About Awards
The Prowess Awards 2008: Changing the face of enterprise
The winners of the 2008 Prowess Awards have now been announced
Thank you to all the winners, finalists, guests, speakers and sponsors who contributed to making the 4th Prowess Awards Ceremony such a success. The fantastic atmosphere generated at the ceremony lunch at the Hyatt Regency, Birmingham on Friday 6 June 2008 ensured this was a great networking opportunity as well as a celebration of outstanding and inspirational leaders in women's enterprise development.
Winners and Finalists
Business Support Professional of the Year
Winner: Ellen Kerr, Co-Director of the Women in Business for Merseyside Project
Julie Readman, Managing Director, Business Link South Yorkshire
Sarah Roberts, WiRE, Women in Rural Enterprise
Business Mentor of the Year
Winner: Elaine Owen, Managing Director, Designated Associates
Jane Barnes, CEO Yakkety-Yak Multimedia Company Ltd
Susan Heaton-Wright, Company Director, NSN Productions Ltd
Woman in SET Enterprise (Sponsored by the UK Resource Centre for Women in SET)
Winner: Jeanette Forbes, Managing Director, PCL Group
Donna Kingsley, Managing Director ADK Security Services Ltd
Jan Smith, Chairman EOL IT Services Ltd
Jane Palmer, Managing Director, Industrial Brushware Ltd
Female Social Entrepreneur (Sponsored by the Office of the Third Sector)
Winner: Karen Mattison, Co-Founder and Director of Women Like Us
Claudine Reid, PJ's Community Service
Gill Gardiner, Co-Executive Director, Building Blocks Solutions Ltd
Helen Walker, Operations Director and Co-Founder of Water Power Enterprises (h2oPE)
Press Award
Winner: Maragaret Heffernan for 'Changing the rules?' 13 August 2007, BBC Radio 4
Yasmin Akhtar and Claire Hill for Go-Woman! Magazine
Alison Maitland for 'Top women tip the scales', 10 Oct 2007, The Financial Times
Women's Enterprise Researcher of the Year
Winner: Dr Rebecca Harding, Managing Director of Delta Economics
Muhammad Azam Roomi, Director of Research, Centre for Women's Enterprise, University of Bedfordshire
Professor Susan Marlow, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, Department of HRM, DeMontfort University
Ethnic Minority Business Woman (National) (Sponsored by WECOE, which is supported by AWM)
Winner: Lisa Tse, Director, Sweet Mandarin
Elaine Clarke, Chief Executive, Baa Bar Group Plc
Sanchita Saha, Managing Director, CitySocialising
Ethnic Minority Business Woman (West Mildands) (Sponsored by WECOE, which is supported by AWM)
Winner: Ranbir Sahota, Director, Vitis Public Relations
Kavita Janagal and Rani Uppelle, Co-Directors of Simply Recruitment
Vivean Pomell, Owner Brynels Hats and Accessories
Inspirational Business Mum (Sponsored by Yell.com)
Winner: Karen Mattison, Director, Women Like Us
Dee Wright, The Hairforce - Lice Assassins
Rachel Jones, Totseat
Inspirational Woman (Sponsored by WEConnect)
Winner: Suzanne Liversidge, Managing Partner of Sheffield Office, Halliwells LLP
Lisa Shepherd, Managing Director, Lisa Shepherd Salons
Karen Mattison, Co-Founder and Director of Women Like Us
Outstanding Contribution to Women's Enterprise Develoment (Sponsored by HSBC)
Winner: Sally Goodsell, Chief Executive, Finance South East Ltd
Louise Heasman, Co-Founder, The Athena Network
Sonia Brown, Founder and Director, National Black Women's Network (NBWN)
Winners were announced at the Awards ceremony on 6th June at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham. For details of this event please contact awards@prowess.org.uk