Now in its tenth consecutive year, the Northern Power Women Awards take place on Thursday 12th March at Manchester Central Convention Complex.
Whittled down from 1800 nominations by a rigorous judging process, we are proud to announce the 2026 Northern Power Women Awards Power List!

Co-Headline Partners

2026 power list

OPEN TO THOSE WHO IDENTIFY AS FEMALE

Christine Haigh

Engineering Project Director at AstraZeneca

Clare Roberts OBE

Chief Executive Officer at Kids Planet Day Nurseries Limited

Dame Irene Hays

Founder/CEO at Hays Travel

Donna Scully

Owner / Director at Carpenters Group

Emma Porter

Founder at The Rebuild Site CIC

Fiona Ashcroft

CEO at Alder Hey Children's Charity

Humma Nizami

CEO at Race Equality Network

Jacqui Leggetter

Head of Data Platforms at DWP Digital

Katie Romanowska

Military Officer at Queen Alexandra Royal Naval Nursing Service

Lauren Rogers

Managing Partner - Paid Search at dentsu

Lisa Tonge

Senior Director Manufacturing at AstraZeneca

Louise Cheeseman OBE

Founder and Chair at Women in Bus and Coach

Marie Hamilton

Strategic Partnership Director at Microsoft

Naomi Begum-inglis OBE

Senior Technology Executive - Board Member at Independent

Nicky Wake

Founder at Chapter 2 Dating Ltd & Don't Panic Events

Professor Liz Todd Obe

Professor of Educational Inclusion at Newcastle University

Rebecca Fox

Founder/CIO at Relentica

Saira Hussain

Architectural Designer at HAD & Co

Sandie Forte- Gill

Customer Director at National Highways

Sarah Walton

Managing Partner at Weightmans LLP

Sarah Blake

Chief People Officer at Stagecoach Group

Shalni Arora

CEO at Savannah Wisdom

Sharon Benson

Board-level People and Organisation Transformation Leader at Colleague Central Ltd

Victoria Gosling OBE

CEO at GB Snowsport

Check out our Finalist 2026 here