Originally released on November 26, 2015.
Carolyn McCall OBE, Chief Executive of easyJet, was last night named the winner of the Ashridge Executive Education Leader of the Year at the 2015 Lloyds Bank National Business Awards gala dinner ceremony, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane. The award recognises the personal impact of the UK’s most high profile leaders on the culture and success of their organizations and the industries they operate in.
Carolyn joined easyJet on July 2010 as Chief Executive Officer. Since joining, her strategic focus has resulted in a series of milestone events including reaching the landmark of carrying 65m passengers annually and attracting more business travelers. Under Carolyn’s leadership easyJet has consistently exceeded City expectations. 2012 saw the company achieving record profits and in 2013 the company entered the FTSE 100.
Carolyn was unable to attend the awards as she was involved in Easyjet’s 20th anniversary celebratory events; upon hearing the news, Carolyn left a video acceptance speech and said: “Thank you very much for those of you that have voted for me as the Ashridge Business School Leader of the Year. It’s a really lovely thing to receive, I’m very pleased but I’m really pleased on behalf of the people at Easyjet, I think that they really deserve it, they work very, very hard to make travel easy and affordable for all our passengers and that is why this prestigious Lloyds Bank National Business Award has been awarded to me and therefore Easyjet so thank you all very much indeed.”
Carolyn was chosen as the winner by a ballot of over 40 business leaders including Dame Helen Alexander, Chairman of UBM plc; Ronan Dunne, CEO of Telefonica UK; Moya Greene, CEO of Royal Mail and winner of last year’s Leader of the Year award, and Martina Milburn CBE, Chief Executive of The Princes Trust.
Judges looked at how these leaders have demonstrated the best balance between traditional board values and the new business environment – achieving measured and sustainable growth or driving improved performance.
Kai Peters, Chief Academic Officer of Ashridge and Hult International Business School, said:
“The achievements of Carolyn in the five years she has been at EasyJet have been outstanding. She arrived amidst managerial and financial challenges and has impressively grown the airline through dedication, hard work and a sense of fun. Amazingly, she has achieved all of this from a standing start as an outsider to the aviation industry.”
Over 1200 business leaders, entrepreneurs, politicians and media representatives gathered at the Grosvenor House Hotel for the 14th annual National Business Awards. The Awards were presented by Sky News’ Ian King and Poppy Trowbridge and welcomed former Astronaut and second man on the moon, Buzz Aldrin as headline speaker.
The Prime Minister opened proceedings at the ceremony with a message for this year’s finalists. He told the audience: “I want to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you on behalf of the whole country, for all that you’re doing to create jobs and growth in Britain…tonight we celebrate all that
you’re doing, from your leadership in digital and innovation, to the Duke of York’s new award for University Entrepreneurship, these awards are rightly the Oscars of great British business.
“The awards recognise people who have the guts to strike out on their own, who have the tenacity to work hard for every deal and who have the innovation and vision that lets you grow your business and take new people on. Its people like you who are making this the most entrepreneurial and dynamic period in our country’s recent history. So thank you again for all you’re doing.”
The winners across all 18 categories included Crown Paints Limited, which triumphed in the Grichan Partnership Sustainable Business of the Year category, Premiership Rugby, winner of The Corporate Citizenship Award, and UNiDAYS®, winner of the Lloyds Bank Digital Business of the Year. *see footnotes for all winners
Tom Broughton, Programme Director for the Lloyds Bank National Business Awards, said: “We were delighted to host yet another successful gala dinner ceremony celebrating the full spectrum of British Business in 2015; the Lloyds Bank National Business Awards are the accolade of choice for those seeking the highest recognition. This year’s winners demonstrate the quality and diversity of businesses driving economic growth in the UK.”
For more information and to find out how to register your business for the 2016 National Business Awards, visit www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk.
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Please send a copy of your completed release to Rohma.ahmed@ubm.com
Notes for editors
* All 2015 winners:
Category
Winner
The Vonage Business Enabler of the Year
Fifteen Digital
The Corporate Citizenship Award
Premiership Rugby
The Customer Focus Award
Go Ape
The UKTI Growth Business of the Year
Paymentsense
The Duke of York New Entrepreneur of the Year
Joe Carnell, UGOT UK
The Deloitte Employer of the Year
Better Bathrooms
The Grichan Partnerships Sustainable Business Award
Crown Paints Limited
The Inflexion International Growth Business of the Year
Emoderation
The Market Gravity Innovation Award
DNAFit Limited
The Duke of York Award for University Entrepreneurship
University of Leeds
The Lloyds Bank Digital Business of the Year
UNiDAYS®
The Lloyds Bank New Business of the Year
The Body Coach
The Lloyds Bank Small to Medium-Sized Business of the Year
Vanarama
The QBE FTSE 100 Business of the Year
BT Group
The Smith & Williamson Entrepreneur of the Year
Titus Sharpe, CEO of MVF
The Social Enterprise of the Year
Livity
The Lloyds Bank Excellence in Business Award
Tony Pidgley CBE, Chairman of Berkeley Group
The Ashridge Business School Leader of the Year
Carolyn McCall OBE, Chief Executive of easyJet
For further information or interview opportunities contact: Rohma Ahmed
PR and Content Executive Tel: 0207 921 8079 Email: Rohma.ahmed@ubm.com
About the National Business Awards Open to organisations of all sizes from all sectors across the UK, the National Business Awards is the UK’s most prestigious independent business recognition platform with its particular emphasis on excellence, innovation and ethical business. Now in its 14th year, the National Business Awards connects the nations’ professionals through its annual awards ceremony; year-round thought leadership and round table events; and is UBM plc’s flagship awards programme. Visit www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk for further information or follow us on Twitter @businessawards.
About UBM EMEA The National Business Awards is organised by UBM EMEA. UBM EMEA connects people and creates opportunities for companies across five continents to develop new business, meet customers, launch new products, promote their brands and expand their markets. Through premier brands such as MD&M, CPhI, IFSEC, TFM&A, Cruise Shipping Miami, the Concrete Show and many others, UBM EMEA exhibitions, conferences, awards programs, publications, websites and training and certification programs are an integral part of the marketing plans of companies across more than 20 industry sectors.
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