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November 9, 2011

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MITIE CEO Ruby McGregor-Smith named National Business Awards Leader of the Year

Ruby McGregor-Smith was honoured at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane with the evening’s highest accolade for her outstanding achievement and effective leadership, growing a successful FTSE 250 company and nurturing a dedicated and engaged workforce.

The Judging Panel for the Orange-sponsored Leader of the Year Award collectively said: “Ruby has grown the company from half a billion in revenues to nearly GB pound 2 billion, tripled her employee base to over 62,000 people and transformed the business into one of the largest integrated facilities management providers in the UK.”

The statement continued: “Ruby has nurtured the entrepreneurialism at the core of this growing business and developed its ‘can do’ culture.”

Accepting the award, Ruby McGregor-Smith said: “This is a tremendous honour and I’m pleased to share this award with all of MITIE’s people who inspire and support me every day to make our company more successful. I’m humbled to be in the company of the other four finalists and to have been selected.”

So far in 2011, MITIE has:

  • reported profits in excess of GB pound 100 million for the first time in its history
  • launched an ‘Entrepreneurial Programme’ with a GB pound 10 million fund to back management teams with innovative ideas for starting mutually-owned businesses in the UK
  • mobilised its first pan-European integrated facilities and energy management contract
  • further developed its sustainability agenda with the introduction of Diversity Week and a twice-yearly Employee Forum to create a supportive and inclusive environment for its staff, especially for women and ethnic minorities

The only award to be voted for by the business community, finalists for the Orange Leader of the Year Award in 2011 included Julian Dunkerton of SuperGroup, Dr Mike Lynch of Autonomy, Ian Tyler of Balfour Beatty and Jasmine Whitbread of Save the Children.

Previous winners include Martin McCourt, the CEO of Dyson and Peter Marks, CEO of The Co-operative Group.

Channel 4’s head of corporate services scoops prestigious City award

Julie Kortens, head of corporate services at Channel 4, has fought tough competition to win the Facilities Management category for the 2011 Women in the City Awards.

Julie was one of just seven eminent women who secured success and won their category.

The highly competitive awards scheme saw a wide variety of talented female executives from across London go head-to-head to compete for one of the prestigious awards.

Speaking about her triumph, Kortens said: “I’m extremely proud to be recognised for this award and hope it provides inspiration to other women to take full advantage of the myriad of opportunities the FM profession offers. I look forward to sharing my experience and offering support and guidance to others.”

Kortens added: “My role as head of corporate services at Channel 4 brings with it huge responsibility and every day is a challenge, but I enjoy it enormously. I’m passionate about my job and equally passionate about my team and the fantastic work they do.”

The Facilities Management category is endorsed by the Facilities Management Association (FMA) and sponsored by Lusso, the niche city caterer.

As a category endorser, the FMA helps to promote the awards, provide a Judging Panel, select the category winner and presents the award certificates.

On presenting the award, Debra Ward – vice-chairman of the FMA – commented: “Julie’s passion for her career and how she uses her knowledge, experience and position in helping others, especially young females into a relatively demanding profession was both impressive and refreshing. Throughout her presentation, Julie emphasised the need to take everyone in the workplace on the journey. Her philosophy is to champion confidence and passion which inspires her team all the while, showing empathy and understanding especially to those younger and less experienced members of the team. Julie’s a role model not just for women but for all those in FM and in the business world in general.”

Promoting and encouraging the progress of women

The overarching aim of the Women in the City Awards is to highlight and formally recognise the outstanding contribution these women make to the City and, in particular, to identify those who are actively promoting and encouraging the progress of women above and beyond their everyday job.

The awards identify excellence and celebrate the achievements of senior and partner-level professionals working in London’s business hubs.

Now in their fifth year, the awards draw over 350 women to the Annual Women in the City Celebration Lunch which takes place each November.

For her part, Kortens will now go on to contend for the overall 2011 Woman of Achievement Award which will be presented on Friday 25 November at the 9th Annual Women in the City Annual Celebration Lunch to be held at The Plaisterers’ Hall in London. The winner of this award will receive a prize which includes a place on the Accelerated Development Programme delivered by Chicago Booth School of Business at its London campus.

The Awards Judging Panel is chaired by Professor Susan Vinnicombe OBE, director of the Centre for Developing Women Business Leaders at the Cranfield School of Management.

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