The shortlist for the 2026 Enterprising Women Awards has been announced, recognising outstanding achievement from women in the East Midlands business community.
Held on 2nd July at Enterprising Women’s Summer Networking Event at Casa Hotel in Chesterfield, finalists across nine award categories were announced, covering business areas ranging from innovation to social commitment.
Sandra Wiggins, Founder of Women on Boards CIC and winner of the 2025 Enterprising Women Lifetime Achievement Award addressed guests, before a Mediterranean lunch.
Those shortlisted will now go through to the Enterprising Women Awards ceremony on 25th September at Center Parks, Sherwood Forest, where the recipient of the flagship Lifetime Achievement Award will also be revealed.
Enterprising Women is an East Midlands Chamber network that champions women in business, helping build valuable connections across the region and celebrating success.
Chairs Eileen Perry MBE DL and Jean Mountain recently spoke of the formation of the network and their own career journey in East Midlands Chamber’s official podcast The One for Business.
Enterprising Women Co-Chair Eileen Perry MBE DL said: “The East Midlands has an abundance of businesses driven by women with inspirational stories; women that pushed themselves further when they – or someone else – might have believed they couldn’t do it.
“Time and time again women we speak to reflect on experiences like that, when there was something, someone, a culture or a perception holding them back. The Enterprising Women Awards are that ‘this was my idea, my innovation, my leadership skill that got us here’ and it’s vital we shout that from the rooftops and fully recognise outstanding businesswomen.
“You would expect 2026 to be many miles ahead in championing women in business from how things stood a year, or even twenty years ago, but that’s not the case. If I said there was a time women made up just 43% of company boards, you might imagine that refers to the 1980s. No – that’s FTSE data published in 2026. That level is far from good enough by any stretch and shows we must go much further.
“The Enterprising Women Awards can help change that. By bringing women in business together and showcasing outstanding skill, whether a one-to-watch apprentice or accomplished leader, we are putting right the imbalance.
“The 2026 Enterprising Women Awards entries have again taken the bar skyward – we have exceptional business skill among women in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. I just wish it was September now as the ceremony at Center Parcs promises to be a superb evening and one not to be missed.”
Enterprising Women Co-Chair Jean Mountain said: “If we are to get the economy where it needs to be, getting more women into leading roles is the way to go. From manufacturing to AI and digital, we have women in the East Midlands whose ideas, whose leadership, whose skill is driving growth.
“With the scale of challenge the economy has faced in recent years, it would be crazy for a business to pass on the opportunity to right the balance – that means more female leadership and influence at all levels of business – whether apprentice or CEO – and that’s what makes Enterprising Women matter. When women only make up 43% of company board roles currently, business cannot afford to slow or stall this journey.
“The sheer quality of Enterprising Women Awards entries this year fills me with confidence that we have, right on our doorstep, an exceptional talent pool of businesswomen in the East Midlands. Let’s recognise that. That’s what we will do at the Enterprising Women Awards in September. Yes – we’ll celebrate; yes, we’ll be glitzy and, you bet, we’ll sparkle too at the wonderful Center Parcs but at this challenging time for the economy, we’ll also show you the women who can and are driving business forward.”
Women on Boards CIC Co-founder and Co-CEO Sandra Wiggins won the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2025 and was the keynote speaker. Afterwards she said: “Believe in yourself is my advice. Always back yourself because the most important person is you – what you stand for, what you believe in – and just put yourself out there because the more you do, the more it opens up opportunities for other females coming through behind you.
“Enterprising Women is about getting the business community together but is also about bridging the gap between men and women, understanding the different languages we all use to make workplaces a better place.”
Knights sponsored the Small Business of the Year Award. Employment Team Partner Jenny Colver said: “I feel the Small Business Award category is really important, supporting emerging business and recognising and promoting development of those businesses.
“Enterprising Women is not just about celebrating women; it’s celebrating everything to do with business but with a focus on women. For a long time, women have been underrepresented and it has been harder for women so it’s a great network to connect with other women within business.”
Michael Smith Switchgear sponsored the Businesswoman of the Year category. Managing Director Sean Smith said: “Enterprising Women is a fantastic network. My business partner won the Businesswoman of the Year Award in 2022. It is a brilliant celebration of incredible businesswomen in the region and we need to shout about that as much as we can.”
Datalink Electronics sponsored the Apprentice of the Year category. Managing Director Mariam Smith won the Businesswoman of the Year category in 2025. She said: “Winning Businesswoman of the Year in 2025 really opened the door for me to meet so many amazing people, be invited to many events and to gain so much more confidence – it’s been absolutely brilliant.
“It’s fantastic to be in the presence of so many great women and great business leaders. You learn from each other and from each other’s experiences and having someone as a sounding board is good.”
Full list of finalists for the Enterprising Women Awards 2026:
Apprentice of the Year – Sponsored by Datalink Electronics
Clare Buckley – MJE Projects
Eve Hunt – LJM Solutions
Lucia Burns – Howes Percival
Andrea Shuttleworth – Global Brands
Lauren Sadler – Cambridge & Counties Bank
Businesswoman of the Year – Sponsored by Michael Smith Switchgear
Emily Bonsall – Certora Training
Selma Delic – PKF Smith Cooper
Paula Bailey – Howes Percival
Lisa Craven – Stormsaver
Debbie Hodgetts – Base Materials
Developing Leader – Sponsored by Sarah Higgins Corporate Coaching
Zehra Gezer – Global Brands
Ros Fomin – MSE Hiller
Preethi Kang – Qinesis
Female Employee of the Year – Sponsored by Cambridge and Counties Bank
Laura Barber – EMA Training
Nichol Thompson – West Special Fasteners
Zara Ford – Your IT Dept
Female Entrepreneur of the Year – Sponsored by Freeths
Jane Nitka – Barclays
Tania Gerard – Tania Gerard Digital
Nikki Jeffery – The Staging Experts
Katrice Rodrigues – Unity Swimming
Emma Knight-Strong – Mackworth Vehicle Conversions
The Innovation Award – Sponsored by Pick Everard
Louise Adams – Love4Life
Meena Kumari – H.O.P.E. Training & Consultancy
Natalia Dovlatova – Platelet Services
Sarah Moore – Juggling Octopus
Lynn Johnson – FSG Returnables
Small Business of the Year – Sponsored by Knights
Certora Training
Creative Triangle
Datalink Electronics
Edwards Employment Solutions
Social Commitment – Sponsored by Mackworth Vehicle Conversions
Katrice Rodrigues – Unity Swimming
Natasha Chadwick – Impact People & Change
Shelley Smith – Sunrise Wellbeing
Team of the Year – Sponsored by Azets
Nelsons Solicitors
Structural Adhesives
Stormsaver
Trans-Sport.tv
Rothera Bray Solicitors
Lifetime Achievement Award Sponsored by NOCN Group
Finalists are not announced for this flagship award. The recipient will be revealed at the ceremony on 25th September.
To attend the 2026 Enterprising Women Awards or find out more, click here.
Listen to Enterprising Women chairs Eileen Perry MBE DL and Jean Mountain in The One for Business podcast. Click here.
