WeAreTheCity has announced the 200 finalists shortlisted for 2022’s Rising Stars Awards. The organiser received over 1,000 nominations over an eight-week period from across the UK and Northern Ireland.
Now in their eighth year, the Rising Stars Awards are the first to focus on the achievements of women below Senior Management or Director level – representing the female talent pipeline and the next generation of future leaders. The awards also recognise the efforts of senior leaders who are championing gender equality, as well as putting the spotlight on a “company of the year” that is actively supporting its female talent pipeline above and beyond industry norms.
The 200-strong shortlist showcases remarkable women within the UK from over 20 categories representing different industries/professions. “The calibre of entries for this year’s awards was exceptional,” confirmed the organisation, founded by Vanessa Vallely OBE, to support the female pipeline.
An example of the amazing women shortlisted this year are Preet Chandi, who recently became the first woman of colour to complete a solo expedition in Antarctica; Ebinehita Iyere, founder of Milk Honey Bees, working with young people who encounter the youth justice system and those who are impacted by violence in the community; Nuthana Prathivadi Bhayankaram, who was elected Vice President of the Medical Women’s Federation, the first junior doctors to hold this office in the 105-year history of the organisation; and Lauralee Whyte, founder of SPECTRUM – Speakers & Entertainers, a talent agency for women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, Differently Abled, Neurodivergent and Socially Disadvantaged.
GLOBAL AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT
This year, WeAreTheCity are also celebrating women around the world with its new Global Award for Achievement. Shortlisted nominees include Ashley Scott, who outside her role at PepsiCo, is the founder and CEO of Data Girl Ash, a training and coaching company that empowers individuals from historically underrepresented backgrounds; Anna Raduloski, who founded WomenTech Network, a woman-led and woman-focused organisation to empower women globally through mentorship, career development and networking; and Aparna Saroagi, who is spearheading inclusive workplace practices at NatWest in India.
MEN FOR GENDER BALANCE
It is also celebrating Men for Gender Balance, which celebrates senior men who are championing women and gender balance either inside or outside their organisation. The shortlisted nominees for this year include Lee Chambers, a psychologist, coach and founder of Essentialise Workplace Wellbeing, a wellbeing and inclusion consultancy; Ian Clarke, Founder of Deilight Consulting, who holds the Millennium Volunteers Award for Excellence for a lifetime dedicated to mentoring, coaching and counselling disadvantaged young people and their businesses; and Richard Pickard, Founder of Inclusive Search, an advocate for TLA Black Women in Tech and The 30% Club, and the author of the ‘Exceptional Female Role Model’s interview series.
The Rising Star awards also include a Company of the Year award, which recognises the achievements of a company who can demonstrate that they are actively supporting and developing their female talent pipeline through initiatives, training, development programmes and/or internal employee relations groups. Shortlisted companies this year are Fidelity International, IHS Markit and r10 Consulting.
RISING STAR CHAMPIONS
The awards also continue to celebrate Rising Star Champions, recognising the efforts of senior leaders who are actively supporting the female pipeline, included in this year’s shortlist are Marie Hemingway, Founder and CTO of Speak Out Revolution, a not-for-profit helping to bring strategic insights to organisations to eradicate workplace inequality; Kanika Selvan, Associate Director of Data and Technology at the University of Sheffield, the youngest member of her leadership team and a committed advocate for diversity; and Sam Cooper-Gray, Global Head of Market Strategy and Engagement at HSBC, where she advocates for male allyship across the firm through their global Balance network.
