Women in the City

Company: Women in the City, London, United Kingdom
Company Description: Launched in 2003 by Gwen Rhys, Women in the City hs developed a strong brand presence in London's business hubs. It promotes, recognizes and rewards female talent and runs a highly successful annual Lunch, an Awards Programme and other products and services to support proefssional business women.
Nomination Category: Company/Organization Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Women Helping Women Award

Nomination Title: WOMEN IN THE CITY

Describe for the judges the activities and accomplishments of the nominated individual or organization during the eligibility period (up to 500 words):

In 2003 Gwen Rhys invited a few women working in the City to bring female colleagues to lunch. The idea gathered momentum, attracted media attention and within three months, 200 women gathered to hear an inspirational speaker, share experiences and network.

This simple idea became Women in the City (WIC). Led by Gwen and supported by a small team, WIC promotes, recognizes and rewards female talent and creates opportunities for women to achieve their career goals.

WIC’s Annual Lunch, attended by 350 women in November 2010, is one of the City’s signature events. Like all WIC gatherings, it has “that special atmosphere” - motivating and inspiring – created in large part by Gwen’s inspiration, energy and passion and the meticulous event management of Marianne Bosak.

In 2007, Gwen created the Woman of Achievement Award to recognize senior women who, in addition to fulfilling a demanding job, are actively supporting the progress of women. This year, two new Award categories have been introduced – Medicine/Healthcare and Technology.

Winning this Award enables highly successful women to raise their profile internally and externally with many gaining promotion to the very highest of levels.

The Future Leaders Award held its inaugural Award Ceremony in July 2010. Identifying high potential leaders the Award Prize includes a place on the Cranfield School of Management Accelerated Talent Development Programme. The 2010 Award winner gained the “courage” to seek promotion and a finalist the “confidence” to put herself forward for Partnership. She also accessed funding to develop an in-house women’s programme.

Gwen’s ability to build long-term mutually beneficial relationships is key to WIC’s success. This year she secured sponsorship from global brands such as Google, Barclays Capital, Barclays Wealth, Heidrick & Struggles, PWC; partner with leading academic institutions like University of Chicago Booth School of Business and Cranfield School of Management and gain backing from the UK’s major professional institutions, including the Medical Women’s Federation. It’s hard to say “no” to her!

She supports growing businesses, especially those managed by women, to benefit from being part of the WIC “family”. Offering sound and motivating business advice she also promotes their products and services to WIC’s 4000- strong database.

Through WIC’s Internship Programme female students are able to network beyond their usual circles, gain confidence from hosting at events, speak with enthusiasm about WIC at interviews, acquire valuable business and life skills, and secure jobs. One participant said “I remember Gwen’s words and every day I make sure my voice is heard in a male-dominated office.”

Recently Gwen has been working to set up the WIC Foundation to “enable young people to make better informed and more aspirational career choices.” She is partnering with The Capital Community Foundation to run a pilot programme in 2012 for which she has already secured funding from corporate and individual donations. She plans to launch a major fundraising campaign to fund the Foundation’s development in the first quarter of 2013.

List the URLs (web addresses) of any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that you would like the judges to see that support your entry. IMPORTANT: List each URL on a separate line, begin each URL with http://, and enclose each URL in square brackets. For example, [http://www.yourcompany.com/pressrelease.html]:

General Coverage 2011
http://www.citywomen.co.uk/images/pdf/glossy_women_in_the_city.pdf
http://careers.guardian.co.uk/careers-blog/why-we-need-more-women-in-it

Hear Gwen Rhys interviewed about the Women in the City Awards 2011
http://blog.patientsknowbest.com/

How our Future Leaders Winner Benefits from Award Prize 2011
http://www.som.cranfield.ac.uk/som/p16453/Programmes-and-Executive-Development/General-Management-Development/Which-Programme/Accelerated-Talent-Development-Programme/Future-Leaders-Award?gclid=CO7f9PG5-6kCFQEf4Qod3FQ8Vw

