Chadwick’s award, accepted by the company’s managing director Rachael Chadwick-Harrison, was based on the success it achieved for a client with a team of over 150 staff: redefining financial capabilities, instigating a sustainable culture of commercial accountability, and enabling significant growth and investment, including a £4 million debt consolidation and a £5.2 million private equity investment.

“The programme not only transformed the business,” explained Rachael, “but has transformed how the business sees itself. Finance is no longer reactive, it is strategic.”

Women In Change was founded in 2022 by Sarah Bar-Lev, when she was Head of Change at the Ministry of Defence, to fill what she saw as the absence of a dedicated platform for women in business to connect, support and empower one another. In addition to the annual awards, it also organises networking events, business lunches, training courses and an international summit, and has affiliate organisations in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands.