WIBF keynote speakers recognised

We’d like to congratulate WIBF Patron Dr. Heather Melville OBE CCMI, who became the University of York’s seventh Chancellor during a ceremony at the university’s Central Hall on 18th January.

On receiving the award, Heather stated: “When I first came to York, I was heartened to find a university so focused on driving social change and public good. The university has a rich tradition of social justice, which is so very important to me and close to my heart.

“I am deeply humbled and excited to be here and look forward to supporting the team here in their endeavour to remove barriers and to build inclusiveness, to develop partnerships and bring collaborations to benefit generations to come.

“It is not just what we do, but how we do it, that will make the difference.”

We’d also like to congratulate Dame Alison Rose on the receipt of her on receive an honorary doctorate, also from the University of York. The recognition follows swiftly on from her inclusion in the New Year Honours’ list as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. The first woman to run one of Britain’s biggest high street banks, the chief executive of NatWest Group joined the bank 30 years ago as a graduate and climbed the ranks to take on the top job in November 2019. The Honours’ listing also cites Alison’s authorship of the Review of Female Entrepreneurship, which led to the establishment of the Investing in Women Code. Alison spoke at our 2021 Recognition of Achievement celebration.

And finally, we can celebrate Amanda Blanc’s recognition as The Sunday Times business person of the year for 2022. Aviva’s chief executive’s career began at an ancestral firm Commercial Union in 1989 and she made a headline-grabbing return in 2020. In naming her top of the list, the newspaper stated: “A flurry of disposals to simplify the business meant she could return billions to shareholders, dealing with an activist investor to boot. She also confronted, head-on, outrageous sexism from some shareholders at its AGM (annual general meeting). Plain-dealing, efficient, and a strong leader, she is a worthy winner.” Amanda spoke at the online celebration for our 2022 Awards for Achievement.