Rising Stars 2016: So what happened next for our winners? | Part One
In 2016, thanks to the help of a number of amazing supporters and sponsors, WeAreTheCity ran its Rising Star awards programme for a second year.
The aim of the awards was to identify 100 future leaders and role models under, management level, across 10 different industries. After more than 800 nominations and an intensive judging period, we finally arrived at our shortlist and opened the public vote.
The public vote resulted in over 27,000 votes from across 112 different countries and galvanized amazing support from our nominees’ networks, their companies, the press, as well as our own sponsors and supporters.
After a final judging process, we identified our amazing top 100 winners and celebrated their awards alongside our sponsors at a ceremony hosted by Barclays.
We spoke to our winners about life after winning a Rising Star award.
First we spoke with Manisha Tailor, Director Swaggarlicious Ltd, and a winner in our Rising Stars in Sport category sponsored by PedalSure.
Manisha, please tell us what has happened in your career since winning the Rising Star awards back in June?
“Since winning I have been able to plan and soon re-launch (this month) my mental health and football project which I run in partnership with Wingate and Finchley Football Club for adults with mental illness. Fortunately, sponsorship from Freedom for Minds has meant that I can now run sessions on a weekly basis, which I was previously self-funding and running once a month. This project will aid those with mental health to lead a healthier lifestyle, socialise and make friends as well as feel included within or wider society.
I have also visited Canada, Toronto where I was invited to coach a group of girls aged 8-14 years old, on a one-week football camp. Last year I was invited, by the same organisation, to coach in Canada, Alberta for two days and was equally excited and thrilled following both experiences. Coaching abroad and working in different demographics is vital learning and most certainly has enriched me as a coach and teacher.
More recently I have begun working at QPR academy and their development centre, following volunteering at the club over the last six months, three to four full days a week. I am enjoying learning from the technical director and other staff, and now just keeping focused whilst I work through my probationary period at the club.”
What top tips would you give to our other members to enhance their careers?
- Be willing to volunteer and take the time to learn from a wide variety of experiences/sources and hone your craft – credibility within an industry is very important.
- Be open to being critiqued and view it as aiding development – challenges are part of growth.
- Be determined, demonstrate resilience and try to remain humble – integrity is everything.
Next we spoke to Hayley Bennett, Education Officer at Kick It Out and a winner in the Rising Stars in Sport category sponsored by PedalSure.
Hayley, tell us what has happened in your career since winning the Rising Star awards back in June?
“Very shortly after receiving the Rising Star award I was named on Football’s Black List for 2016 as One To Watch. It was really significant for me to be highlighted alongside what is a small but impressive minority of ‘movers and shakers’ from the black community in the industry I am in. Most people I met through WATC have either been coached or are coaches so that inspired me to start coaching back in June. It has been going really well and made me realise that I have even more ambition and direction than I thought I did!
I have expanded in my current role to lead on an exciting and rewarding project that I am really proud of. I am supporting a new diverse group of young people called ‘A.S.P.I.R.E. – Ambassadors Supporting and Promoting Inclusion, Respect and Equality’ by providing them with opportunities to develop as future leaders in the football industry.”
What top tips would you give to our other members to enhance their careers?
- Find yourself a mentor, and in my case a Fairy Godmother who can get you out of difficult situations.
- Find someone to coach you if you need help working towards your goal.
- Use the resources on the Careers Club website – there are countless ebooks, articles and even training to help enhance your career (for free!)
Next we spoke to Jennifer Corcoran, Office Manager/PA at Crédit Agricole CIB, and one of our winners in the Rising Stars EA/PA category, sponsored by Executive & Personal Assistants Association.
Jennifer, please tell us what has happened in your career since winning the Rising Star awards back in June?
“It has certainly been an eventful summer for me since winning the Rising Star award.
In July I was a champion for the networking category at The London PA Awards which was sponsored by the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry. I was directly involved in the shortlisting process which was fantastic. I’m a massive advocate of networking so it was with great pleasure that I handed over the baton of ‘Networked PA’ to Jackie Barry. All of the finalists were truly inspiring and it was refreshing to see Assistants tooting their own horn.
Later on in the month I gave an ‘Alternative Interview’ to PA Life Magazine which was great fun. PA Life have also invited me to take part in their Training Day in November where I will form part of an interactive panel discussion on the interesting topic of ‘Getting your boss’s buy-in: How do you get your boss to support you and your development?’. It’s a topic close to my heart as not enough Assistants speak up and ask for training.
In August I made the brave move of leaving my comfort zone of 11 years and resigning from my previous role at CACIB. Being an active member of WeAreTheCity’s Career Club has empowered me to champion my role and profession and I’m hoping to pursue my passion of Communications and Technology in my next EA/PA role.
On the technology side I have been invited to contribute to Eventopedia’s new series of ProudPA Tech blogs which is exciting stuff.
The future is looking bright – I’m currently enjoying student life and attending workshops and conferences. I was overjoyed to win courtesy of Executive Secretary Magazine a scholarship award to attend ‘Be The Ultimate Assistant’ in November which is an empowering two-day workshop for Assistants. The workshop is led by Bonnie Low-Kramen and Vickie Sokol Evans. Bonnie is a co-founder of the professional association New York Celebrity Assistants (NYCA) and was PA to Oscar winning actress Olympia Dukakis for 25 years. Vickie Sokol Evans is a certified Microsoft Office Trainer who has trained the team at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and is a modern day tech wizard. To say that I’m looking forward to attending this is an understatement!
