Sally Lindsay first appeared on stage at the Women of the Year Luncheon & Awards in 2018 to present an award to the women of the Suffragette movement, and returned the following year as its keynote speaker.
Sally is a native of Manchester and read English at Hull University where she also got the acting bug.
Sally got her first break in the ground-breaking sitcom The Royle Family. Roles in both Phoenix Nights and Fat Friends followed soon after. Sally then went on to create one of Britain’s best loved barmaids, ‘Shelley Unwin’ in Coronation Street, where she enjoyed a very happy five years.
Upon leaving, Sally moved very successfully into theatre appearing in the sell-out A Taste of Honey and Everybody Loves a Winner at the Royal Exchange.
Since then, Sally has appeared in numerous television shows including C5 hit dramas Cold Call & Intruder, the BAFTA winning Murdered For Being Different, Dial M for Middlesbrough, Still Open All Hours, Ordinary Lies and Moving On to name just a few. With her friend Suranne Jones, Sally created Scott and Bailey for Red Productions, in which she also starred. She also headed up seven series of Sky1’s Mount Pleasant.
Sally’s film credits include Pond Life, and the voice of ‘Piella’ in the Oscar-nominated animation A Matter of Loaf and Death. Sally is also the voice of Halifax in the mult-award winning C5 animation series The World According to Grandpa.
Sally has also diversified into presenting and fronted the BBC Documentary Emmeline Pankhurst: The Making of a Manchester Militant. In 2018, Sally filmed the documentary series Posh Hotels with Sally and Nigel for Channel 5 which has led to 2 series of Sally Lindsay’s Posh Weekends.
Sally is Creative Director of Saffron Cherry Productions with whom she created, produced, wrote, and stars in The Madame Blanc Mysteries for C5 & Acorn TV.
Committed to inspiring, celebrating and promoting female role models across all areas of society and the business community, Sally will help the Women of the Year Luncheon & Awards continue to celebrate the achievements of women across the UK.
Zalena Vandrewala is a commercial litigator with Top 50 National Law Firm, Freeths LLP.
Having been recognised for her work in the Legal 500, Zalena has conducted and resolved a wide range of commercial and general disputes nationwide over the last 20 years.
Zalena is also a mentor for start-up and SME businesses throughout Cheshire and Staffordshire and is passionate about supporting young people in business to help achieve their goals.
Zalena also actively supports and advises the neonatal unit at Liverpool Women’s Hospital on various matters including family integrated care and parental experience as well as having supported and advised the Liverpool Neonatal partnership as they prepare to open the largest neonatal unit in Europe in 2026.
Wendy Dean is passionate about giving women the support they need to further their careers via coaching, learning and mentoring.
With a career firmly rooted in HR, Wendy left
her job as an HR Director at 50 to set up her own business, Strategi Solutions Group Ltd in 2015. Now the company works with businesses such as Smyths Toys, Alton Towers and the University of Staffordshire, providing services in HR, Creative
and Learning.
2024 saw Wendy collaborate with Apprenticeship provider Axia Solutions to develop the first Level 7 Apprenticeship for Senior Women Leaders.
“Supporting women isn’t just about leaving down the ladder, it’s about building an elevator that can hold more women and move much quicker – my involvement in the Women of the Year Awards aims to do just that.”
Quitting school at 16, Jenny rose up the banking ranks to be one of the few women at top level corporate banking.
Following thirty years in the banking trade, where her role included playing a vital part in the integration of NatWest into RBS, Jenny left the banking world in 2006 in pursuit of new challenges.
During her time in business Jenny has won several industry prizes including Businesswoman of the Year in 2014. She was an Ernst Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist and also won a silver award in the Turnaround category of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards.
Jenny became a natural and formidable Dragon on BBC2 Dragon’s Den for 2 series, showing her feisty northern grit in putting entrepreneurs through their paces before deciding whether to make an offer of investment. Her favourite business motto is “live by corporate standards but breathe as an entrepreneur”.
