International Women’s Day, a day we champion 365 days a year

In a year when our public services have been front and centre in managing disruption and serving communities, we have been privileged in helping appoint some of the UK’s leading female influencers every single day. Today, we all at GS, women and men, raise our hand to challenge inequality, call out bias and question stereotypes, to shape a better, more inclusive society. 

As women make up 71% of the GatenbySanderson workforce, 52% of our senior leadership and 51% of client appointees*, International Women’s Day is business as usual for GatenbySanderson. IWD gives us a great opportunity, however, to pause, recognise and celebrate the many women appointed across 2020. Here we share just some of the women we had the honour to play a part in appointing to some of the most senior roles in public life.

Chief Executives

  • Loveday Ryder, Chief Executive – DVSA, Department for Transport
  • Maria Kane, Chief Executive Officer, North Bristol NHS Trust
  • Stephanie Edusei, Chief Executive , St Oswald’s Hospice
  • Joanne Oak, Chief Executive, Valleys to Coast
  • Emma Clancy , Chief Executive, The Consumer Council for Water
  • Ruth Purdie, Chief Executive Officer, UK Road Offender Education
  • Fiona Fletcher-Smith, Group Chief Executive, L&Q
  • Alison Sargent, Chief Executive, Adullam Homes Housing Association
  • Therese Patten, Chief Executive Officer, Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust
  • Patricia Davies, Chief Executive, Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust
  • Stephanie Maurle, Secretary for The Corporation of The Church House, Church of England
  • Lizann Lowson, Chief Executive Officer, The Consortium Academy Trust
  • Lianne Deeming, CEO, BlueLight Commercial
  • Joanna Averley, Chief Planner, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
  • Katie Bell, Chief Executive – Diocese of Sheffield, Church of England
  • Ruth Carter, Chief Executive, Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE)
  • Donna Cezair, Chief Executive, First Choice Homes Oldham 
  • Pavan Dhaliwal, Chief Executive Officer, Revolving Doors Agency.

Chairs

  • Marta Phillips, Audit Committee Chair, London Fire Brigade
  • Helen Simpson, Chair, York and North Yorkshire LEP
  • Cecilia Bufton, Chair, Dorset LEP
  • Dr. Laura Hill, Clinical Chair , Sussex CCGs
  • Alison Davis, Chair, Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
  • Debbie Francis, Non-Executive Chair, Harwich Haven Authority
  • Caroline Corby, Chair, Professional Standards Authority  
  • Sarah Windrum, Chair, Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership Limited.

NEDs

  • Malathy Sivapunniyan, Non-Executive Director (Risk & Audit), BRE (Building Research Establishment)
  • Catherine Quinn, Independent Non-Executive Director, The Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd
  • Dena Burgher, Non Executive Director, Onward Housing.
  • Jacqueline Esimaje-Heath, Non Executive Director, Yorkshire Housing
  • Lara Fielden, Lay Council Member, General Medical Council
  • Susan Webster, Board Member, One Manchester
  • Jemima Taylor, Board Member – Care Plus, Housing Plus Group
  • Isabel Hunt, Board Member – Customer Service/Digital Experience, Yorkshire Housing
  • Sharon Thompson, Associate Non-Executive Director, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
  • Deborah Wheeler, Clinical Non-Executive Director, East London NHS Foundation Trust
  • Maria Harris, Non-Executive Director (Technology), South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • Karen Walker, Non-Executive Director, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • Hannah Poulton, Lay Member, NHS Blood and Transplant
  • Professor Deepa Mann-Kler, Lay Council Member, General Medical Council
  • Eiri Jones, Clinical Non-Executive Director, Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
  • Catherine Hearne, Non Executive Board Member, Together for Children
  • Heather Bowman, Board Member – Homes Board, Housing Plus Group
  • Dame Donna Kinnair, Clinical Non-Executive Director, East London NHS Foundation Trust
  • Sheila Wright , Member of the Independent Ethics Panel, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner
  • Maggie Porteous, Board Member (Non Executive Director), Silva Homes
  • Professor Caroline MacEwen, Lay Council Member, General Medical Council
  • Sarah Parker, Non-Executive Director (Finance), Maritime and Coastguard Agency
  • Professor Clare McGlynn, Independent Expert Panel Member, House of Commons
  • Nicola Hancock, Non-Executive Director, Harwich Haven Authority
  • Monica Daley, Independent Expert Panel Member, House of Commons
  • Claudette Elliott, Non-Executive Director (System), Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
  • Cath Purdy, Board Member – Homes Board, Housing Plus Group
  • Professor Elizabeth Smart, Members of the Independent Ethics Panel, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner
  • Lisa Ball, Independent Expert Panel Member, House of Commons
  • Dr Suzanne Shale, Lay Council Member, General Medical Council
  • Liz Allen, Non-Executive Director (Voluntary/Community), Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
  • Johanna Higgins, Independent Expert Panel Member, House of Commons
  • Kay Boycott, Audit Committee Member, London Fire Brigade
  • Aileen Feeney, Lay Member, NHS Blood and Transplant 
  • Dr. Maxine Mayhew , Senior Independent Director of Low Carbon Contracts Company and Electricity Settlements Company, Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy
  • Leann Hearne, Non Executive Director, Yorkshire Housing
  • Alice Raven, Member of the Independent Ethics Panel, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner
  • Dale Simon, Independent Expert Panel Member, House of Commons
  • Dr Vanessa Davies, Lay Council Member, General Medical Council.

