NGI Chief Executive Sarah Stewart OBE has been named on Northern Power Women’s Power List 2019 which celebrates 100 women who have contributed to making a difference in their communities and raising awareness of gender equality across the North of England.
The Power List celebrates women who challenge the norm and ensure that everyone they work with recognise the benefit of having a gender-balanced workplace. The Future List recognises the influencers and change makers of the future who are already making a difference in their environments and communities.
Sarah Stewart is one of a number of prominent North East business women that have been included this year. Sarah, who is a new addition to the list, has been chief executive of NGI since 2010. NGI works with 170 public and private sector partners from across the region; it acts as the local tourism board, delivers the Invest Newcastle service and plays a leading role in bidding for and delivering major sporting and cultural events, with recent successes including the delivery of the Great Exhibition of the North in 2018 and securing the World Transplant Games for August 2019. Sarah also holds a number of non-executive roles with Visit England, Arts Council North, Beamish Museum, Newcastle Cathedral, Gateshead College and Newcastle University. She was awarded an OBE in 2016 for services to the economy of North East England.
She commented: “I’m delighted to be part of the Power List alongside so many inspirational women from the North East of England. It’s brilliant to see those who are passionate about empowering women to forge successful careers and lead rewarding lives in the North being recognised by Northern Power Women. I’m proud to lead an organisation where 75 per cent of employees, and 50 per cent of board members, are women.”
Northern Power Women announced the 2019 Power and Future Lists to be celebrated at the fourth Northern Power Women Awards, which this year feature nominees from more sectors and more regions in the North. In addition, NPW is pleased to announce a new sponsor for the NPW Future List, recruitment and design consultancy Morson Group, alongside the headline sponsor, Manchester Airports Group, who have partnered with NPW for the past two years.
As NPW’s work championing diversity in the workplace and in business has gathered pace, the organisation has expanded its activities firmly across the entire Northern Powerhouse regions, “This means we can celebrate the work of more Power Women and bring a spotlight on their amazing achievements,” said NPW founder Simone Roche MBE.
Different sectors are breaking new ground with inclusion in the Power and Future lists, with musicians, chefs and other creatives joining the bankers, entrepreneurs and other organisational leaders that have made the running in previous years. “This shows that celebrating inclusivity is high on everyone’s list of priorities,” added Roche, and it provides a welcome headache for the now 60-strong judging panel.
The inaugural awards started in March 2016, welcomed 440 influencers, leaders, change agents, and inspiring male and female role models, in 2017 520 celebrated success across the North and in 2018 580 attended receiving a record 950+ nominations. 2019 is already proving that there is a need to highlight the great people working towards a gender diverse workplace, currently on track for beating attendee records.
Sponsors include; Manchester Airports Group, Morson Group, Santander, YBS, NatWest, Liverpool FC, HSBC, MSP Global and EY.
Simone Roche MBE, founder of Northern Power Women said: “I am extremely proud of these role models. They are amazing people doing fantastic work and they deserve every bit of recognition. Without the women on our Future and Power List it would be impossible for us to do what we do across the North. Each person named has played a part in driving forward the NPW agenda and have helped push out the boundaries”
The new entrants will be celebrated at the Northern Power Women Awards with over 650 guests at Manchester Central Convention Complex on Monday 18 March, tickets available here. The fourth awards will also recognise the winners across 10 categories shortlisted from 900 nominations.
2019 Power List
Alison Brittain CBE, Chief Executive , Whitbread
Alyson Fadil, Chief People Officer, N Brown Group Plc
Angela Seeney, Transformation Director, Sellafield Ltd
Anne Longfield OBE, Children’s Commissioner for England, Children’s Commissioner’s Office
Baroness Beverley Hughes, Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Greater Manchester Combined Authority
Caroline Theobald CBE, Chair, FIRST (trading name of First Face to Face Ltd)
Christine Gaskell, MBE, DL , Chair, Cheshire and Warrington Enterprise Partnership
Debbie Francis, Managing Director, Direct Rail Services Ltd
Dr Ann Limb CBE DL, Chair, The Scout Association
Dr Liz Mear, Chief Executive, The Innovation Agency
Edwina Wolstencroft, Editor, BBC Radio 3, BBC
Elia Montorio, Equity Partner, DLA Piper UK LLP
Estelle Blanks, Executive Director, Innovation SuperNetwork
Gail Jones, Managing Director, UKFast
Hazel Blears, Non Executive Director, Cooperative Group
Heidi Mottram CBE, Chief Executive Officer, Northumbrian Water Group
Helen Baker, Global Director of Engagement, Diversity and Inclusion, Sage
Jackie Arnold MBE, Corporate Responsibility Lead, BAE Systems
Jane Woods, Director, Operations EMEA Head of Portfolio Services, BNY Mellon
Jasvinder Sanghera CBE, Author/Campaigner, Freelance
Jenn Hazlehurst, Partner, EY
Julie Waring, Solicitor/Owner, Morecrofts LLP Solicitors
Justine Andrew, Market Director, Education and Skills, KPMG LLP
Karen Campbell-Williams, Tax Partner, Grant Thornton
Lesley McPherson, Director of Communications, The Co-operative Bank
Liz Tapner, Chief Executive Officer, Selnet Ltd
Lucy Powell MP, MP for Manchester Central, Chair All Party Parliamentary Group for Greater Manchester ,
Lynn Collins, Regional Secretary / Mayoral Advisor on Equalities, TUC
Lynn Cordall, Commercial Director, Damartex UK ltd
Nickie Gott OBE, Managing Director, She’s Got It
Nisha Katona MBE, CEO, Mowgli Street Food Ltd.
