march against overseas student fees. There has been a number of firsts for Ford. Not only did she become ITN’s first woman prime-time newscaster in 1978, but she also became the first female chancellor at Manchester University, 35 years after becoming its first female student president.
Anna Friel Actress
Born in Rochdale, Anna Friel has been on our TV screens for the past two decades. She has been acting since the age of 13, appearing in a number of British television programmes. She rose to fame working on the Liverpool-based and controversial soap opera Brookside but has more recently found fame in the US with the hit American Odyssey. Friel made her West End stage debut in London in 2001 and received a National Television Award in 1995, a Drama Desk Award in 1999, and the Royal Television Society Award in 2009. She studied at Bolton University.
Barbara Richmond Group finance director, Redrow
Barbara Richmond has held a number of finance roles, most recently as finance director for housebuilder Redrow. Richmond joined the board of Redrow in January 2010, bringing with her a proven track record, with over 20 years’ experience as group finance director at a number of UK listed companies, including Inchcape, Croda International and Whessoe. She has a strong background in both manufacturing and retail as well as having completed a number of major acquisitions and disposals throughout her career.
Beth Tweddle Olympic gymnast
Beth Tweddle is Britain’s most successful gymnast. Her impressive achievements include being an Olympic bronze medallist, a triple world champion, a six-time European champion, a Commonwealth champion and seven-times consecutive national champion. Along with her unrivalled success, Tweddle has competed at three Olympic Games; Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012 - where she won bronze in the uneven bars. Since starting out at the age of seven, Tweddle has helped to reinvent British gymnastics and her achievements place her in the ‘greatest of all time’ category within her sport.
Carol Ann Duffy Poet Laureate and playwright
Carol Ann Duffy has lived in south Manchester for more than 20 years and is a professor of contemporary poetry at Manchester Metropolitan University, where she has helped steer a new generation of writers and is a passionate advocate for reading and writing, as well as a major driving force behind the children’s literature festival. Her work, which addresses issues such as oppression, gender and violence, is studied in schools across the country. Duffy was the long-time editor of the poetry magazine Ambit, and has been a frequent reviewer and critic for many publications, including The Guardian. She was appointed as Britain’s Poet Laureate on May 1, 2009, becoming the first woman to hold the position in its 300-plus year history.
Cat Lewis CEO, Nine Lives Media
BAFTA winning exec producer Cat Lewis set up Manchester-based Nine Lives Media in September 2007, making documentaries, drama documentaries and current affairs for all the major UK channels and for American broadcasters. Lewis is also chair of Creative Skillset Northern Skills Council and is a Global Ambassador for the city. Prior to Nine Lives Media, Lewis enjoyed a successful career as an award winning producer/director, series producer and on screen news reporter for the BBC and Granada.
Christine Cort Managing director, Manchester International Festival
Christine Cort has been a driving force behind the successful Manchester International Festival. After only five showcases, MIF is now widely regarded as one of the most successful festivals in the world and has a renowned reputation for staging world premieres which brings visitors from over 50 countries to Manchester. It is the only festival staging entirely new work and special events. Previous commissions have included Kenneth Branagh’s Macbeth, Damon Albarn’s Chinese Opera ‘Monkey’ and The xx in residence.
Claire Turner Owner, Matt & Phreds
The born and bred Mancunian deals arts by day and runs Matt & Phreds, the club she wons, by night. Based at Hope Mill in Ancoats, Turner runs the organisational side of the Northern Quarter based Jazz Club alongside her Ancoats based gallery. As well as programming more than 300 gigs a year at Matt & Phreds, she also works on two art gallery programmes, including the Comme Ca Art Exhibitions at the Lowry Hotel.
Dawn Ward Business owner and reality TV star
There’s more to Dawn Ward than just a Real Housewife of Cheshire. Ward maybe one of ITVBe’s most successful reality stars, making her debut on ‘The Real Housewies of Cheshire,’ in 2015. She also runs an interior design business with an array of elite and high profile clients alongside property development company Bilton Ward Developments. Its latest ventures include 90 apartments in the south of France and a current £250m project in Mayfair - one of the most sought after areas in real estate. Not to mention doing the interior for Ralph and Russo in Harrods. Ward has recently opened a beauty clinic, Skulpt, specialising in a raft of antiageing and fat-blasting procedures at her Warford Hall home near Alderley Edge.
Debbie White CEO, Sodexo UK & Ireland
Debbie White is leading the business, which is based in Salford, into a new era of change and growth. Sodexo designs, manages and delivers more than 100 services across industry sectors including corporate, education, healthcare, defence, justice and sports and leisure. Since taking over as CEO in 2012, White has re-focused the business, developing a clear strategy to drive growth and improvement that was grounded in developing people. In 2013, she became a trustee of the charity Wellbeing Of Women, which raises funds for research to improve the health of women and children across the world.