I’m forever grateful to EPAA for sponsoring the category of Rising Star EA/PA and can’t wait to attend their inaugural conference at the end of November. Victoria Darragh is a shining beacon of hope for all Assistants across the globe and there will be a lot of support, encouragement and empowerment in that room. Watch your twitter feed as #PAPower is sure to trend on November 25.”
- What top tips would you give to our other members to enhance their careers?
- Network and develop your personal brand both internally and externally. Do it both face to face and online. You can’t ignore social media, it’s here to stay. There are fantastic PA groups on Facebook and LinkedIn, free training opportunities on twitter and a global tribe of PA peers and trainers quite literally at your finger tips.
- Join Associations – treat yourself as a valid professional and toot your horn. You are worth it and form an integral part of any executive management team.
- Adopt a show and tell culture. In order to get buy-in at a company level you should keep your boss informed of what you have learnt at conferences, workshops, networking events etc. and show them the benefits of investing in you. In my last role I was able to get several hotels added to our global approved hotel list. I sourced these hotels via networking events through a PA association so the membership cost was validated. If I attended a conference such as Square Meal I brought back a catalogue of the latest restaurants for my boss and kept him informed of hot new restaurants and hotels which would be of use to us and our clients.
- Be proud. You are not ‘just’ a PA.
WeAreTheCity would like to extend our sincere thanks to all of our Rising Stars for sharing their successes with us. We are sure you will agree that they are all achieving amazing things and offering sound advice to future Rising Stars.
We look forward to featuring more of our Rising Stars next week. Please note our Rising Star programme for 2017 opens on 1st February 2017. More details will be posted to the site during January – click here for more information and to register your interest in our awards.
Source: WeAreTheCity - Information and jobs portal for business women
WeAreTheCity’s Rising Star Claudine Adeyemi launches app to support young people in career choices
Claudine Adeyemi, who at 16 years old started receiving support from Kids Company, has launched a mobile app to support young people on their career paths.
Adeyemi was recognised as a Rising Star in Law in the WeAreTheCity Awards this year.
Now 26, living in South London, Adeyemi launched the app Career Ear through her non-profit organisation, The Student Development Co. CIC.
Adeyemi is currently a lawyer at Mishcon de Reya. She founded The Student Development Co in January 2014 with the aim of providing young people from less privileged backgrounds with career-related advice and support. Working with a team of volunteers she has helped of 150 young people so far.
Career Ear is a free app, which provides young people with a platform to ask career-related questions with responses coming directly from professionals across the UK. It has been designed to ensure that young people can make informed decisions about their careers at an earlier stage.
Adeyemi said: “Career Ear is a novel and techie way to address some of the issues we have come across with young people not having professionals in their families or wider networks to turn to for advice and lacking quality careers services at their colleges and universities.
“This often disproportionately affects black and minority ethnic groups. Professionals and companies need to take some responsibility for helping to develop our young people, some of who have such amazing potential but just lack the access to or knowledge of various opportunities. The app is an easy platform to achieve that.”
Adeyemi won Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the Precious Awards 2015, was recognised as a Rising Star in Law in the WeAreTheCity Awards in 2016 and won the Judge’s Recognition Award in the Women 4 Africa Awards 2016. She is currently shortlisted for a Rising star in Professional Services Award in the Black British Business Awards 2016 and a Positive Role Model for Age Award in the National Diversity Awards 2016.
Career Ear is free to download for both students and professionals and is available in Google Play Store and App Store.
Source: WeAreTheCity - Information and jobs portal for business women
Nominations are now closed | Rising Star Awards India 2016
WeAreTheCity India recently announced that it is launching a new Awards Recognition Programme to highlight the achievements of the female talent pipeline across India. Nominations are now closed.
50 women in non-managerial positions from a range of industries will be chosen as a Rising Stars in recognition of their achievements.
By highlighting the accolades of inspirational female talent, WeAreTheCity hopes to encourage organisations and business leaders to invest in and recognise women as leaders of tomorrow and individual contributors within their respective industries. Recognising that careers for women may follow different timescales, the Top 50 Rising Star India awards will not have any age restrictions included within the criteria. WeAreTheCity feels it has a responsibility to ensure that female talent, regardless of age and background, receives the necessary support and skills to transition into key decision-making roles within our organisations.
Vanessa Vallely, Founder and CEO of WeAreTheCity, said: “I am delighted to bring our Rising Star awards to India. I have watched WeAreTheCity India grow over the last two years under the direction of local, professional women and have met some truly talented and inspirational women. I hope that by raising the profile of our members and other women across India that we are able to highlight just how important the female talent pipeline is to Indian businesses and the Indian economy as a whole.”
Jo Gaglani, Chair of WeAreTheCity India said: “WeAreTheCity India has come a long way since its launch in 2013. We have had some unique events for our members supported by our sponsors and have grown organically. The Rising Star awards is a natural next step for WeAreTheCity India to highlight and celebrate upcoming female talent across India.”
