Meet the influential women building the future of Britain
With International Women’s Day on the horizon, we celebrate some of the UK’s most influential women, and how their contributions are shaping the future of the nation.
It’s been over a month since the UK entered the transitional period between leaving the EU and confirming a final deal with Europe. Although the pound has remained relatively steady after an initial dip, the future of the UK’s economy remains uncertain.
As the country moves toward new beginnings, it will be our politicians, economists, diplomats and business minds which help to carry us forward into a thriving new frontier. With that in mind, we took International Women’s Day as an opportunity to celebrate some of the UK’s most influential women and how their contributions could help build the future of the country, post-Brexit.
Dame Carolyn Fairbairn (DBE)
Director-general, Confederation of British Industry
Carolyn’s career begins with a role at the World Bank and a stint as a journalist at the Economist, before moving to become a partner of media practice at McKinsey. She is the former director of strategy at the BBC and was one of the minds responsible for Freeview.
Among her impressive list of media and finance accolades, Carolyn boasts extensive FTSE board experience and served as a non-executive director of Lloyds Banking Group, Capita plc and also the Vitec Group. She has also served three years as Director of the Competition and Markets Authority, and also the Financial Services Authority.
Through her executive position with the Confederation of British Industry, Carolyn has continued to represent UK business leaders and their interest within the future EU relationship deal. She is also an overseas property owner and runs a boutique hotel named Crillon Le Brave in Provence, France.
Catherine Mayer
Co-founder, Women’s Equality Party
Journalist and author, Catherine, co-founded the Women’s Equality Party (WEP) in 2015 as a means of driving equality in the UK. More than just an activist movement, the WEP took an active role in the 2016 referendum, putting forward an amendment which sought protections for women’s employment rights.
The WEP will continue to represent the interests of women and minorities post-Brexit, as they warn of an increase in the gender pay gap, irrespective of the final deal reached between the EU and the UK. They are campaigning for the 2020 London Assembly and hope to make London the first gender-equal city. Catherine continues to fight against inequality, using her platform to shed light on social issues and the protection of vulnerable minorities.
Janet Coyle
Director of trade and growth, London & Partners
Janet is currently responsible for leading the export and growth strategy for London & Partners, the international trade, investment and promotion agency for Britain’s capital.
Janet is also responsible for leading the annual summit for Silicon Valley within the UK and co-chairs the Tech London Advocates Scale Up Group. She is a key figure for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Her role in the future of the UK sits within the overseas business, as she continues to assist the mayor of London in amending the way in which high-growth companies can conduct overseas business.
Dame Karen Pierce (DCMG)
United Nation’s representative for the UK
Since March 2018, Dame Karen Pierce has been a permanent member of the UN, representing the UK in the most prestigious post within diplomatic service. A trailblazer to the core, Karen is the first female to occupy the role in the history of the UN.
She is responsible for representing the UK’s diplomatic interests in matters of international diplomacy. As the UK faces its uncertain future head-on, it will be Karen who continues to maintain the UK’s positioning, worldwide.
Karen was recently named the UK’s first female ambassador to the US and is expected to be integral in future trade negotiations and to deepen the ‘special relationship’ held between the two nations.
International business payments
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