Winners of the 2012 Shine Awards for women in travel and hospitality have been unveiled.
EasyJet chief executive Carolyn McCall was named woman of the year from the travel and tourism sector.
Freda Newton, managing director of Jacobite Cruises, was named as the outstanding entrepreneur while travel PR Pippa Isbel, chief executive if PRCo, was mentor of the year.
Other winners were:
- Rising Star Award: Emily Perry, marketing manager, learnpurple
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Jill Stein, director, The Seafood Restaurant
- Large Business Award: Merseytravel
- Small Business Award: HTP Training
Meanwhile, the Top 100 Club, which recognises female business leaders who have achieved outstanding success in their careers and who are the role models for the next generation, has seen six new entrants:
- Carolyn McCall OBE, chief executive, easyJet
- Cathy Beare, group finance director, Holiday Extras
- Jacky Simmonds, group HR director, Tui Travel
- Jane Dyson, owner, The Network
- Janis Kong, non-executive director, Network Rail, Tui, and VisitBritain
- Julia Lo Bue-Said, leisure director, Advantage Travel Centres
Sharon Glancy, founder of organising body Women 1st, said: “The quality of the nominations we received this year was remarkable, and each and every one was an inspiration.
“It was a tough task to whittle it down and make our final selection. Our winners, and the extraordinary women in our Top 100 Club, are a critical force which will play no small role in ensuring the future success of the industry.
“In an industry where 60% of the workforce is female, only 6% of board directors within hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism are female – half the national average across other industries.
“Our mission is to advance women into the leadership ranks by building a pool of talent ready for the board room and to have at least one female candidate on the shortlist for every board/executive team position by 2015.
“We hope our winners and the new inductees to the Top 100 Club will inspire both women and men to pursue their career aspirations within the industry, with tenacity and enthusiasm.”
The awards were handed out at a ceremony hosted by TV and radio presenter Emma Forbes at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel in London.