Pat Ritchie , Chief Executive, Newcastle City Council
Pippa Wicks, Deputy CEO, Cooperative Group
Professor Uduak Archibong MBE, Professor of Diversity, University of Bradford
Qudsia Karim, Head of Consulting, Impact International
Rachel Clacher, Co-founder, Moneypenny
Rowena Burns, Chairman x 2, Manchester Science Partnerships and Health Innovation Manchester
Ruth Harrison, UK Managing Director, ThoughtWorks
Sally Carr MBE, Operational Director (Joint CEO), The Proud Trust
Sandra Hill, Managing Director , Page Personnel
Sarah Davies, Northern Powerhouse Lead, Environment Agency
Sarah Glendinning, Regional Director, CBI
Sarah Stewart OBE, Chief Executive, Newcastle Gateshead Initiative
Shelley Alexander, Lead for Diversity and Women’s Sport, BBC Sport, BBC
Stephanie Burras CBE, CEO, Ahead Partnership
Susan Black PgDip, MCIPR, MSc, Director of Communications, Liverpool Football Club
Tricia Williams, Chief Operating Officer Manchester Airport, MAG
Wendy Tan-White MBE, Partner & Board Trustee , BGF Ventures & Alan Turing Institute
Zohrah Zancudi, Director of Public Services, Calderdale Borough Council
2019 Future List sponsored by Morson Group
Abi Ridley, Client Origination Analyst, Accenture
Abigail Patel, National and North West Regional Council Student Representative and ABS Ambassador, The Manchester School of Architecture/ RIBA
Aine McTiernan, Scale North Lead, PwC
Alix Bolton, Head of People, Visualsoft
Amanda Adeola, Associate Solicitor, BHP Law
Amna Abdullatif, Children and Young People’s Lead, Women’s Aid
Amy Campo McEvoy, Senior Network Manager, The Girls’ Network
Amy Lynch, Head of Diversity & Inclusion, ThoughtWorks
Anna Holland Smith, Programme Manager (Technology and Innovation Accelerator), The Hut Group
Annalisa Toccara, Founder and CEO, Our Mel
Charlene Lancaster, Director – Audit and Assurance services, Mazars LLP
Charlotte Percy, Senior Associate Family Law Solicitor, McAlister Family Law
Claire Eadington, Business Change Manager, Environment Agency, Defra group
Colette Cronshaw, Project assistant, Riverside ECHG
Dannie Spencer, Head of Legal, Allied London
Deb Hetherington, Business Engagement Manager , Leeds Beckett University
Dharini Patel, Senior Leader, Department for Education
Diane Gleeson, Vending & Hot Beverage co-ordinator, Sodexo
Dr Amanda Lamb, Chief Operating Officer, Connected Health Cities
Emma Green , Digital Marketing Apprentice, Northern Powerhouse Partnership
Fey Ijaware, Front-End Developer, Peninsula
Gemma Smith, Senior Project Manager, Liverpool FC Foundation
Georgena Clarke, In-house Employment Lawyer, OCS Group UK Limited
Hannah Hosanee, Director, Consume Communications Ltd
Heather Gray, Business Development Manager, Bruntwood
Holly Wood , Founder and CEO, WeBlogNorth and the Northern Blog Awards
Joanne Johns, Corporate Tax Manager, EY
Jodie Hill, Managing Director and Solicitor , Thrive Law
Jodie Williams, Accessibility and Inclusion Manager, National Express
Kate Rylance, UX Research Manager, Shop Direct
Kusum Trikha, Senior Engineer, WSP
Laura Beattie, Co-founder, Careaux
Laura Earnshaw, Founder and CEO, myHappymind
Laura Nadel, Director, Head of Employment Legal North, PWC
Lisa Miles, NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre Operations Manager, Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Michelle Partington, Consultant, Mentis Training and Consultancy
Najwa Jawahar, Senior Structural Engineer, WSP
Nazia Rehman, Portfolio holder for finance, transformation and resources , Wigan Council
Nicola Witter, Deanery Childrens and Families Worker/Singer, Dioecese of Manchester
Nikki Barraclough, Executive Director, Prevent Breast Cancer
Rachel Beattie, Director and Co-founder, Careaux
Rachel Fraser, Head of Internal Communications & Engagement, MAG
Rebekah Lee, Head of Marketing, Morson Group
Rhiannon Carss, Head of Communications, Curtins
Safiya Saeed, Youth project Co-ordinator, Reach up youth group
Samantha Wilcock, Account Manager, Ombudsman Services
Sarah McGuire, Group Head of Recruitment , MAG
Tara Hewitt, Inclusion & Engagement Manager, Northern Care Alliance NHS Group
Thorrun Govind, Pharmacist, Community Pharmacist
Victoria Alcock, Assistant Director – Student Recruitment , EY