Now in its tenth consecutive year, the Northern PoWEr Women Awards take place on Thursday 12th March at Manchester Central Convention Complex. Whittled down from 1800 nominations by a rigorous judging process, we are proud to announce the 2026 Northern PoWEr Women Awards Finalists!
Co-Headline Partners
Agent of Change
Ngozi Weller
Director at Aurora Incorporated
Nazmin Akthar
Managing Associate at Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP
Joanna Unthank
Head of Economic Inclusion and Child Poverty at North East Combined Authority
Professor Liz Todd Obe
Professor of Educational Inclusion at Newcastle University
Francesca Barker-mills
Founder at Coming Home Project
Rebecca Oliver-mooney
Founder at Raising the Glass
Laura Ryan
Founder at Meat Business Women
Disruptor for Good
Stephanie Addison
Co-Founder at Perinatal Mental Health Partnership
Danielle Ayres
Employment Solicitor at Primas Law
Dr Lucy Reynolds
Disability Advocate / Founder & Director at We Are All Disabled
Sara Bryson
Assistant Director North at Citizens UK
Cheney Hamilton
CEO & Founder | Lead Research Analyst at The Find Your Flex Group | Bloor Research International
Jo Milne
Founder at Jo Milne Foundation
Laura Swinbanks
Second Officer at Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Empowerment Champion
Sophie Green
Assistant District Commander at West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue
Carol Ann Whitehead FRSA
Managing Director at The Zebra Partnership
Arushi Madan
Vice President - Security Engineering at Barclays
Renee Preston
CEO at Construction For Women
Beth Collins
CEO / Founder at PIE: Pursuing Individual Excellence
Jillian Alexander
Solicitor, Modern Slavery Advocate, Founder/CEO at Unbound Programme C.I.C
Adeola Adelakun
Director at Black Creative Trailblazers CIC
Clare Caddick
Train Driver at LNER
Inclusive Innovation - People Focussed
Istanduk
Probr
Written Off Publishing
The Rebuild Site
Newcastle University Inclusivity Game Jam
Inclusive Innovation - Tech for Good
Newcastle University Inclusivity Game Jam
Sen2gether
Mortal Fools
Large Organisation (251+ employees)
Pz Cussons
Learning Curve Group
Womble Bond Dickinson
Manchester Airports Group
Nrg Riverside
Unilever
Royal London
Weightmans Llp
Lner Toc
The Growth Company
Mentor of the Year
Samia Durrani
Cyber Security Consulting Manager - Financial Services at Accenture
Louise Stephenson
Partner at Drax Executive
Rachael Bampton-aiken
Strategic Adviser and Business Coach at Rachael Bampton-Aiken
Helen Tonks MBE
Managing Director at Hydraulics Online Ltd
Craig Hatch
European Division President at Tetra Tech
Kirstan Bradley
Head of Customer Experience at Vivify Venues
Sophie Metcalf
HR Growth Partner at Howarths
Renee Preston
CEO at Construction For Women
Fahtimah Khan
Vice President; Senior Delivery Lead - Technology at Bank of America
Micro Organisation (1-10 employees)
Power Of Women
Intotum
Kompass Health
The Maggie Oliver Foundation
Heart Leadership
Sound City
Leeds Dads
Your Well-being Company
One to Watch
Nicola Coaker
Founder at Nrthrn Baby LTD
Charlie-sam Newman
Client Experience Lead at AND Digital
Nancy Sadler
Senior Brand Manager at Essity UK
Dr Sayema Rahman Khan
Founder at South Asian Women in Higher Education Network/University of Manchester
Jillian Alexander
Solicitor, Modern Slavery Advocate, Founder/CEO at Unbound Programme C.I.C
Saumya Gupta
Assistant Vice President at Bank of America
Sukanya Nallaiah
Podcast Host and Producer at Sukany4 - The Podcast
Outstanding Entrepreneur
Gillian Ashcroft
Founder at Exceptional Care
Fiona Hull
Director at Construction Q Limited
Ashleigh Holmes
Founder & CMO at A & M Media T/A Flowd
Nicola Merritt
CEO at Cortus Advisory Group
Sophie Milliken MBE
Founder and CEO at Moja
Laura Evans-hill
Founder and Director at Nifty Fox Creative
Christy Foster
CEO at The Nursery Store
Fara Butt
Director at Shire Beds Limited
Person with Purpose - Charity/CIC/Cause
Joanna Solanki
CEO at N-compass Towards A Brighter Future
Abby Traynor
Chief Executive at Rape Crisis Tyneside & Northumberland
Sara Lawton
Director at Rise Construction Framework
Shamime Jan
Founder / Director at Bollyfit Active CIC
Lindsy James
Founder & Director at Active Fusion
Clare Sacco
Founder at Embers
Keely Dalfen
CEO at The Brick
Steph Capewell
Chief Executive at Love, Amelia
Fiona Ashcroft
CEO at Alder Hey Children's Charity
Person with Purpose - Private Sector
Claire Cook
Founder, Proprietor and CEO at Employability Solutions
Hamida Khoder
Support Worker at Leeds Playhouse
Anne Wilson Mbe
Head of Leadership Programmes at Whyy? Change Ltd
Dr Charlotte Armitage
Psychologist, Psychotherapist & Child Dev. Consultant at Be Device Wise
Alicia Mcdonnell
Group Head of Equity Diversity and Inclusion at Manchester Airports Group (MAG)
Alyxandra Murdock
Civil Engineer and Founder & Director at Solway STEM Academy & Amentum
Sophie Milliken MBE
Founder and CEO at Moja
Kirsty Watson
Founder and Managing Director at Qualia Academy
Lauren Monks
Director: CyberFirst & MEGA Hubs at IN4.0 Group
Person with Purpose - Public Sector (eg NHS, Emergency Services, Academia, Military, Government)
Dr Nicola Robinson
Prog. Leader Sport Coaching BSc/Pentathlon Coach at LJMU / Pentathlon GB
Professor Alexandra Cristea
Professor of Computer Science at Durham University
Danielle Ruane
Chief Coordinating Officer at Healthwatch in GM / UCLAN
Georgina Ralph
Crew Commander at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service
Shaheen Myers-duree
Founder/CEO at Balance-ED
Katie Joyce
Medicines Value Programme Lead at NENC Provider Collaborative
Dr Michelle Phillips
Head of Enterprise, Lecturer in Music Psychology at Royal Northern College of Music
Alexandra Spearritt
Chief Allied Health Professions Officer at Univ. Hospitals of Morecambe Bay
Public Spotlight
Professor Sue Black OBE
Professor at Durham University
Sara Cox
Broadcaster and Author at BBC
Gaynor Faye
Actor and Writer at UK
Victoria Derbyshire
Journalist and Broadcaster at BBC
Jill Scott Mbe
Former Lioness. Presenter. at UK Media
Shirley Ballas
Head Judge / President at BBC / Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing
Vick Hope
Broadcaster/Journalist/Author at BBC / Amnesty International UK
Small/Medium Organisation (11-250 employees)
Leighton
Manchester Fa
Gallaway Construction Limited
Distology
Womencentre
Bexley Beaumont
Sweeney Miller Law
Apconix
Caring Connections
Hope Capital