The Nominations
Sponsored by Barclays, the Rising Stars nomination process is now closed.
Nominations will take place online via WeAreTheCity.in. A shortlist of 100 women from a range of industries will be chosen in September by an esteemed panel of judges. The shortlist will then be open to a public vote.
The top 50 Rising Stars will be announced late October and all winners, sponsors and supporters will be invited to attend a prestigious evening reception at the start of November in Mumbai to celebrate and collect their awards.
We would like to receive Rising Star nominations from the following industries and professions:
| Banking | Health & Wellbeing | Media & Journalism |
| Consulting | Retail | Law |
| Insurance | Entrepreneurial / Small Business Owners | Sport |
| Technology | Charity / NGO | Sales, Marketing & Public Relations |
| Hospitality | Public Sector | HR, Recruitment & Diversity |
| Arts & Culture | Personal Assistant / Executive Assistant | Education & Academia |
There will also be a category for Rising Star Champions. This category will support the efforts of senior male or female leaders who are actively supporting gender either within or outside their organisations.
“We are delighted to be the lead sponsor of the Rising Star Awards which recognises the achievements of talented women on their way to the top; the contributions they make to their organisations and society in general.” Mark McLane, Managing Director, Head of Global Diversity and Inclusion at Barclays PLC
Criteria for Entries
- Open to all women regardless of age
- Nominees must be below senior/middle management
- Nominees must be working in India and be an Indian national
- Anyone can nominate a woman for an award – managers, employees, family members, friends
- Individuals can nominate themselves
How we Define a Rising Star
- Someone who is making a difference in their industry
- Someone who strives to achieve success and results
- Someone who demonstrates passion and drive
- Someone who gives back or inspires others
- Someone who is recognised by others as having the potential to become a future leader in their industry
- Someone who is a champion of women in their business or sector
The Timeline
- 01 Aug: Nominations open
- 31 Aug: Nominations close
- 26 Sep: Top 100 shortlist announced and public voting opens for all shortlisted nominees
- 14 Oct: Public voting closes for all shortlisted nominees
- 24 Oct: Top 50 Rising Stars announced
- 09 Nov: Top 50 Rising Star reception and awards ceremony for winners, guests and sponsors
WeAreTheCity India
Established in 2014, WeAreTheCity India has helped thousands of women enhance their careers and businesses through dedicated events, networking groups and its own platform WeAreTheCity.in. Now in its third year, WeAreTheCity India is more committed than ever to highlighting the achievements of the female talent pipeline across the country.
In 2015, WeAreTheCity set a strategic objective of promoting the achievements and supporting the careers of 500 women over the next five years, both in the UK and India. Through WeAreTheCity’s Rising Star awards, and with the support of a number of key organisations, WeAreTheCity plans to add to the list of 150 UK winners by recognising the efforts of an additional 50 women in India.
Rising Stars in the UK
WeAreTheCity launched Rising Stars in the UK in 2015 and since then has recognised the achievements of 150 women. The first awards in 2015 awarded 50 women from 10 different industries as Rising Stars. In 2016, due to the success of the 2015 awards, Rising Stars was expanded to recognise 100 women from 20 industry sectors.
The social media interest in Rising Stars for the 2016 awards has been phenomenal:
- 5,000 tweets received during the process
- Our campaign twitter handle #watctop100 trended number one during the UK short list event
- 850 nominations received
- 110 countries reached
- 28,000 votes received during the public vote
To see profiles and images of our 2016 Rising Star Awards, click here.
If you are interested in sponsoring the Rising Star Awards in India, please email info@wearethecity.com for more details.
Nominations are now open for WeAreTheCity Rising Star Awards, recognising India’s female talent
Nominations are now open for WeAreTheCity India's Rising Star Awards, highlighting the achievements of the female talent pipeline across India.
We are now seeking nominations for our Rising Star awards. The nomination period is open between 01 August - 31 August.
NOMINATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
Over the next three months, 50 women below senior management and five senior champions from a wide range of industries and professions will be chosen by our judges as winners of this year's Rising Star awards in India.
We need your help to find these individuals so we can shine a well deserved light on their achievements.
By highlighting the accolades of inspirational female talent, WeAreTheCity hopes to encourage organisations and business leaders to invest in and recognise women as leaders of tomorrow and individual contributors within their respective industries. Recognising that careers for women may follow different timescales, the Top 50 Rising Star India awards will not have any age restrictions included within the criteria. WeAreTheCity feels it has a responsibility to ensure that female talent, regardless of age and background, receives the necessary support and skills to transition into key decision-making roles within our organisations.
Vanessa Vallely, Founder and CEO of WeAreTheCity, said: “I am delighted to bring our Rising Star awards to India. I have watched WeAreTheCity India grow over the last two years under the direction of local, professional women and have met some truly talented and inspirational women. I hope that by raising the profile of our members and other women across India that we are able to highlight just how important the female talent pipeline is to Indian businesses and the Indian economy as a whole.”
Jo Gaglani, Chair of WeAreTheCity India said: “WeAreTheCity India has come a long way since its launch in 2013. We have had some unique events for our members supported by our sponsors and have grown organically. The Rising Star awards is a natural next step for WeAreTheCity India to highlight and celebrate upcoming female talent across India.”
NOMINATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
The Nominations
Sponsored by Barclays, the Rising Stars nomination process is now open.
Nominations will take place online via WeAreTheCity.in. A shortlist of 100 women from a range of industries and ten shortlisted champions will be chosen in September by an esteemed panel of judges. The shortlist will then be open to a public vote.
The top 50 Rising Stars will be announced late October and all winners will be invited to attend a prestigious evening reception on 09 November in Mumbai to collect their awards and celebrate alongside our sponsors, judges and esteemed guests.
We would like to receive Rising Star nominations from the following industries and professions:
| Banking | Health & Wellbeing | Media & Journalism |
| Consulting | Retail | Law |
| Insurance | Entrepreneurial / Small Business Owners | Sport |
| Technology | Charity / NGO | Sales, Marketing & Public Relations |
| Hospitality | Public Sector | HR, Recruitment & Diversity |
| Arts, Culture and Media | Personal Assistant / Executive Assistant | Education & Academia |
There will also be a category for Rising Star Champions. This category will support the efforts of senior male or female leaders who are actively supporting gender either within or outside their organisations.
[gdlr_accordion style="style-1" initial="0"]
[gdlr_tab title="Criteria for Entries (Rising Star)"]
- Open to all women regardless of age
- Nominees must be below senior/middle management
- Nominees must be working in India and be an Indian national
- Anyone can nominate a woman for an award – managers, employees, family members, friends
- Individuals can nominate themselves
[/gdlr_tab]
[gdlr_tab title="Criteria for Entries (Rising Star Champion)"]
- Nominations can be either male or female
- Nominees must be in senior positions and be actively championing women and gender
[/gdlr_tab]
[gdlr_tab title="How we Define a Rising Star"]
- Someone who is making a difference in their industry
- Someone who strives to achieve success and results
- Someone who demonstrates passion and drive
- Someone who gives back or inspires others
- Someone who is recognised by others as having the potential to become a future leader in their industry
- Someone who is a champion of women in their business or sector
[/gdlr_tab]
[gdlr_tab title="The Timeline"]
- 01 Aug: Nominations open
- 31 Aug: Nominations close
- 26 Sep: Top 100 shortlist announced and public voting opens for all shortlisted nominees
- 14 Oct: Public voting closes for all shortlisted nominees
- 24 Oct: Top 50 Rising Stars announced
- 09 Nov: Top 50 Rising Star reception and awards ceremony for winners, sponsors, judges and esteemed guests
[/gdlr_tab]
[/gdlr_accordion]
WeAreTheCity India
Established in 2014, WeAreTheCity India has helped thousands of women enhance their careers and businesses through dedicated events, networking groups and its own platform WeAreTheCity.in. Now in its third year, WeAreTheCity India is more committed than ever to highlighting the achievements of the female talent pipeline across the country.
In 2015, WeAreTheCity set a strategic objective of promoting the achievements and supporting the careers of 500 women over the next five years, both in the UK and India. Through WeAreTheCity’s Rising Star awards, and with the support of a number of key organisations, WeAreTheCity plans to add to the list of 150 UK winners by recognising the efforts of an additional 50 women in India.
Rising Stars in the UK
WeAreTheCity launched Rising Stars in the UK in 2015 and since then has recognised the achievements of 150 women. The first awards in 2015 awarded 50 women from 10 different industries as Rising Stars. In 2016, due to the success of the 2015 awards, Rising Stars was expanded to recognise 100 women from 20 industry sectors alongside five senior Rising Star champions.
The social media interest in Rising Stars for the 2016 awards has been phenomenal:
- 850 nominations received
- 30,000 tweets received during the process
- Our campaign twitter handle #watctop100 trended a number of times throughout the awards process
- 110 countries were reached through the public vote
- 28,000 votes received for our shortlisted nominees
To see profiles and images of our 2016 Rising Star Awards, click here.
If you are interested in sponsoring the Rising Star Awards in India, please email info@wearethecity.com for more details.
NOMINATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
POWERED BY
Frequently asked questions | Terms and conditions
Rising Star Awards 2016 | In images
Celebrating the future leaders and the female pipeline of talent
On the 30 June 2016, WeAreTheCity presented the winners of the Top 100 Rising Star awards with their trophies , in a ceremony at Barclays, London.
Over 200 winners, sponsors, judges and guests attended and enjoyed a champagne reception. The audience were welcomed by Vanessa Vallely, WeAreTheCity Managing Director; Sally Clark, Chief Internal Auditor, Barclays; and Caroline Dinenage, MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Women, and Family Justice Equalities.
Read all about the Rising Star Awards ceremony here
Here are some of the images captured from this fantastic event.