Today Jenny is spending more time supporting her charitable interests, her two entrepreneurial sons, one with 5 well-known restaurants in London, whilst combing this with her enthusiasm for showing, judging and breeding pedigree flatcoated retrievers, and more recently in 2021 she acquired her first pedigree sheep and is now on the breed Council of the Valais Blacknose Society.
Emma Elston MBE is a British entrepreneur and investor. Emma was Co-Founder and CEO of UKCM for 25 years until August 2023 when the business was acquired by US owned Impact Environmental Group.
The husband and wife team led the business for 25 years and grew it into a very successful national brand. Emma also has a passion for start-ups and has invested and grown a number of these into thriving and exciting businesses. With no formal business training herself, it is important for Emma to devote her time mentoring people from all walks of life, either helping them make the step into the world of business or providing them with advice and support that makes a difference to their outlook.
In 2012 Emma was named Business Woman of the Year and in 2015 she was awarded an MBE for her services to Manufacturing. She is an Ambassador for The Prince’s Trust, Women Supporting Women.
Arti Halai spent fifteen years working in news and current affairs for the BBC and ITV where she learnt all about designing and delivering the right messages.
An investor and entrepreneur, she used those skills to co-found and build two successful businesses that grew parallel to reach seven figures and work with some of the world’s leading brands.
An executive coach, Arti specialises in confident communications and has coached and trained thousands of people helping them to identify their sticky points, laser focus on their message and deliver their outcomes with outstanding results.
Baroness Helen Newlove is an inspirational leader, advocate, and coach who has transformed personal tragedy into a lifetime of public service and empowerment.
Appointed to the House of Lords in 2010, Baroness Newlove became a symbol of resilience and dedication to community safety, victim support, and social justice.
Following the tragic death of her husband, Garry Newlove, in 2007, she channelled her grief into action, becoming a tireless campaigner against anti-social behaviour and youth violence.
Best known for her role as Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales from 2012-19, and in October 2023, she was re-appointed for an interim period of 12 months.
She worked tirelessly to reform victim services, ensuring that the needs of victims were placed at the heart of the criminal justice system.
Her story is one of remarkable courage and strength, and her unwavering commitment to helping others makes her a role model for aspiring leaders, advocates, and change-makers across the UK.
A Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, Sue has over 30 years’ experience as a HR practitioner,
with a background in logistics, parcels
and manufacturing.
A Fellow of the Institute of Couriers, a member of the Institute of Directors and proud to be a Women of the Year Ambassador, Sue is also a Trustee of Sheffield Mind. After leaving her previous role as HR Director in 2023, Sue created LimeHub HR Ltd, a HR consultancy business in South Yorkshire, working with companies to help them deliver great people strategies.
Sue’s passion lies in people development, with a particular focus on advancing the role of women in the workplace, championing initiatives to encourage women’s development in traditionally male dominated environments, aimed at fostering inclusive environments where women can excel.
Managing Director of Professional Polishing Services Ltd, Director of the British Stainless Steel Association, Non-Executive Director of ART Business Loans, CEO and Founder of Women with Metal Ltd, Founder of the Women in Industry Podcast.
Kirsty has 35 years’ experience in the metals sector, and as the Managing Director of Professional Polishing Services, she is an expert in finishes for the Nuclear, Pharmaceutical and Architectural sectors and is in demand to consult on projects worldwide.
She is the founder of the Women in Industry Podcast which celebrates women’s achievements in traditionally male dominated sectors to encourage more diversity and to shine a spotlight on those women who are breaking barriers and forging a path.
Clair Heaviside is the Co-founder and Creative Director of digital agency, Serotonin.
Based in Manchester UK, the multi-award winning agency works with clients globally, across a whole range of sectors and industries, from property to technology, hospitality and leisure to health and fashion.