WEARETHECITY RISING STAR 2022 FINALISTS
Shortlisted finalists (by category) include:
RISING STARS IN BANKING & CAPITAL MARKETS
- AMY PATERSON | BARCLAYS
- ANEESAH SARWAR | BARCLAYS
- ASHWITHA BINGUMALLA | INSTINET
- FIONA CHAN | HSBC
- HEMA SOOD | MORGAN STANLEY
- JASMINA NEGRINI | BARCLAYS
- MILLY BATCHELOR | NATWEST
- RUGIYYA GAHRAMANLI | LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE GROUP
- TARA O’NEILL | BANK OF ENGLAND
- XANTHE BLAIN | NATWEST
RISING STARS IN CHARITY & NOT FOR PROFIT SECTOR
- CHLOE JONES | AUTISM TOGETHER
- HANNAH JOHN | BLACK CULTURAL ARCHIVES
- JENNA RAINEY | THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD
- JULIA ROBERTSON-AVENELL | HAYS LIFE SCIENCES
- MOLLY DAWSON | UK YOUTH
- QUEEN EKUERHARE | FLASHY WINGS MINISTRY
- REBECCA DACRES | GET FURTHER
- SARAH OSBORNE | KENT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
- SHEEKEBA NASIMI | AFGHANISTAN AND CENTRAL ASIAN ASSOCIATION
RISING STARS IN DEFENCE
- CHLOE MAE AUSTIN | BABCOCK LAND DEFENCE
- CHLOE STEPHENS | MINISTRY OF DEFENCE – SUBMARINE DELIVERY AGENCY
- GEMMA PERKINS | BRITISH ARMY
- HANNAH TAYLOR | BRITISH ARMY
- KATE REDFERN | BRITISH ARMY
- KINJAL DAVE | BAE SYSTEMS
- PREET CHANDI | BRITISH ARMY
- SALLY FAULKNER | 1ST THE QUEEN’S DRAGOON GUARDS
- ARA GUYLER | BRITISH ARMY
- YVETTE KEMP | BRITISH ARMY
RISING STARS IN DIGITAL
- ADETOLA SHASANYA | PEPSICO
- CHEYENNE CLARK | ZONE
- GEORGIA MANTZANA | LONDON BOROUGH OF HAVERING
- JULIE JONES | SOPRO
- KARAMJOT JASWAL | IBM
- MAEVA VINET | SANTANDER
- OLIVE ENOKIDO-LINEHAM | SKY NEWS
- RENE GERMAIN | AMERICAN EXPRESS
- SARAH SLACK | HOMES ENGLAND
- TAMANNA AKTHER | CAPGEMINI INVENT
RISING STARS IN DIVERSITY
- ANNIKA ALLEN | BARCLAYS
- AURELIE HERRERO | BLOOMBERG
- AYSHAH TULL | ITN
- AZURAYE WILLIAMS | BREADSALL PRIMARY SCHOOL
- JIGNASHA KANANI | LLOYDS BANKING GROUP
- MEGAN SMITH | KPMG
- NISHA LONG | CITYWIRE
- PRIYANEET KAINTH | GLAXOSMITHKLINE
- SHRUTI SAUJANI | ENGLAND AND WALES CRICKET BOARD
- SONAL DHULASHIA | MAZARS
RISING STARS: EA & PA
- CHANTALLE SULLIVAN | INDUSTRIAL CONSTRUCTION (SUSSEX) LTD
- CLAIRE HAYE | AMAZON
- CLARE HALL | ARUP
- FREYA ROBERTSON | PROGENY
- HETTLE VASANI | COTY INC.
- JACKIE WELDON | PWC
- KALLIE HALAI | ARUP
- KELLY FOX-PETERSEN | TATE & LYLE
- PHILIPPA ALLEN | EPIC GAMES ANIMATION UK LIMITED
- VÉRONIQUE JEANNOT | CAPCO
RISING STARS IN EDUCATION & ACADEMIA
- ADELE BATES | ADELE BATES
- CHARLOTTE PARNHAM | BIRMINGHAM CITY UNIVERSITY
- EBINEHITA IYERE | MILK HONEY BEES
- HARRIET MOORE | PLYMOUTH COLLEGE OF ART STUDENTS’ UNION
- HEI WAN MAK | UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
- NICOLE PONSFORD | GLOBAL EQUALITY COLLECTIVE
- REBECCA WINDEMER | UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST OF ENGLAND
- RUPINDER SANDHU | SANDWELL COLLEGE
- SARAH CHAPMAN | 3M
- SHWETA SINGH | WARWICK BUSINESS SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
RISING STARS IN ENERGY & UTILITIES
- HOLLY BROWN | BRITISH GAS
- IMOGEN FLETCHER | CENTRICA
- JUDITH POMFRET | CAVENDISH NUCLEAR
- KIERA ROSE | THAMES WATER
