NatWest WISE100 2019: Top women in social enterprise revealed

The names of the UK’s top 100 women in social enterprise and impact investment have just been revealed.

Produced annually by Pioneers Post in partnership with NatWest Social & Community Capital, the WISE100 – Women in Social Enterprise 100 – recognises the most inspiring and influential women in social enterprise, impact investment and mission-driven business.

Names were selected this year from almost 300 nominations submitted by the public, with the final 100 revealed this evening at a special celebration event at NatWest's conference centre in Bishopsgate, central London. 

The awards event followed our very first WISEUP event – a day of learning and networking for women in the WISE100 network, delving into real-life business challenges and debating the role of women in social enterprise. Speakers on the day included Mursal Hedayat, co-founder and CEO of social enterprise Chatterbox and Sam Smethers, CEO of the gender equality campaigning organisation Fawcett Society. The evening celebration is to be opened by the campaigner against modern slavery and member of the House of Lords, Baroness Lola Young.

The WISE100 judges for this third annual celebration of female leadership were: Mary Rose Gunn, CEO at The Fore; Celia Hodson, founder and CEO at Hey Girls; Niamh Goggin, director at Small Change; Bayo Adelaja, 'chief do-er' at Do it Now Now; Parveen Bird, director at The Big Issue; and Jo Hand, founder of Giki. They were supported by a judging panel with representatives from both Pioneers Post and NatWest, including CEO of Social & Community Capital, Megan Peat.

Scroll down to find out who made the list in each of the six categories – and for more insight and inspiration from leading women in social enterprise, have a look at our WISE100 Collection. 

Among the 100 women included on this year’s list, the judges selected seven outstanding leaders to take home a special award for each category. The winners are:

• Social Business Leaders of the Year: Kate Smith and Laura Walker, joint directors of Memory Matters SW CIC
• One to Watch: Zakia Moulaoui, founder of Invisible Cities
• Social Finance Champion: Isabelle Irani, director at Sumerian Partners
• Women’s Champion: Andrea Gamson, head of learning at _Social Starters
• Anchor-Woman: Paula Healey, operations manager at IncomeMax CIC 
• Environmental Champion: Sophie Lejeune, founder and manager of Society Zero_CIC

Anab Abdalla, Founder and Director, Sahan Cares CIC 

Andrea Coleman, CEO, Two Wheels For Life

Anne Walsh, CEO, NI Music Therapy Trust (t/a Every Day Harmony)  

Ayeshah Khan, Founder and Director, The Health and Wellness Hub

Camilla Marcus-Dew, Head of Sustainable Growth, CLARITY & Co. 

Caroline Morgan, CEO, Local Food Links 

Celia Hodson, CEO, Hey Girls CIC 

Devi Clark, Managing Director, Impact Hub Kings Cross 

Dr Asha Patel, Founder, CEO and Clinical Psychologist, Innovating Minds CIC 

Dr Hinnah Rafique, Founder and Director, Generation Medics 

Emma Allen, COO, Spiral Skills CIC 

Emma Baines, CEO, Find Your Voice 

Esther Foreman, CEO, The Social Change Agency 

Helen O'Donnell, CEO and Director of Partnerships, Children's University 

Jaya Chakrabarti, CEO and Director, Tiscreport 

Jo-Anne Shellum, Founding Director, Sociability Care CIC

Joanne Cholerton, CEO, 3SC 

Julie Hawker and Kate Doodson, Joint CEOs, Cosmic 

Karen Lynch, CEO, Belu 

Kate Smith and Laura Walker, Joint Directors, Memory Matters SW CIC (WINNERS)

Katharine Hibbert, Founder and Director, Dot Dot Dot Property Guardians 

Kim Rihal, Co-founder and Partnerships Director, Equal Education 

Leanna Barrett, CEO and Managing Director, Little Forest Folk 

Liz Tapner, CEO, Selnet 

Lizzie Jordan, Founder and CEO, Think2Speak 

Margaret Patterson-McMahon, CEO, Townsend Enterprise Park 

Marie Cudennec, Co-founder and CEO, Goldfinger Factory 

Marie Marin, CEO, Employers For Childcare 

Mona Shah, Founder, Harry Specters Ltd 

Nisha Tandon, Founder and CEO, ArtsEkta 

PollyAnna Chapman, Co-founder and CEO, Impact Hub Inverness

Rachel Law, CEO, PossAbilities 

Rebecca Burgess, CEO, City to Sea 

Rosanna Mead, Managing Director, Musica Music and Wellbeing CIC 

Saasha Celestial-One, Co-founder, Olio 

Sara Lawton, Director, Construction Impact Framework 

Sarah Wren, CEO, Hertfordshire Independent Living Service 

Sophie Maxwell, Founder, The Really Neet Project 

Stella Gibson, CEO, The Spark 

Tina Jackson, Founder, CEO and Director, The Link CIC 

Zoe Raven, CEO, Acorn Early Years Foundation