Opening Speech from Caroline Dinenage MP
WATC Founder Vanessa Vallely speaking
Welcome speech from Sally Clark, Barclays
Awards Ceremony Audience 
Event host Brenda Emmanus
Rising Stars in Sales 2016
Rising Stars in the Public Sector 2016
Rising Stars in Oil & Gas 2016
Rising Stars in Sport 2016
Rising Stars in Technology 2016
Rising Stars in Media and Journalism 2016
Rising Stars in Law 2016
Rising Stars in Investment Management 2016
Rising Stars in Insurance 2016
Rising Stars in Property 2016
Rising Stars in HR and Recruitment 2016
Rising Stars in Education 2016
Rising Stars in Diversity 2016
The Military Wives Choir at the Rising Star Awards 2016
Rising Stars in Banking 2016
Rising Stars 2016 - EAs and PAs
Rising Stars in Consulting 2016
Rising Stars in Defence 2016
Rising Stars in Charity 2016
Rising Stars - Entrepreneurs 2016
Rising Star Champions
Rising Stars in Facilities Management 2016
Rising Star Sponsors 2016
The Military Wives Choir at the Rising Star Awards 2016
Rising Stars in Defence saluting 2016
Layla Mullins with Paul Sesay at the Rising Star Awards 2016
Rising Stars Networking
Vanessa Vallely and Rising Stars networking
Rising Stars - Networking
Rising Stars - Guests
Rising Stars -Guests
Rising Stars - Entrepreneurs 2016
Rising Star Winners with Sajna Rahman
Rising Star Winners networking
Rising Star Winners networking
Rising Star Winners celebrating
Rising Star Winners
Rising Star awards with sponsors Virgin Media
Rising Star awards with Caroline Graham and Barclays Chairman John McFarlane
Rising-Star-Awards-networking
Rising Star Winners networking
Rising Star Winners networking
Rising Star Winners networking
Rising Star Winners networking
Rising Star Winners networking
Rising Star Winners networking
Rising Star Winners with sponsors from Aon
Rising Star Winners networking
Rising Star Winners networking
Rising Star Winners
Luma Zitani and Nadine Weyer
Layla Mullins with Rising Star supporters, judges and Champions
Kimberley Roberts and Eugenia Patrinche
Bianca Millar and Sajna Rahman
Anne Claudel, Eleanor Collins, Alex Chitty and Claire BaileyPhotography by Albion Images
For more information and for the full list of the Rising Star 2016 Top 100 click here
Save
Source: WeAreTheCity - Information and jobs portal for business women
WeAreTheCity India Rising Star awards - Proud to introduce our Award Judges
Judging the Rising Star awards is no easy task. Several of the judges from this year’s awards in the UK awards stated it was one of the hardest judging activities they have ever undertaken due to the incredible achievements of the women who were nominated. We expect our awards in India will be no different!
For our 2016 Rising Star awards, we are leveraging the extensive experience and industry knowledge of 15 esteemed judges. Each judge has been carefully selected for their expertise in a particular field or their breadth of knowledge across the business landscape.
On behalf of WeAreTheCity, our sponsors and future nominees, we would like to sincerely thank all of our judges for their dedication to the female pipeline and for donating their valuable time to judge the Rising Star awards in India for 2016.
Our Rising Star awards are the only awards of their kind to focus solely on the pipeline of female talent below management level. The aim of the 2016 awards is to recognise and celebrate 50 female role models and individual contributors across many different industries who represent the future leaders of tomorrow.
MEET THE JUDGES
NOMINATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
WeAreTheCity Rising Star Awards, recognising India’s female talent - Nominations open 01 August
WeAreTheCity India recently announced that it is launching a new Awards Recognition Programme to highlight the achievements of the female talent pipeline across India. Nominations open on 01 August 2016.
50 women in non-managerial positions from a range of industries will be chosen as a Rising Stars in recognition of their achievements.
By highlighting the accolades of inspirational female talent, WeAreTheCity hopes to encourage organisations and business leaders to invest in and recognise women as leaders of tomorrow and individual contributors within their respective industries. Recognising that careers for women may follow different timescales, the Top 50 Rising Star India awards will not have any age restrictions included within the criteria. WeAreTheCity feels it has a responsibility to ensure that female talent, regardless of age and background, receives the necessary support and skills to transition into key decision-making roles within our organisations.
Vanessa Vallely, Founder and CEO of WeAreTheCity, said: “I am delighted to bring our Rising Star awards to India. I have watched WeAreTheCity India grow over the last two years under the direction of local, professional women and have met some truly talented and inspirational women. I hope that by raising the profile of our members and other women across India that we are able to highlight just how important the female talent pipeline is to Indian businesses and the Indian economy as a whole.”
Jo Gaglani, Chair of WeAreTheCity India said: “WeAreTheCity India has come a long way since its launch in 2013. We have had some unique events for our members supported by our sponsors and have grown organically. The Rising Star awards is a natural next step for WeAreTheCity India to highlight and celebrate upcoming female talent across India.”
The Nominations
Sponsored by Barclays, the Rising Stars nomination process will open on 01 August 2016.
Nominations will take place online via WeAreTheCity.in. A shortlist of 100 women from a range of industries will be chosen in September by an esteemed panel of judges. The shortlist will then be open to a public vote.
The top 50 Rising Stars will be announced late October and all winners, sponsors and supporters will be invited to attend a prestigious evening reception at the start of November in Mumbai to celebrate and collect their awards.
We would like to receive Rising Star nominations from the following industries and professions:
| Banking | Health & Wellbeing | Media & Journalism |
| Consulting | Retail | Law |
| Insurance | Entrepreneurial / Small Business Owners | Sport |
| Technology | Charity / NGO | Sales, Marketing & Public Relations |
| Hospitality | Public Sector | HR, Recruitment & Diversity |
| Arts & Culture | Personal Assistant / Executive Assistant | Education & Academia |
There will also be a category for Rising Star Champions. This category will support the efforts of senior male or female leaders who are actively supporting gender either within or outside their organisations.
