NOTE: This is an old article, about the Women of the Future Awards 2008. Read about the winners from the Women of the Future Awards 2010 article here.
The awards – founded two years ago to identify female role models under the age of 35 – celebrate rising stars in the business, public and creative worlds.
Here are the winners:Elspeth Duxbury, who co-founded her own transport consultancy in 2000 before selling it to Atkins last year, was crowned Merrill Lynch Entrepreneurial Woman of the Future.
The judges said: “Elspeth is a real visionary. She is not only an entrepreneur but now an ‘intrapreneur’ – driving entrepreneurial thinking across a much larger organisation and applying those same skills to a new challenge.”
Internet poet Alex Pryce was dubbed ‘one to watch’ in the art world by judges of the awards.
The youngest category winner at just 20 years old, Alex picked up the Booz & Company Art and Culture Woman of the Future Award for her work conceiving and launching PoetCasting, a popular poetry podcasting enterprise which secured Arts Council funding earlier this year.Olivia Garfield, group director of strategy at global communications giant BT, was named PepsiCO Business Woman of the Future.
Olivia joined BT in 2003 and has been credited with transforming her division’s final performance and successfully leading a number of change management programmes.
Law firm Addleshaw Goddard was honoured for its encouragement of female talent. The firm – whose main board is now 40 per cent female – collected the Aviva Woman of the Future Corporate Award.
Judges praised Addleshaw Goddard’s successful implementation of flexible working practices across the workplace and its support for women at the very highest level.
Alix Pryde, a chief advisor in the BBC who began her career as Chris Evans’ tea-girl before joining global management consultants McKinsey as a strategist, was recognised as Media Woman of the Future.
The judges said: “Alix is an incredibly multi-faceted individual whose achievements reflect her own diversity. Despite the pressure of her role, she has found the time to mentor other women who are embarking on a similar journey and who may otherwise fail to take that crucial first step.”
Maggie Rose has mentored some of Britain’s top-flight female executives and was honoured with the Shell Mentor of the Year gong.
She began her career on the shop floor of Marks & Spencer before founding her own mentoring consultancy MROI. The company, whose clients include American Express, BT, Barclaycard and Diageo, was set up by Rose 15 years ago to provide leadership training for senior level board directors.
Stacey Lax, one of the youngest partners at global advisory firm Ernst & Young, has been crowned KPMG Professional Woman of the Future.
Since joining Ernst & Young, Stacey has established and grown the firm’s market-leading customs and international trade practice. She also advises governments and industries on security issues, specialising in the prevention of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Leading female research scientist Dr Prudence Mutowo was named Barclays Science & Technology Woman of the Future. She is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Nottingham’s School of Pharmacy and is a leading advocate for women in science.
The judges said: “Prudence stood out for the passion and inspiration she shows – she will be an excellent mentor to other women with a profound effect on the people she meets and works with. She is extremely grounded in her own values and goals – a truly three-dimensional person who really brings her subject to life.”
Sabina Iqbal, founder of the first ever organisation to provide support services for deaf parents, was joint winner of the BT Woman of the Future Voluntary Award.
The judges said: “Sabina is someone who spotted a gap in service provision and had the motivation to plug it – overcoming numerous barriers to do so. She has transformed the provision of services to this group in the UK.”
The other winner is Melody Hossaini, who co-founded the UK Youth Parliament and is the first female and ethnic minority to be elected to chair the board of trustees.
The judges said: “What Melody has achieved at just 23 is remarkable – starting as co-founder of the UK Youth Parliament and culminating in attending the PeaceJam Conference 2008. PeaceJam is an organisation which has recently been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize – it would not surprise me if Melody herself were, one day, to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.”