Read how WIC has raised the profile of its Award Winners
http://www.citywomen.co.uk/images/pdf/FinalWomenomics30.11.10.pdf
http://www.negociosennavarra.com/actualidad/leire-jimenez-una-navarra-en-la-city/
http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?referral=other&pnum=16&refresh=Bt70p1R93Yn1&EID=560ef836-fdf9-4bad-8f4b-7af98ae8145f&skip=&p=16
http://www.consulting-times.com/August2010/3.aspx
http://news.top-consultant.com/Japan/Felicia-Trewin-wins-Future-Leaders-Award-2010-7054.html
http://www.postonline.co.uk/post/news/1929365/career-path-csr-zurich-director-wins-women-city-award?WT.rss_f=News&WT.rss_a=Career+path+%26+CSR%3A+Zurich+director+wins+top+Women+in+the+City+award
http://www.mapfreassistance.co.uk/leire_jimenez_award_story
http://www.consultoras.org/frontend/aec/PwC-M-A-Specialist-Pam-Jackson-Named-The-City%92s-Leading-Woman-In-Business-impn13564
(in Spain)
http://www.big4.com/news/pricewaterhousecoopers-pwc-london-city-awards-honors-pam-jackson
http://www.buildscotland.co.uk/construction_news.asp?newsid=119393
http://www.propertyweek.com/news/uk/prps-cathy-stewart-wins-women-in-the-city-award/5008605.article
http://www.pm-select.co.uk/news/view/and-the-winner-is/
http://www.ukmediacentre.pwc.com/content/Detail.aspx?ReleaseID=4002&NewsAreaID=2
http://www.citywomen.co.uk/images/pdf/CSC%20Lusso%20edited.pdf
http://www.citywomen.co.uk/images/pdf/wip_woa_winner-2010.pdf
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e6fccf4a-15b7-11de-b9a9-0000779fd2ac.html#axzz1ZFZAJQ9F
http://www.pfmonthenet.net/featuresarchive/article.aspx?ArticleID=30183
http://www.fm-world.co.uk/news/fm-industry-news/barclays-global-head-of-fm-wins-city-award/
http://www.accountancyage.com/aa/news/1868254/pwc-partner-wins-women-city-award
http://www.theglasshammer.com/news/2009/01/05/women-in-the-city-winner-lisanne-schloss-vice-president-property-services-morgan-stanley/
http://www.pressemeldinger.no/read.asp?recno=88627
http://www.cbre.dk/dk_en/news_events/news_detail?p_id=3727
http://www.financeweek.co.uk/fw-comment/women-finance-shortlisted-awards
http://www.building.co.uk/qs/rlf-staff-wins-women-in-the-city-award/3126422.article
http://www.bdonline.co.uk/news/uk/prps-cathy-stewart-wins-women-in-the-city-award/5008605.article
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20071130005030/en/Mandy-Mannix-Lehman-Brothers-Scoops-Women-City
http://www.theglasshammer.com/news/2008/12/02/women-in-the-city-celebrate/
http://www.build.co.uk/construction_news.asp?newsid=119393
http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/F0F08A52-F759-4541-8554-845E511DA9D4/0/UR_Skillsmatters_finalforweb.pdf
(page 23)
http://www.efinancialnews.com/topic/gwen-rhys?mod=articletags
http://www.mpmagazine.com/xq/asp/txtSearch.Financial+services/exactphrase.1/sid.0/articleid.1129C02B-3ED8-4B91-9B3C-2A1E8375D0A9/qx/display.htm
http://www.reuters.com/article/2007/11/30/idUS7201+30-Nov-2007+BW20071130

Access copies of our ezine, Cutting Edge LITE
http://www.citywomen.co.uk/?p=cutting-edge-lite

Read our magazine Cutting Edge (published 2008 and 9)
http://www.citywomen.co.uk/pdf/cutting-edge-july-2009.pdf
http://issuu.com/nakedcreativity/docs/cutting_edge_november_2009_final_low_res/1
http://www.citywomen.co.uk/cutting-edge/index.html

View copies of the Souvenir Programmes from our Award Ceremonies
http://www.citywomen.co.uk/pdf/SouvenirProgrammeWebsite.pdf( Lunch 2010)
http://citywomen.co.uk/images/pdf/fl_souvenir_programme_lr.pdf (Future Leaders
Award 2011)

Read profiles of our Award Winners
http://www.citywomen.co.uk/?p=future-leaders-award

Read about WIC’s values
http://www.citywomen.co.uk/?p=our-values

See our energizing events
http://www.citywomen.co.uk/?p=gallery

Read about Women in the City, Gwen Rhys and her contributions to other
websites
http://www.womenonline.org.uk/ (page 20 of magazine)
http://www.wearethecity.com/2010/05/20/inspiration-women-gwen-rhys-founder-and-director-of-women-in-the-city/
http://www.aat-jobs.co.uk/InfoPage.aspx?page=Inspiring-City-career-honoured-in-London-ceremony
http://www.fssc.org.uk/skillsmatters_8_web_edition.pdf (page 12)
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/recruiter_forum/article6209993.ece
http://www.graddiary.com/interview-tips/looking_the_part_women_in_the_city/
http://www.findnetworkingevents.com/articles/Index.cfm?action=article&articleid=26
http://www.cityliveryclub.com/newsletters/pdfs/Spring10.pdf
http://herinvitation-test.com/our-blog/city-women-awards-enter-now-weekend-competition
http://www.europeanpwn.net/index.php?article_id=686
http://www.eventmagazine.co.uk/news/1066021/City-PA-launch-Connect-networking-event/
http://careers.guardian.co.uk/careers-blog/live-q-a-pay-and-prospects-the-big-issues-for-women-in-finance
http://www.fssc.org.uk/skillsmatters_issue_5.pdf (page 4)
http://www.theglasshammer.com/news/2009/06/23/being-in-the-right-room-networking-professionally-for-professional-women/
http://www.bidiversity.com/2009/08/blame-men-for-the-credit-meltdown/
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/stop_women_leaving_the_city_1_620256
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/4187087/International-Networking.html

Our first media coverage in 2003
http://www.womeninlondon.org.uk/archive/arch19992003/gwen0311.htm

Provide a brief biography of the nominated person, or of the person or persons who lead the nominated organization (up to 100 words):

Gwen set up her first business in 1979, sold it in 1987 and initiated UK-wide projects that forged links between business and education. In 1995 she started n ew-network to support female entrepreneurs and continued to run this network after setting up Networking Culture Limited until 2003 when she launched Women in the City.

She is a Liveryman and Court Assistant in the Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers; was named Management Champion by the CMI City Branch in 2009; is a Town Councillor; a fellow of the RSA and mentors young people.

If the nominee in this category is an organization rather than an individual, choose one (even if both apply):

The CEO (or other principal manager) of this company is a woman, and at least 40% of the management team is comprised of women.

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Women in the City