“We are delighted to be the lead sponsor of the Rising Star Awards which recognises the achievements of talented women on their way to the top; the contributions they make to their organisations and society in general.” Mark McLane, Managing Director, Head of Global Diversity and Inclusion at Barclays PLC
Criteria for Entries
- Open to all women regardless of age
- Nominees must be below senior/middle management
- Nominees must be working in India and be an Indian national
- Anyone can nominate a woman for an award – managers, employees, family members, friends
- Individuals can nominate themselves
How we Define a Rising Star
- Someone who is making a difference in their industry
- Someone who strives to achieve success and results
- Someone who demonstrates passion and drive
- Someone who gives back or inspires others
- Someone who is recognised by others as having the potential to become a future leader in their industry
- Someone who is a champion of women in their business or sector
The Timeline
- 01 Aug: Nominations open
- 31 Aug: Nominations close
- 26 Sep: Top 100 shortlist announced and public voting opens for all shortlisted nominees
- 14 Oct: Public voting closes for all shortlisted nominees
- 24 Oct: Top 50 Rising Stars announced
- 09 Nov: Top 50 Rising Star reception and awards ceremony for winners, guests and sponsors
WeAreTheCity India
Established in 2014, WeAreTheCity India has helped thousands of women enhance their careers and businesses through dedicated events, networking groups and its own platform WeAreTheCity.in. Now in its third year, WeAreTheCity India is more committed than ever to highlighting the achievements of the female talent pipeline across the country.
In 2015, WeAreTheCity set a strategic objective of promoting the achievements and supporting the careers of 500 women over the next five years, both in the UK and India. Through WeAreTheCity’s Rising Star awards, and with the support of a number of key organisations, WeAreTheCity plans to add to the list of 150 UK winners by recognising the efforts of an additional 50 women in India.
Rising Stars in the UK
WeAreTheCity launched Rising Stars in the UK in 2015 and since then has recognised the achievements of 150 women. The first awards in 2015 awarded 50 women from 10 different industries as Rising Stars. In 2016, due to the success of the 2015 awards, Rising Stars was expanded to recognise 100 women from 20 industry sectors.
The social media interest in Rising Stars for the 2016 awards has been phenomenal:
- 5,000 tweets received during the process
- Our campaign twitter handle #watctop100 trended number one during the UK short list event
- 850 nominations received
- 110 countries reached
- 28,000 votes received during the public vote
To see profiles and images of our 2016 Rising Star Awards, click here.
If you are interested in sponsoring the Rising Star Awards in India, please email info@wearethecity.com for more details.
Top 100 winners celebrated at the 2016 Rising Star Awards
WeAreTheCity presented the winners of the Top 100 Rising Star awards with their trophies last night, in a ceremony at Barclays, London.
Over 200 winners, sponsors, judges and guests attended and enjoyed a champagne reception. The audience were welcomed by Vanessa Vallely, WeAreTheCity Managing Director; Sally Clark, Chief Internal Auditor, Barclays; and Caroline Dinenage, MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Women, and Family Justice Equalities.
After congratulating the Top 100 winners, Sally Clark spoke of the importance of networking and urged the audience to connect with each other. She said, “Networking was the last thing I wanted to do, but I realise now that was a failure on my part”
“So make sure you can find a new friend and I wish you all a fabulous evening.”
Following on, Caroline Dinenage, MP said, “It is lovely to be here this evening. It feels like yesterday I was speaking at last year’s awards.”
“I am really pleased to be speaking today because these awards are promoting role models, and that is exactly what we need to do.”
“We all need allies. Madeleine Albright once said, ‘there is a special place in hell for women who do not help other women’, and I’m a firm believer in that.”
“You are all winners, all stars and all role models to those who come after you.”
Broadcaster and journalist, Brenda Emmanus, hosted the awards ceremony, sponsored by Barclays. Congratulating the winners, Emmanus said, “You are all diamonds in the rough that are about to shake up the establishment.”
“Where you are right now is exactly where you are supposed to be. You are about to make serious strides.”
“I commend you for where you are so far, and I commend those behind you who have got you this far.”
“This is an army and we march forward together.”
During the interval, the audience were treated to surprise entertainment from the North London Military Wives Choir. The choir delivered a moving performance and received a standing ovation from the audience.
Closing the awards, Emmanus left the crowd with inspiring words, saying, “When God created women, he was simply showing off.”
“We don’t get bitter, we get better.”
The Rising Star awards were introduced to showcase the UK pipeline of female talent below management level and to create 100 female role models across 20 different industries and professions as well as celebrating the hard work and support of our Rising Star Champions.
The winners were narrowed down from over 800 nominations and were judged by a panel of 21 independent judges. Over 28,000 public votes were received for the 200 shortlisted nominees from across 118 countries.
The winners of each category can be found in alphabetical order below. Full details of each winner can be found here.
