Women In Trade Associations honours pay tribute to GCA, GA and BHETA female heads
International Women’s Day got off to a great start for GCA ceo Amanda Fergusson – she was named among the top 100 females in the inaugural Women In Trade Associations Powerlist.
A collaboration between the Federation Of Small Businesses (FSB), Confederation Of British Industry (CBI), and Trade Association Forum, the list was announced yesterday – the annual 8 March focal point for women – to celebrate and recognise inspirational women in the sector.
Celebrating International Women’s Day after a GCA council meeting held at the offices of Spring & Autumn Fair organisers Hyve Group yesterday, Amanda said: “I’m honoured to be selected to join a group of such inspirational women. It’s fantastic to have another opportunity to champion the greeting card sector, and I’m delighted to play a part in celebrating female leadership.”
The list was compiled from over 200 public nominations, and a selection panel from the three organisers selected the 100 women to make up the inaugural list, which can be viewed here – and it includes other women from trade associations connected to the greetings and gifts industries, such as Sarah Ward, ceo of The Giftware Association; Seema Grantham, BHETA’s housewares sector manager; Dids Macdonald, ceo and co-founder at Anti-Copying In Design; Anne Bingham, head of communications at Federation Of Independent Retailers; UK Warehousing Association ceo Clare Bottle; Helen Dickinson, ceo at British Retail Consortium; Dimitra Rappou, director of recycling at Confederation Of Paper Industries, and Meeka Walwyn-Lewis, head of membership operations at British Printing Industries Federation.
The GA’s Sarah Ward commented: “I am so honoured to have made this list and be celebrated in this way. There are so many other powerful women here too, so I am privileged to share this achievement with them and for the power of our industry.”
Selection panel chairman Nicola Bates, who is also strategy and external affairs director of the Portman Group trade group for UK alcoholic beverage producers and brewers, said: “It has been a real pleasure to be able to bring the CBI, FSB and TAF together to champion the role of women in trade associations, celebrate their achievements and encourage the next generation of women into the association sector.”
FSB ceo Julie Lilley added: “I’m proud to lead a diverse organisation with strong representation of women at every level. This is true for our staff team but also our volunteers who are small business owners/self-employed right across the UK.
“As FSB was involved in setting up this initiative and the judging process, it would not be right to have also taken some of the slots – but I want to take this moment to say how brilliant the list is, to thank the Trade Association Forum, and reiterate my pride for FSB’s women. Well done to everyone in the list and involved.”
TAF chairman Gaynor Pates, also operations director of the Rail Industry Association, commented: “We are incredibly lucky to have so many brilliant women in trade associations, all of whom are experts in their sector and many who have smashed glass ceilings and succeeded in traditionally male dominated sectors.
“Since I became chair of the Trade Association Forum it has been a personal mission of mine to make sure that these brilliant women receive the recognition they deserve.”
