WeAreTheCity are proud to announce the winners of our 2020 Rising Star Awards

WeAreTheCity are proud to announce the winners of our 2020 Rising Star Awards.

Now in its sixth year, the Rising Star Awards were introduced to showcase the UK pipeline of female talent below management and to create 100 female role models across 20 different industries and professions.

The list of winners showcases remarkable women within the UK from across 20 categories representing different industries and professions. Those highlighted include Joanna Monck, a Stonewall Schools Role Model and National Diversity Mentor, who works voluntarily as a hate crime ambassador for Sussex Police; Anuradha Damale, UK Director of Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security, an organisation set up to advance the leadership and professional development of women in colour in the fields of international peace; Catherine Cobb, who lost her left leg to bone cancer when she was seven, but realised her dream of becoming an engineer; and Dr Larisa Corda, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, and is ITV This Morning’s and Channel Mum’s Fertility Expert.

The awards also include a Company of the Year prize, awarded to M&G, a leader in the provision of retirement income, savings and investments, managing investments for both individuals and for large institutional investors.

The awards also recognises five Rising Star Champions, who are actively supporting the progression of women in the workplace. These include Ana Perez, Senior Director at Oracle UK & Ireland, who leads Oracle’s Women’s Network (OWL) and is also a trustee and company secretary for women’s charity, Smart Works; and Lindsay Law, a visible and vocal champion of women, who is the Co-Chair of RBS/NatWest’s Women’s Network, Chair of the board of Connect and a Board Member of Scottish Women’s Aid.

New for this year, WeAreTheCity announced their Men for Gender Balance winners, including Philip Baldwin, a human rights activist and writer, who focuses on equalities issues, homelessness, asylum and faith inclusion; and Danny Pallett, Co-Founder of Badass.Gal, a platform that exists to elevate, celebrate and up-skill young female creative talent.

Alongside the Rising Star categories, Rising Star Champion award, Men for Gender Balance award, and Company of the Year award, we are also pleased to announce the winners of the Editor’s Choice award. Those receiving the Editor’s Choice award are individuals who have been specifically selected by the leadership team at WeAreTheCity and one independent judge. This award recognises their outstanding contribution and tireless efforts towards gender equality, both in the workplace and across wider society.

The awards were entered by over 1,000 individuals and were judged by a panel of 45 independent judges. Over 35,000 public votes of support were received for the 200 shortlisted nominees from 115 countries.

The 2020 awards are headline sponsored by Royal Bank of Canada. Category sponsors include an array of leading FTSE 100 companies and industry leaders: 3M, Accenture, Barclays, Bloomberg, British Army, Cancer Research UK, C&C Search, Citi, CMI, Elysian Search Consulting, Goldman Sachs, GSK, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, Lloyd’s, Mott MacDonald, Northern Trust, Oliver Wyman, Oxford Said Business School, Reed Smith and Sage.

VIEW THE FINALISTS BY CATEGORY HERE

The award’s ceremony for the 2020 Rising Star Awards were due to take place in June. Given the current government guidelines to avoid social gatherings, it is with a heavy heart that we have had to postpone the ceremony.

Once we have new arrangements in place, our 2020 winners, judges, sponsors and supporters will be invited to a prestigious ceremony, to celebrate our winner’s achievements.

Vanessa Vallely, Managing Director, WeAreTheCity said, “”I am so proud that for the sixth year running WeAreTheCity has been able to shine a light on the achievements of so many remarkable women across the UK.”