Rising Stars in Banking – Sponsored by Societe Generale
- Ebi Obode, RBS
- Khalia D. Newell, Bank of America Merill Lynch
- Lauren Garey, J.P. Morgan
- Luma Zitani, Barclays
- Rachel Webster, Barclays
Veronique Sabbah, Managing Director – Head of UK Asset Managers & UK Insurance Companies, Societe Generale, said: “Be the voice of tomorrow and do not just wait for it to happen.”
Rising Stars in Consultancy – Sponsored by EY
- Amber Rosier, Accenture
- Cynthia Yoon, KPMG
- Hannah Selby, Weston Williamson + Partners
- Helen Campbell, PwC
- Jennifer Curtis, ZS Associates
Rob Toguri, Partner at EY, said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be presenting these awards this evening. At EY, one of our top three business goals is to promote diversity.”
Rising Stars in Sport – Sponsored by PedalSure
- Alexandra Merisoiu, The Merisoiu Technique Institute
- Francesca Brown, Goals4Girls
- Hayley Bennett, Kick It Out
- Manisha Tailor, Swaggarlicious
- Sophie Radcliffe, Challenge Sophie
Philip Lochner, Founder and CEO at PedalSure, said: “We at PedalSure are pleased to sponsor the award. Each of these ladies are using sports to make a difference, in this society, communities and across the UK.”
Rising Stars in Education & Academia – Sponsored by The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
- Amy Farrelly, Rugby School
- Brenda Neburagho, St Mathew Academy
- Carrie Dunn, University of East London
- Faye Kilgour, Graydin
- Hasmita Chavda, Ignite!
Eugenia Patriniche, Director Corporate Development EMEA, dedicated her speech to Vanessa Vallely, saying: “She is a great example of someone who knows how to bring people together.”
Rising Stars in Insurance – Sponsored by Lloyd’s
- Adobea Atsrefi, AIG
- Amy Sinnott, AIG
- Charlotte Lach, AIG
- Christy Mitchell, Zurich
- Sarah Millman, LV=
Paul Awcock, Head of Talent Sourcing at Lloyd’s said: “It was great to be at awards outside of the finance silo.”
Rising Stars in Law (The Lynne Freeman Award) – Sponsored by Reed Smith
- Claudine Adeyemi, Mischon De Reya
- Danielle Ayres, Gorvin Solicitors
- Kim Opszala, Dentons
- Leah Glover, DWF
- Rhiannon Paine, Clifford Chance
Nola Beirne, Vice Chair of the Financial Industry Group for EME at Reed Smith, spoke of the how to award became known as the Lynne Freeman award. She said: “I am delighted to say it’s been renamed the Lynne Freeman award, after Lynne who ran our women’s initiative. Sadly she passed away unexpectedly last year, leaving a hole in all our hearts, but I’m sure she would be extremely proud to be honoured in this way.”
Rising Stars in Property – Sponsored by Kier
- Alex Chitty, Land Securities
- Alice Boswell, British Land
- Jessica Neale, CBRE
- Najwa Jawahar, WSP | Parsons Brinkerhoff
- Rebecca Fieldhouse, Iceni Projects
Leigh Thomas, Managing Director, Kier said: “I am delighted to be presenting these awards. As a father of two girls, it is great to see so many inspirational women here today.”
Rising Stars in Investment Management – Sponsored by Newton Investment Management
- Alison Ure, Hermes Investment Management
- Emma Bullock, Saunderson House
- Jamie Tolentino-Deludet, Investec Asset Management
- Katie Trowsdale, Standard Life
- Sarah Hudson, BlackRock
Stephanie Gore, Charity Business Development Manager, said: “For us [these awards] combine two things that we are passionate about at Newton: investment management and women. As companies we need to be supporting women in their careers.”
Rising Stars in Public Sector – Sponsored by Socitm
- Emma Redman, Southend Council
- Hannah Cotton, Transport for London
- Lorraine Eyers, Greater London Authority
- Susan Russell, Festivals Edinburgh
- Temitope Roberta Lawal, Ministry of Justice
Nadira Hussain, President of Socitm, said: “We don’t have many women in our company and we want to change that. We are continuing with the crusade and hoping we can attract more women into both the society and the sector.”
Rising Stars in Sales – Sponsored by WorldPay
- Elizabeth Drummond, Bloomberg
- Emma Gillies, Sedgefield Racecourse
- Mary Kay, Real Staffing (SThree)
- Shauna Bull, Pure Storage
- Valentine Rabin, Mastercard
Steve Newton, SVP Relationship Management at WorldPay, said: “The reason our business is supporting these awards and will continue to support WeAreTheCity is to demonstrate our commitment to gender equality.”
Rising Stars in Technology – Sponsored by Morgan Stanley
- Babs Ofori-Acquah, MVF
- Ellie Ulrich, Cisco
- Lucie Svandelikova, BT
- Sarah Chapman, 3M
- Sarah Khan, SARA K Digital
Sonam Belbase, Vice President at Morgan Stanley spoke of the emotion in the room saying: “I was expecting this evening to be inspiring and exciting but I was not expecting it to be moving. But it has been so moving.”
Rising Stars in Media & Journalism – Sponsored by Bloomberg
- Jenna Jones, Maggie Semple Ltd.
