UCC director of development named WMB Businesswoman of the Year

PROGRESSIVE academic Dr Jean van Sinderen-Law, director of development at UCC, has won the WMB Businesswoman of the Year Award 2010.

Women Mean Business (WMB) managing director Rosemary Delaney said: “Jean ticked a number of unique boxes. She demonstrated to the judges a great track record in achieving and excelling in her targets, which are in the multimillions. She also showed that science and business can mix by using the knowledge she gained during her scientific education to place her in a unique position of driving growth both at UCC and in a wider context.”

Caroline Casey won the Accenture WMB Big Idea award for her ambitions to develop Ireland’s first social franchise, through the Ability Awards, on a global basis. Jillian van Turnhout, CEO Children’s Rights Alliance, won the Newstalk WMB Social Entrepreneur Award. Nikki Evans, founder of PerfectCard Ltd, won the WMB Entrepreneur of the Year Award. The Microsoft WMB Woman in Technology Award was won by innovation and technology expert, Damini Kumar, director of design and creativity at NUI Maynooth and EU ambassador of creativity and innovation.

The awards event featured keynote speaker, Julie Meyer, CEO of Ariadne Capital, who has been listed as one of Europe’s Top 30 Most Influential Women by Wall Street Journal.

Also speaking was Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, head of 20-first, a consultancy that helps build gender “bilingual” organisations. Also taking to the stage was Dr Phillip Matthews, President of National College of Ireland. The theme this year was “Believe in Change”.