WeAreTheCity is delighted to announce the winners of the 2025 Rising Star Awards, powered by RBC!
Now in its 11th year, the Rising Star Awards celebrates remarkable role models below senior leadership level who are making waves in their industries, driving meaningful change, and lighting the way for future generations. This year, we honour exceptional women across 20 industry categories — from Defence to Law to Tech.
With over 1,120 nominations, 8,000 public votes, and entries spanning 100 countries, the 2025 awards once again underscore the breadth, depth, and global impact of rising female talent.
On behalf of all of us at WeAreTheCity, congratulations to all of our winners — your passion, innovation, and resilience are truly inspiring!
We are equally grateful to all the shortlisted and nominated women from this year’s Rising Stars – we can’t wait to continue watching your journeys flourish and to recognise your accomplishments in future events, conferences and awards!
Spotlight on a Few of Our Rising Stars
Among this year’s winners:
- Meehika Barua (Advertising & Media): A freelance journalist published in The Guardian, Vogue, The Washington Post, and Al Jazeera, Meehika champions underrepresented voices, exploring identity, gender, and equity through powerful storytelling.
- Amy Bray (Charity & Not-for-Profit): A 22-year-old marine biologist and founder of Another Way, Amy mobilises grassroots climate action – planting 30,000+ trees in Cumbria and mentoring youth changemakers via the Power of 10 movement.
- Dr Bo Kelestyn (Education & Academia): Associate Professor at Warwick Business School, Bo pioneers design thinking and educational innovation, including a landmark leadership programme supporting Ukraine’s education recovery.
- Juliana Smith (Technology): A data analytics specialist at BOC, Juliana is driving digital transformation through accessible Power BI tools and advocating for diversity in STEM via her STEM Demystified newsletter and mentoring initiatives.
View the full list of 2025 winners here
We also recognise five Rising Star Champions — individuals actively driving the advancement of women in the workplace. Among them:
- Dr Natalie V. Bailey: A Chartered Psychologist and founder of Thriving Pathways CIC, Natalie’s journey from a young mother on a council estate to a national voice in mental health is deeply inspiring. Through her NHS work, mentorship, and public speaking, she is reshaping the narrative on well-being, equity, and representation in mental health.
Additionally, our Global Award for Achievement honours five outstanding women making waves worldwide. One of them:
- Sara Yahia: HR expert and author of Quietly Sparks, Sara leads global DEI strategies rooted in empathy and cultural intelligence, empowering underrepresented voices and redefining inclusive leadership across borders.
This year’s Men for Gender Balance Award honours senior male leaders who are championing gender equality in meaningful ways:
- Alex Jonas, Management Consulting Director at Accenture, is recognised for his unwavering support of women in tech and consulting, fostering inclusive teams and mentoring future female leaders.
In its third year, the Public Vote Award went to:
- Dr. Khadijat Olorunlambe, Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Birmingham. Her pioneering research in digital joint health diagnostics and dedication to mentoring and STEM outreach earned widespread public acclaim.
Our Editor’s Choice Awards honour five individuals selected by the WeAreTheCity team and independent judges for their exceptional impact. Among them:
- Lisa Goodchild, Chief Trouble Maker at Digilearning, is revolutionising tech education through award-winning programmes tackling the digital divide.
- Georgina Worrall OBE, Head of POWERful Women, is recognised for her influence in advancing gender diversity in the energy sector and was honoured in the 2025 New Year’s Honours List.
The Company of the Year award goes to:
- EY, applauded for its wide-reaching efforts to champion women’s progression across all levels of the organisation.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
We extend our sincere thanks to RBC, our headline sponsor for the sixth consecutive year, for their continued support and commitment to advancing gender equity.
Accenture, Barclays, Bloomberg, Browne Jacobson, CMI Women, Dentsu, Knight Frank, Macquarie, Maggie’s, Male Allies UK, Nomura, Northern Trust, Northrop Grumman, PwC, Reed Smith, Warner Bros. Discovery and Warwick Business School.
“Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) is continuing to deliver on our Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Roadmap and bring our Purpose Framework – Ideas for People and Planet™ to life. Supporting the Rising Star Awards is a great way to support our Purpose while celebrating and showcasing incredibly talented people and organisations across multiple industries and we are delighted to be headline sponsor for the sixth year.”
— Ayesha Patel, COO, RBC Capital Markets, Europe
“The calibre of entries this year has been truly exceptional. Every one of these women should be extremely proud of their achievements. They are key contributors to their industries and outstanding role models. Congratulations to all the winners – your success is well deserved and an inspiration to us all.”
— Dr Vanessa Vallely OBE, Founder, WeAreTheCity
Join Us to Celebrate
Our winners will be honoured at a prestigious Rising Star Awards Ceremony on 10 July 2025 at The Londoner Hotel, Leicester Square. The evening will feature entertainment from the Liverpool Signing Choir.
Book your tickets here
For press passes and more event details, visit our website.
Congratulations once again to all of our 2025 Rising Stars. Thank you to everyone who nominated, voted, supported, and celebrated with us this year — we can’t wait to see what you do next.