- Nejra Cehic, Bloomberg
- Roz Sanderson, UBM
- Ruth David, Bloomberg News
- Samantha Brooker, Secret Escapes
Heather Harris, Executive Editor at Bloomberg, made light of the recent news saying, “I promise no cheap Brexit jokes, but I don’t think it’s cheap to say, a couple of guys have wrecked the House, now a woman’s going to have to clean it up.”
Rising Stars in Charity – Sponsored by Cancer Research UK
- Frah Saeed, YMCA North London
- Mary Dobson, LYCP
- Michelle Thorpe, UK Homes 4 Heroes
- Samantha Jones, Smart Works
- Sophie Richardson, Free the Children UK
Frances Milner, Executive Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships at Cancer Research UK, said: “It is so inspiring to be amongst so many fabulous women.”
Rising Stars EA/PA – Sponsored by Executive & Personal Assistants Association (EPAA)
- Amanda Hargreaves, PZ Cussons
- Hannah-Kate Smith, RSA
- Jennifer Corcoran, Crédit Agricole CIB
- Karen Glenn, Colt Technology Services
- Simone White, BlackRock
Victoria Darragh, Founder of EPAA, said: "It's been quite emotional at the back as frankly it's a blooming miracle for EA & PAs to be included in something like this."
Rising Stars in Diversity - Sponsored by AON
- Elisha St. Hilaire, AON UK
- Julie Thomas, Zurich Insurance
- Lauren Peel, Aviva
- Rupal Kantaria, Oliver Wyman
- Stephanie Kouame, Bloomberg
Rising Stars Entrepreneurs - Sponsored by Virgin Media Business
- Amma Mensah, Beyond the Classroom
- Charlotte Pearce, Inkpact
- Clare Anyiam-Osigwe, Premae Skincare & JoClarePR
- Georgina Bullen, Team Insight
- Phoebe Gormley, Gormley & Gamble
Jeannie Ivanov, Propositions Development at Virgin Media Business, said: "I have nothing but respect and admiration for these women so early on in their careers. I would wish them well but they definitely don't need it."
Rising Stars in HR & Recruitment - Sponsored by Twenty Recruitment Group
- Ellen Hartley, Barclays
- Julia Vanoli, House of Commons
- Kayleigh Bottomley, Progressive Recruitment (SThree)
- Tarryn Severn, Barclays
- Winnie Oudemans, Barclays
Stephanie Lloyd, Company Manager at Twenty Recruitment, said: "Thank you for allowing us to be one of the founding sponsors for these awards. On a personal level, it is so inspiring and it gives me hope that we are knocking down those barriers."
Rising Stars in Facilities Management - Sponsored by ISS
- Cheryl-Anne Sanderson, G4S FM UK and Ireland
- Elaine Gibson, NSPCC
- Lianne Lawson, Interserve Construction
- Mary O'Connor, London Bridge Quarter Estate Management
- Sophie Kimber, ISS UK
James Lester, UK Corporate Director at ISS, said: "Our industry is very diverse by nature and I am proud to be presenting this award."
Rising Stars in Defence - Sponsored by PA Consulting Group
- Hayley Barnden, Ministry of Defence
- Natalie Grainger, 846 Naval Air Squadron
- Sarah Cotman, Royal Air Force
- Sarah Stevens, Royal Fleet Auxiliary
- Sherry McBain, Royal Air Force
Nick Newman, Head of Global Defence and Security Sector at PA Consulting Group, said: "The winners of the defence category clearly represent leaders in the truest sense of the word."
Rising Star in Oil & Gas - Sponsored by PwC
- Anne Bailey, Baringa Partners
- Anne Claudel, BP
- Eleanor Collins, BP
- Kerrine Bryan, CB&I
- Nicola Hartshorn, British Gas
Alison Baker, Partner at PwC, said: "This evening is a way of celebrating those on the way to the top, but there is a lot more to be done. I am a big fan of Walt Disney when he said, 'if you can dream it, you can do it'. All our dreams can come true if we pursue them."
Rising Star Champions - Sponsored by Oliver Wyman & United Nations Women
- Carolyn Pepper, Reed Smith
- Funke Abimbola, Roche UK
- Heather Melville, RBS
- Robert Thesiger, The FISER Group
- Tamara Box, Reed Smith
Francois Austin, Partner at Oliver Wyman, said of the Champions that "rarely is there as much energy, enthusiasm and happiness."
WeAreTheCity celebrate the Rising Star Awards shortlist at Bloomberg
WeAreTheCity hosted an evening of celebration for over 200 women who were shortlisted for 2016’s Rising Star Awards. Held at Bloomberg, London, the event brought together those shortlisted across 21 categories, judges, previous winners and speakers including BBC Radio 4’s Jane Garvey and leader of the Women’s Equality Party, Sophie Walker. See the event in...
Source: WeAreTheCity - Information and jobs portal for business women
Rising Stars Shortlist Celebration 2016 | In images
On 17 May 2016, WeAreTheCity held the Rising Stars Shortlist event. Held at Bloomberg, London, the event brought together those shortlisted across 21 categories, judges, previous winners and speakers including BBC Radio 4’s Jane Garvey and leader of the Women’s Equality Party, Sophie Walker. We would like to thank Bloomberg and their staff for their...
Source: WeAreTheCity - Information and jobs portal for business women