In 2022 she was listed in the Top Ten Female Entrepreneurs To Watch by The Telegraph and NatWest. For the past three years, Clair has been a trustee of Haven, a charity that supports children and young people affected by domestic abuse.
Clair Heaviside is the Co-founder and Creative Director of digital agency, Serotonin.
Based in Manchester UK, the multi-award-winning agency works with clients globally, across a whole range of sectors and industries, from property to technology, hospitality & leisure to health and fashion.
In 2022 she was listed in the Top Ten Female Entrepreneurs To Watch by The Telegraph and NatWest. For the past three years, Clair has been a trustee of Haven, a charity that supports children and young people affected by domestic abuse.
Serial entrepreneur, Jennie Johnson MBE, is Founder and CEO of My First Five Years (MFFY).
She was the first female to win the UK Private Business Awards CEO of the Year (2017) and was voted UK’s Businesswoman of the Year (2019).
Jennie founded Kids Allowed in 2003, growing it to become one of the UK’s largest nursery groups, before successfully exiting in 2020. Working with tens-of-thousands of parents, children and childcare professionals gave Jennie the insights which led to her eureka moment in January 2021 – where she saw the opportunity to bring together technology, science and research to create an app to support and empower parents through the unique challenges of those first five years of their child’s life.
Within a year of founding, MFFY had raised over £1.5m in seed-funding from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and a number of high profile North West Entrepreneurs.
Suzanne is Founder and CEO of Freestyle, a digital innovation consultancy based in Warwickshire.
Mentoring the next generation of business superstars is part of Suzanne’s DNA and she is committed to inspiring, celebrating and promoting female role models across all areas of society and the business community as an ambassador for the Women of the Year Luncheon & Awards.
Suzanne’s driving ambition has always been to find a better way of operating: to deliver great results for customers whilst also recognising the potential in people, regardless of their background.
The ultimate aim is to develop meaningful careers as well as brilliant teams.
Sally Penni is a practising Barrister at law and the founder and CEO of Women in the Law UK.
She is a multi-award-winning Barrister for her work in Equality. She is one of the best-known lawyers in the North West of England.
Outside of her practice she is a Speaker, Author and Broadcaster and is the host of Talking Law podcast. Sally is an ambassador for Women on Boards UK, and the Pankhurst Centre Manchester along with Sally Lindsey and others.
Nicole is a long-standing Trustee for the DT38 charity in conjunction with West Ham FC. DT38 aids to raise awareness of testicular cancer to save lives.
She has invested in multiple businesses and frequently provides significant investment to those she believes have a promising future.
Dedicated to inspiring, celebrating, and promoting female role models in all areas of society and the business community. As an ambassador for the Women of the Year Luncheon & Awards, Nicole will continue to celebrate the achievements of women across the UK.
Moving into the later years of her career, Nicole now wants to pass her knowledge to the next generation and use her personal journey to inspire women.
Gareth has had a varied career starting in luxury retail and spent 15 years as a Human Resource director specialising in learning and development and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
He is a professional mediator and seasoned development coach, lending his skills to several organisations such as Young Enterprise and
The Prince’s Trust.
He has developed a portfolio of businesses since 2012, from working with the Natural History Museum to bring dinosaurs to Blackpool for the first time, to introducing the pioneering co-working space Ziferblat to the UK in 2015, for which he won multiple awards for innovation
and hospitality excellence.
Mark Smith joins us this year as an ambassador, having been a long-term advocate of Women of the Year.
His career spans the public, private and higher education sectors and has a common theme: creating opportunity for all.
Mark’s multifaceted career is characterised by his ability to build a common purpose amongst partners, helping them support the communities they serve. His legacy extends beyond the projects he has led; it lies in his positive impact on the individuals and communities he has touched.
As an advocate for equality of opportunity, he continues to be a driving force for positive change, having just returned from a joint UN and Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office-backed mission to Pakistan to promote export growth by female-led businesses.
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