Member Article

Harrogate business woman takes home top honour at WiBA 2013

Jacqui Hall, MD of Harrogate-based energy company CNG, has taken the top title in the Barclays-Forward Ladies Women in Business Awards, winning the outstanding business woman of the year, sponsored by Barclays.

She was also awarded the title of corporate leader of the year, sponsored by TD Direct Investing, which was presented by John Tracy, SVP TD Bank Group and head of TD Wealth International.

Announcing the top award, Caroline Pullich, head of relationship banking at Barclays said: “Our winner has created a culture across the company that has true values, and demonstrated this with an open door policy for staff; tripled employee numbers in the past five years as the company continues to grow, made a huge difference to bottom line profit, and has increased turnover to £150m from £98m in the previous year”

Jacqui held a number of positions within gas companies before joining CNG in 1998, and since being appointed MD in 2006, has been instrumental in leading the company’s direction and subsequent growth. She has strengthened the team by making strategic appointments and securing third party accreditations.

The company continues to be recognised as a real alternative to the Big Six energy companies, and has achieved recognition for excellence.

Other category winners include:

• Home-based business woman, sponsored by Amplitude AV

Grazyna (Grace) Bylinka of Huddersfield is a regional manager with Oriflame, a Swedish direct selling company producing nature-inspired cosmetics, skincare and fragrances. She is one of the company’s most successful traders in Britain, turning over £500,000 with 10 nationwide sales teams and more than 500 people working to her.

• International business woman, sponsored by UKTI and presented by Gillian Bray, regional team manager:

Julia Gash CEO of BIDBI, Sheffield. She has signed more than 60 new retail accounts for Talented Totes, most of which are outside the UK – in the US, Indonesia and Japan, along with distribution agreements in Japan and Canada.

• Manufacturing business woman of the year:

Jane Robinson, co-founder of Cutting Technologies, a Barnsley based company which is a leading UK laser cutting and engraving company. Using some of the most technologically advanced equipment in the world, the company can process metals, acrylics, wood, paper and other materials, tackling technically demanding and creative work, including ground-breaking laser engraved oak panels for feature walls within Manchester University’s new £24 million development.

Bdaily reported on Cutting Technologies recent success at London Fashion Week here.

• Not for Profit business woman sponsored by East Coast and presented by MD Karen Boswell:

Joanne Wilkinson is chief executive of My Possible Self, Harrogate, a social enterprise offering professional counselling, personal development and coaching, utilising its profits to sponsor and support individuals who are unable to provide funding for coaching or therapeutic support.

• PA of the year sponsored by Q Hotels:

Bdaily reported last week on The PA Hubs success in this category here. Ann Dunford is the PA to a senior partner at Garbutt & Elliott LLP, York. She is a tri-lingual PA with board-level experience across a wide range of industries, including accounting and business services, property development, construction, food and sports management.

• Professional/Corporate business woman, sponsored by Finance Yorkshire:

Justine Osmotherley is a partner and head of private client services at Clarion Solicitors, Leeds. Her 20-strong team has a combined annual fee income of £1.45million, representing 19% of the total fee income for the firm.

• Women in Property sponsored by British Gas:

Teresa Galley of Galley Properties, Doncaster. Teresa launched a lettings and property management company, managing hundreds of properties within just two years. With seven full time staff and a number of contractors, the company is set to grow further, and plans are in place to launch an estate agency.

• Retail business woman of the year, sponsored by The Co-operative Group:

Liz Devine-Wright of Simply Devine, Tadcaster. Founder of a boutive They later adding Pashmina by Simply Devine, selling cashmere pashminas, sourced in Nepal, both in-house and to boutiques around the world.

• SME business woman of the year sponsored by Asda:

Catherine Shuttleworth, the CEO and founder of Savvy Marketing, a Leeds-based award-winning business employing more than 80 people. Catherine received a special commendation at last year’s awards for services to Forward Ladies.

• Start up business woman sponsored by Oriflame:

Melanie Oldham is MD of Bob’s Business, Barnsley. During the past year the company has doubled in size as the market grows. Bob’s Business uses animation and humour to deliver compliance training to protect and manage business critical information.

• Young business woman sponsored by O2:

Amy Wray, MD of Applegate Lettings, Huddersfield, she launched the company in the middle of a recession, and operates without retail premises.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .