12:02 pm, January 23, 2024
Seventeen women were today named by the Automotive 30% Club as this year’s inspiring females.
The club’s Inspiring Automotive Women Awards honour exceptional women within the industry who are seen as trailblazers succeeding in roles traditionally occupied by men.
They are recognised for lifting other females as they rise through the ranks as well as motivating the next generation of female students to aspire to automotive careers.
New for this year, nominations were made via the Inspiring Automotive Women – Who Inspires You? LinkedIn campaign of last July, sponsored by Jardine Motors Group.
It allowed for an open and democratic way to show public appreciation of colleagues and saw a record-breaking 494 nominations for the awards from companies within and outside club members.
The winners had to closely meet the following criteria:
- Helping to promote the company as an employer of choice for women
- Undertaking schools outreach
- Establishing a diversity & inclusion or women’s network
- Mentoring or coaching female colleagues
- Creating solutions and policies to help women thrive in the workplace
- Being a visible female automotive influencer on social media
- Raising awareness of intersectionality and under-represented female groups
- Being an inspirational female role model
- Being a trailblazer in a role usually done by men
- Inspiring someone or their peers to create an inclusive culture
- Driving change to ensure female customers are served better
The club’s partner sponsor is The IMI, and the awards will be given at a private ceremony during the IMI’s annual awards dinner on March 13.
The IMI awards judges will also choose the overall Inspiring Automotive Woman of The Year out of all of them, who will be given her trophy at the IMI’s main awards ceremony.
Inspiring Automotive Women Awards 2024 winners
- Denise Millard – Perrys CEO
- Raj Robinson – Bentley Motors commercial strategy manager
- Alison Ross – Auto Trader chief people and operations director
- Hayley Pells – The IMI policy & public affairs lead
- Mandisa Gordon – JLR finance transformation manager
- Carol Henry – Arnold Clark group people director
- Shamaila Madeley – MotoNovo finance national account manager
- Cece Hirst – Vantage aftersales team leader
- Sophie Ogunbiyi – Toyota Europe manager external affairs
- Charlene Gavajena – Audi UK product support manager
- Steph Brindley – Solus area operations leader
- Natalina Sutherland – Lookers senior brand marketing manager
- Michelle Caveney – JCT600 franchise director
- Musonda Rachel Hobbis – ROI sales support executive
- Kellie Smith – Enterprise Mobility UK remarketing account manager
- Cate Parker – Jardine Motor Group aftersales manager
- Alena Woolacott – Fix Auto Mid Devon & Newton Abbot finance director
Julia Muir, founder of the Automotive 30% Club, said: ‘Congratulations to all our Inspiring Automotive Women award winners.
‘They are working hard, above and beyond their day jobs, to ensure that the automotive industry is a place where women of all profiles can thrive.
‘It is fabulous to see so many fantastic women inspiring their colleagues to build inclusive businesses.’
The club’s aim is to have 30% of key leadership or decision-making roles filled by diverse women by 2030.