- LAUREN NEAL | BP
- LUCIA URRA VIANA | SCOTTISH POWER
- MOLLY EDWARDS | NATIONAL GRID
- RIMI BASSI | NATIONAL GRID
- SARAH WOOLHAM JAFFIER | NATIONAL GRID
- SHERENA MASHARANI | CENTRICA
RISING STARS IN ENTREPRENEURS & START-UPS
- ABBIE HILLS | THE DAZEY HILLS COMPANY
- ALEXA GRELLET | HR DATAHUB
- CAT WILDMAN | GLOBAL EQUALITY COLLECTIVE
- GRETA MCDONALD | SWEET LOUNGE
- INDIE GORDON | FOUNDERVINE
- KELLY BUTLER | PODCAST LABS
- LAURALEE WHYTE | SPECTRUM SPEAKERS & ENTERTAINERS LTD
- MICHELLE LEIVARS | THE SOAP SPONGE COMPANY
- NICOLE DELLIPIANI | BUMP TO BAMBINO
- TABITHA BOYTON | RES PUBLICA
RISING STARS IN HEALTHCARE
- ABIGAIL SWERDLOW | TAVISTOCK AND PORTMAN NHS FOUNDATION TRUST AND EAST LONDON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
- BHAIRAVI SAPRE | MINISTRY OF DEFENCE/BRITISH ARMY
- CHANELLE SMITH | NHS
- JESSICA O’FARRELL | WIRRAL UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
- JESSICA O’LOGBON | KING’S COLLEGE LONDON
- NADIA IBRAHIM | MELANIN MEDICS
- NUTHANA PRATHIVADI BHAYANKARAM | MEDICAL WOMEN’S FEDERATION
- SARAH ALMOND-BUSHELL | THE CHILDREN’S NUTRITIONIST
- TARA BHARADIA | NHS DENTISTRY – THE TOOTH PLACE
- VICTORIA KINKAID | BRITISH ARMY
RISING STARS IN HOSPITALITY
- GEORGINA WARREN | IHG HOTELS AND RESORTS
- JOANNA WALES | ASCOT RACECOURSE
- LUCY NOVAK | FERDI RESTAURANT
- RAVEN HANDLEY | SOHO HOUSE
- RHIANNA DINEEN | ASHTON GATE LIMITED
- SARA FRENCH | QEII CENTRE
- SARAH ZARYWACZ | ECI PARTNERS
- ZSANETT SEDRO | QEII CENTRE
RISING STARS IN INFRASTRUCTURE
- AMY BAKER | NATIONAL HIGHWAYS
- CLAIRE AIRTH | MOTT MACDONALD
- DAISY CHAPMAN-CHAMBERLAIN | INNOVATEUK KTN
- EMILY JONES | ATKINS
- HOLLY DIMMICK | AIR NAVIGATION SOLUTIONS
- LILY WEBB | TRANSPORT FOR LONDON
- MARNY MORUZZI | MOTT MACDONALD/WOMEN IN TRANSPORT
- MARZIA BOLPAGNI | MACE
- RUPALI SHARMA-PATEL | TRANSPORT FOR LONDON
- SABINA TAYUB | BALFOUR BEATTY
RISING STARS IN INSURANCE
- ABBIE CONNEELY | WTW
- ANEESA SHARIF | PWC
- ANGEL ZHOU | WARWICK BUSINESS SCHOOL
- ANYA WHITE | R10 CONSULTING
- EKATERINA MAMONOVA | ALLIANZ
- NADIA KRUGER | PWC
- SOUMYA SINGH | DEUTSCHE BANK
- VICTORIA O’REILLY | EY
- YAN KONG | PWC
- YUAN CHEN | PWC
RISING STARS IN INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
- BOLA ADESINA | LGIM
- CHLOE SELVEY | HSBC
- EILIDH ANDERSON | KINGSWOOD GROUP
- KATJA OAKLEY-BELL | QUILTER FINANCIAL PLANNING
- LYDIA HAMILL | LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE GROUP
- MEAGHAN HAYDEN | PWC
- NDIDI EZENWA | JUVEN
- PHILIPPA ALLEN | AON
- ROSELYN BAAH | SEILERN INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LTD
- SARAH WOODARD | H.I.G. CAPITAL
RISING STARS IN LAW (The Lynn Freeman Award)
- EGBE MANTON | MANTON LEGAL CONSULTANCY
- EMILY FRIEND | CENTRICA
- IONA GALLAGHER | COVENT GARDEN FAMILY LAW
- KELLY KNIGHT | REED SMITH
- LYNETTE WIELAND | BROWNE JACOBSON
- MOLLY SCANLON | THE WINE SOCIETY
- NAZMIN AKTHAR | WOMBLE BOND DICKINSON
- SHIRIN SHAH | EXSCIENTIA
- THEA CRAWSHAW | LATHAM & WATKINS
- YINSEY WANG | BLACKROCK
RISING STARS IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