Directors – Central Government and Regulation

  • Mrs Sandra Strinati, Chief Operating Officer, Legal Ombudsman  
  • Dr. Kirsty Hewitson, Executive Director, Knowledge Transfer Network
  • Kay Smith, Executive Director Head of HR, Scottish National Investment Bank
  • Alison Pritchard, Director General – Data Capability, Office for National Statistics
  • Dame Gillian Guy, Independent Assessor, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Jane Carey, Director of Corporate Services, Professional Standards Authority
  • Cath Denholm, Executive Director Corporate Services, Equality and Human Rights Commission
  • Paula Sanderson, Director of Education and Lifelong Learning, CIPFA
  • Laura Webb, Director of Membership, Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers.

Directors – Community, Protection and Defence

  • Fiona Dolman, Transformation Director, London Fire Brigade
  • Lolade Onabolu, Senior Programme Director, Home Office
  • Clare Chambers, Chief Digital Officer, Northamptonshire Police
  • Penelope Fell, Commercial Director, Disclosure and Barring Service
  • Elaine Sidgwick, Director of Continuous Improvement and Forensic Innovation, Metropolitan Police Service
  • Dr. Natalie Benton, Executive Director of Strategy & Performance, Disclosure and Barring Service
  • Claire Graves, Finance Director, Disclosure and Barring Service
  • Candida Brudenell, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service
  • Heather Elizabeth Whatmore, Senior Programme Director, Home Office.

Directors – Health

  • Georgina Dean, Chief Finance Officer, Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
  • Niamh McKenna, Chief Information Officer, NHS Resolution 
  • Dr. Hilary Lloyd, Chief Nurse, South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • Krishna Kallianpur, Chief Nurse, Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
  • Lisa Cheek, Chief Nurse, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • Kate Maynard, Chief Operating Officer, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust
  • Michelle Veitch, Chief Operating Officer, Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust
  • Frieza Mahmood, Chief People Officer, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
  • Raffaela Goodby, Chief People Officer, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
  • Berenice Groves, Deputy Chief Executive & Chief Operating Officer, Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
  • Nicki Doherty, Deputy Chief Executive Officer & Director of Strategy and Operations, Primary Care Sheffield
  • Mary Pierre-Harvey, Director of Estates & Facilities, Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust
  • Sue Hill, Director of Finance, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
  • Suzanne Robinson, Director of Finance and IM&T, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
  • Liz Romaniak, Director of Finance and Information, Tees Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
  • Jennifer Howells, Director of Finance Strategy and Transformation, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
  • Kate O’Connell, Director of Leeds Strategic Workforce and the Health and Care Academy, Leeds Academic Health
  • Partnership
  • Dr. Sarah Dexter-Smith, Director of People and Culture, Tees Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
  • Nicola Hartley, Director of People and OD, Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust
  • Joanna Newton, Director of Strategy and Planning, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
  • Nicola Tamanis, Executive Director of Finance, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
  • Karen Edge, Chief Finance Officer, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
  • Paula Gardner, Chief Nursing Officer, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
  • Lorna Wilkinson, Chief of Nursing and Midwifery, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
  • Lorraine Burnett, Director of Operations, Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
  • Jaki Lowe, Director of People and Inclusion, Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
  • Laura Pattman, Executive Director of Finance, Primary Care Sheffield
  • Helen Farrington, Executive Director of People and Organisational Development, Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS
  • Foundation Trust
  • Dr Jacqueline Andrews, Medical Director, Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust.

