GfK Ascent-MI chief executive Sarah Smalley has scooped the Association of Women Travel (AWTE) Executives’ business impact award.
At today’s Chairman’s Awards Lunch for the AWTE, Smalley was presented with the accolade, which recognises female newcomers who have joined the sector in the last four years and created a big impact on their business or the industry.
Smalley, whose company collates industry booking data, said: “I’m thrilled the industry is recognising the importance of key market data that will help it progress through the current difficult climate. I am particulary pleased the AWTE has shown this recognition.”
Also presented at the lunch was the Joan Richardson Award, named after one of the assocation’s founders. This went to Monika Warburton, who maintains and updates the AWTE website daily, acts as secretary and handles AWTE communications “with great efficiency”, according to AWTE chair Tricia Handley.
Guest speaker was The Network’s managing director Jane Dyson, who drew on her own experience to give tips on how to sell your business to a major company. She sold field marketing company The Network to Menzies Distribution on August 31, 2008.
She said: “Keep calm; if you are staying in the business make sure you get on with the people who are buying you; get a better lawyer than the one you can afford, and get the best and most effective tax planning.”
Dyson recalled that the due diligence process during the sale of her business was so intense that even if the deal had fallen through her company would still have had “the most amazing health check to see if everything was in order”.