Bonmarche chief among winners at Women in Business Awards

The inaugural Barclays Women in Business Awards named Beth Butterwick, chief executive at the Wakefield retailer, as Yorkshire Woman of the Year (Larger Business).

Ms Butterwick was honoured for steering Bonmarche to a successful public listing in 2014, having been placed into administration in 2012.

Victoria Woodings, global board director for Principle Holdings, was named as Rising Star at the event.

Judges applauded Ms Woodings progression from junior to board-level director at the brand implementation business in less than six years.

Joanna Robinson, managing director at manufacturer Mansfield Pollard & Co, won the Woman of the Year (Medium Business) title, after rising rapidly to managing director and restructuring senior management to bring change to the company.

The Outstanding Contribution to Diversity award went to Jenni Macduff, head of community provision for the Brathay Trust in Yorkshire.

Her work has led to the Trust working with an additional 1,300 children each year.

The judging panel included Roger Marsh, chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership, Lucy Thornycroft, CBI Yorkshire regional director and Garry Wilson, managing partner at private equity house Endless.

Debbie Mullen, Barclays Corporate head of Yorkshire, said the bank wanted to recognise exceptional achievements and the contribution they make in the region.

She added: “My hope is in the future we don’t have to have events like this and that more women are recognised in mainstream events. Until that happens, we at Barclays will run this.”