Directors – Housing

  • Jane Castor, Chief Financial Officer, Thirteen Group
  • Anne Costain, Corporate Finance Director, Stonewater
  • Gerri Scott, Group Director Customer Services, L&Q
  • Anjali Manoj Kumar, Technology Director, The Hyde Group
  • Michelle Dawson, Managing Director Community Services Company, Radian Group.

Directors – Education

  • Dr. Simone Clarke, Director of Academic Services and Academic Registrar, Harper Adams University
  • Carina Svensen, Director of Accommodation Catering and Events (ACE), University of Edinburgh
  • Kerry Curtis, Dean of the School of Communication, Royal College of Art
  • Chantelle Faust, Head of Programme, Contemporary Art Practice, Royal College of Art
  • Sarah Cheang, Head of Programme, History of Design, Royal College of Art
  • Professor Naomi Brooks, Professor of Programme Management, University of Warwick.
  • Chantelle Faust, Head of Programme, Contemporary Art Practice, Royal College of Art
  • Sarah Cheang, Head of Programme, History of Design, Royal College of Art.

Directors – Not for Profit

  • Keziah Cunningham, Director of Development, Seafarers UK
  • Eve Hartrick, Director of Finance and Corporate Services, Leeds Cares
  • Deborah Morrell, Director of People, GamCare
  • Dr. Neha Issar-brown, Director of Research Policy and Innovation, Fight For Sight
  • Joanne Smithson, Director Resources – People and Technology, Girlguiding
  • Berenice Levenez, Director Strategy and Transformation, Girlguiding
  • Rachael Franklin, Director of Fundraising, Breast Cancer Now
  • Rukshana Kapasi, Director of Health, Barnardo’s.

Directors – Local Government

  • Abi Onaboye, Director Children’s Commissioning and Community Safety, London Borough of Lambeth
  • Lisa Harris, Strategic Director of Place Services, St Helens Council
  • Karen Wright, Director of Public Health, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council
  • Suki Binjal, Director of Law, Governance and HR, London Borough of Lewisham 
  • Catherine Driscoll, Director of Children’s services, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council
  • Amy Harhoff, Corporate Director of Regeneration, Economy and Growth, Durham County Council
  • Sarah Randall, Assistant Director of Parking Services, London Borough of Newham
  • Michelle Cross, Service Director Mental Health Learning Disabilities and In-House Provision, Kirklees Council
  • Samantha Evans, Executive Director of Finance, Bury Council
  • Kathy Freeman, Executive Director Corporate Resources, London Borough of Lewisham
  • Claire Richardson, Director of Strategic Commissioning, Rochdale Borough Council
  • Gemma Davies, Director of Housing Economy and Planning, Cheshire West & Chester Council
  • Luisa Fulci, Director of Digital Customer and Commercial, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council
  • Pamela Wharton, Director of Children’s Social Care and Early Help, Trafford Council
  • Helen Kemp, Director of Business and Skills, Sheffield City Region
  • Alexis Chappell, Director of Adult Health and Social Care, Sheffield City Council
  • Colette Dutton, Director – Children’s Services, Wigan Council
  • Balvinder Heran, Deputy Chief Executive, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council.

* Of all candidates who declared

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