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Creating positive footprints

#FQ2 at The Shard


#FQ2 at the Shard was hugely successful! 

Sincere thanks to our sponsors Addidi for generously supporting the event, to our hosts Warwick Business School and Enterprise Research Centre, and to Marketing Nest and The Sourcing Team for the goodie bags.

After a warm welcome from Professor Stephen Roper on behalf of  WBS and ERC, we were inspired by Alan Mak MP who is not only a strong advocate for female enterprise he also stressed the importance of STEM subjects.


After an introduction from Pink Shoe Founder Helene Martin Gee delegates heard from the ERC's Mark Hart with fascinating facts and figures on women's entrepreneurship in the UK. 

Jill Pay, chairman of the Pink Shoe Senate then outlined the work of the Economic Blueprint and how vital this is to encourage and support more UK women to establish and grow their businesses.

We were honoured to be joined by our US Partners WIPP International with a powerful keynote from President Jennifer Bisceglie, herself a successful business owner.

Lively and informative presentations followed from two of the workstreams. The Access to Markets team of Maggie Berry, Ishreen Bradley and Marianne Schoenig shared with us their work on supporting procurement initiatives and the creation of a business hub so that women can cluster to win more contracts.  We then heard from Anna Sofat, founder of Addidi and a passionate advocate of women investing in women.

The prestigious panel of Sarah Anderson CBE, Derek Browne, Dinah Bennett OBE and Julia Elliott Brown, was chaired by Jennifer Bisceglie and moderated by Sue Lawton MBE. Closing remarks from Baroness Burt of Solihull brilliantly captured the upbeat mood of the day.

During the Champagne afternoon tea we were delighted to be joined by Business Minister Anna Soubry, who said: “In the 21st century, women-led businesses should get a fairer share of the market. That is why I welcome the development of the UK Economic Blueprint and the work of the Pink Shoe Foundation to give talented women a strong, influential voice.”