- ADINA PINTILIE | RIDGEWAY INFORMATION
- CANDIDA PAIVA | PWC
- CATHERINE DOHERTY | TRG SCREEN
- CATHERINE KENNY | EY
- CHARLOTTE BULL | ROYAL HOUSEHOLD AND BRITISH ARMY
- CLAIRE COCHRANE | AON
- CLAIRE MAGUDIA | AON
- CONNIE PARKIN | CAPGEMINI
- EMILY DE COURTENAY WELLUM | CAPGEMINI INVENT
- GEMMA TIMMONS | OLIVER WYMAN
RISING STARS IN SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
- BAMIDELE FARINRE | UKHSA
- CAITLIN MCCALL | THE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY CENTRE (MTC)
- DIVIYA DEVANI | Q-CTRL
- EFTYCHIA KOURSARI | AMEY
- HABIBA LAIS | TRIBOSONICS
- LISA-JAYNE COOK | GEA HEATING AND REFRIGERATION TECHNOLOGIES
- LIZZIE BARR | BAE SYSTEMS
- LYNETTE KEBIRUNGI | ROLLS-ROYCE
- QIANYU CHEN | UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
- SHANNON MARTIN | ARUP
RISING STARS IN TECH
- AKUA OPONG | LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE GROUP
- AVYE COULOUTE | GIRLS INTO CODING
- CHLOE THOMPSON | AFLAC NORTHERN IRELAND
- ELISABETH FRITZSCH | AMAZON
- HARSHITHA SHIVAKUMAR | IBM
- LOUISE BYRNE | IBM
- MADDIE LOVEDAY | FINASTRA
- RIA JOHAL | AMAZON
- SHOBITHA SHIVAKUMAR | IBM
- SIOBHAN DUNCAN | ROBOTICAL
ARISING STARS IN ALL OTHER INDUSTRIES
- CHANISE EVANS | BBC
- KIRSTY WIGLEY-SMITH | LOGICMONITOR
- LAURA MAHONEY | BROWNE JACOBSON LLP
- LOUISE FARROW | BRITISH ARMY
- NAOMI WHITBOURN | NESTA CHALLENGES
- OLIVIA KONOTEY-AHULU | BLOOMBERG
- ROSIE FRANCA | NATWEST
- SANGITA BIRDI | POST OFFICE
- TRUDIANNE BEDWARD | BBC
RISING STAR CHAMPIONS
- ASHLEE WILLIAMS | S&P GLOBAL
- JACKIE HYDE | STANMORE INSURANCE BROKERS
- KANIKA SELVAN | UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD
- KAREN HOLDEN | A CITY LAW FIRM
- KATIE WATKIN | HSBC
- KIRSTY MOORE | HSBC
- LISA WATERHOUSE | NATIONAL GRID
- MARIE HEMINGWAY | SPEAK OUT REVOLUTION
- SALLY MOORE | S&P GLOBAL
- SAM COOPER-GRAY | HSBC
RISING STARS FOR GLOBAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
- ANNA RADULOVSKI | WOMENTECH NETWORK
- APARNA SAROAGI | NATWEST
- ASHLEY SCOTT | PEPSICO
- CECILIA LASECKI | BMC SOFTWARE
- CHLOE BROOKE | RBC
- ELEONORE HINLOPEN | MASTERCARD
- JENNIFER KENT | LATHAM & WATKINS
- NEHA MALHOTRA | J.P. MORGAN CHASE
- PATRIZIA CAPOGRECO | 3M
- VICTORIA RIESS | RIESS CONSULTING
RISING STARS MEN FOR GENDER BALANCE
- AIDAN MORAN | ECX.IO
- DANIEL LÓPEZ ROVIRA | OLIO
- AN CLARKE | DEILIGHT CONSULTING
- LEE CHAMBERS | ESSENTIALISE WORKPLACE WELLBEING
- MORGAN JONES | OLIVER WYMAN
- RICHARD PICKARD | INCLUSIVE SEARCH
- STEPHEN GILL | SALAMANDER LIMITED
- STUART WHITE | HSBC
- TIM HOLE | SKY
- WILLIAM TORRIE | BARCLAYS
RISING STARS COMPANY OF THE YEAR
- FIDELITY INTERNATIONAL
- IHS MARKIT
- R10 CONSULTING
View the full shortlist here.
OPEN FOR PUBLIC VOTE
The shortlisted candidates are now open to public votes from today (27 April) until 10 May 2022. Winners will be announced in May 2022 and will be invited to celebrate at a prestigious awards ceremony on 14 July 2022.
You can check out last year’s winners here.
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