WeAreTheCity, in collaboration with Royal Bank of Canada, is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2024 Rising Star Awards. In an era where women continuously break through glass ceilings, we take immense pride in unveiling this year’s winners. These exceptional women have not only showcased outstanding talent in their respective fields, but have also emerged as inspirations for future generations.
Now in its milestone tenth year, the Rising Star Awards stand as the premier platform spotlighting the UK’s female talent pipeline below management level. Through this initiative, WeAreTheCity celebrates the achievements of another 100 individual female contributors, across a diverse array of industries, who epitomise the leaders and role models of tomorrow. We are privileged to acknowledge their extraordinary achievement.
Rising Star Awards 2024 Awards attracted over 1,300 nominations, evaluated by a panel of 50 independent judges. Additionally, public support through 10,000 votes bolstered the 200 shortlisted nominees from 115 countries over a two-week period.
Our list of winners for 2024 spotlights remarkable women from across the UK, representing 20 categories spanning various industries. Among these are standout individuals such as Mollie Leivars in the Advertising and Media category. Mollie is a writer/director, who began her impactful filmmaking journey at 15, Mollie has been recognised by Thames Valley Police for their educational value, her films sparked conversations on issues like knife crime and bullying. Emily Griffiths in the Entrepreneurs & Start-Ups category. Emily who’s dedication to women’s rights, gender equality and health equity, alongside her extensive activism and engagement with organisations like the UN and The Clinton Foundation. Dawn Hills in All Other Industries category. Dawn is a fibroid advocate and campaigner, has transformed her personal journey into a powerful mission to raise awareness and amplify the voices of women battling fibroids globally, through initiatives like the groundbreaking series “My Fibroid Journey” and her not-for-profit support group.
Furthermore, the awards honour five Rising Star Champions actively fostering women’s progression in the workplace, such as Natalie Diana Busari, who leads The Nerve of my Multiple Sclerosis CIC, advocating for Black individuals with MS, fostering dialogue, and collaborating with healthcare professionals and charities to address health disparities and promote inclusivity.
In addition, the awards extend beyond UK borders with the Global Award for Achievement, recognising five outstanding women worldwide, such as Alexandra Mercz, Founder of Synterra Asia who is pioneering initiatives in cybersecurity, including increasing women’s participation in mentorship programs, emphasising her commitment to diversity and inclusion.
We also celebrate the commitment of our male allies through the Men for Gender Balance award, honouring senior men championing women and gender balance, such as Mario Furiell, an active member of HSBC Investment Wealth & Solutions Women’s Network (IWIN) committee, for his commitment to gender balance through mentoring, leading interviews with female speakers, facilitating networking opportunities, and supporting female colleagues in career development, leadership, and mental health.
This year marks the second edition of the Public Vote Award, enabling shortlisted members to secure an additional accolade. Our 2024 winner Leia Patel, earned this honour through overwhelming public support, her remarkable journey of philanthropy showcases her compassionate spirit and unwavering dedication to making a difference in the world. Despite her young age of 8, Leia has already achieved significant milestones in her efforts to support various charitable causes.
Our awards also feature five Editor’s Choice winners, selected by the WeAreTheCity leadership team and an independent judge, in recognition of their exceptional contributions toward gender equality, such as Becky Patel, Tech She Can, who has been instrumental in inspiring and educating the next generation of technologists, particularly focusing on empowering girls to consider careers in technology, leading a team that has directly reached over 120,000 children and indirectly impacted over 400,000 more through educational resources and experiences. Selina Flavius, the Founder of Black Girl Finance, a platform providing financial coaching, regulated advice, and planning. Through her podcast, book, and Black Girl Finance Festival, she empowers others with essential financial literacy skills, making money conversations more inclusive. Selina is a prominent voice in UK media discussions on financial well-being and inequality.
The awards also feature recognitions such as the Company of the Year award, acknowledging a single company’s initiatives in supporting the advancement of the female workforce. The winner will be unveiled during the ceremony at The Londoner Hotel on July 17th.
Rising Star Awards are headline sponsored by Royal Bank of Canada. Category sponsors include an array of leading FTSE 100 companies and industry leaders: Agentiv, Barclays, Bloomberg, BAE Systems Digital Intelligence, C&C Search, CMI Women, Dentsu, FTI Consulting, HSBC, Knight Frank, Lloyd’s of London, National Grid, Northern Trust, Oliver Wyman, Reed Smith, Smart Works, Société Générale, Visa, Warner Bros. Discovery and Warwick Business School.
Once again, we would like to congratulate all our winners and extend a sincere thanks to everyone who supported Rising Stars during 2024.
Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) is delighted to be powering the Rising Stars Awards for the fifth year. We are committed to helping clients thrive and communities prosper and diversity and inclusion is more than just a value for us, it’s at the heart of what we do, so supporting these awards is a great way to celebrate and showcase incredibly talented people and organisations across multiple industries.
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. I wish them the very best of luck in the final round of judging.
The Rising Star winners will be honoured at a prestigious ceremony on July 17th at The Londoner Hotel, Leicester Square, featuring entertainment from Southend Vox Choir and Strictly Come Dancing Star Pasha Kovalev. For more details on the event, press passes, and ticket bookings, visit here.
We would also like to thank our incredible sponsors who power our work to find and recognise these incredible individuals.
Now in their eleventh year, the 
