Prime Highlights:

• The East Midlands Chamber’s Enterprising Women network marked International Women’s Day with a conference in Derby, featuring keynote speeches, panels, and the launch of the 2026 Enterprising Women Awards.
• Keynote speaker Sian Gabbidon, The Apprentice winner and founder of Sian Marie, shared tips for women to succeed and reach their full potential in business.

Key Facts:

• Women now hold 43% of FTSE 350 board positions and 31% of boards in the 50 largest private companies, showing steady progress since 2011.
• The conference brought together hundreds of East Midlands businesswomen to share experiences, inspire leadership, and strengthen professional networks.

Background:

The East Midlands Chamber’s Enterprising Women network celebrated International Women’s Day with its yearly conference. The Derby event at Vaillant LIVE featured speeches, panels, and the launch of the 2026 Enterprising Women Awards.

Keynote speaker Sian Gabbidon, the winner of The Apprentice and the founder of Sian Marie, talked about how women can thrive in business. Leading supporters of the event were Barclays and Knights, and the discussions throughout the day revolved around the theme #GiveToGain.

The conference also highlighted the latest FTSE Women Leaders Review, showing women now hold 43% of FTSE 350 board positions and 31% of boards in the 50 largest private companies. While this is progress since 2011, when women held under 10% of FTSE 350 board seats, speakers said more work is needed to increase representation.

Enterprising Women co-founders Eileen Perry MBE DL and Jean Mountain opened the event, celebrating nearly 30 years of supporting female entrepreneurs and leaders in the East Midlands. Perry encouraged women to aim higher and praised the network for highlighting leadership and innovation. Mountain spoke about the creativity and resourcefulness of East Midlands businesswomen and said sharing experiences can inspire future leaders.

Several speakers offered personal career advice. Barclays’ Nazreen Visram encouraged giving sponsorship, access to networks, and support, especially for women from underrepresented backgrounds. Sandra Wiggins, CEO of Women on Boards CIC and 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award winner, stressed the value of celebrating success to create role models for future generations.

TV presenter Anne Davies led panels on workplace challenges. Jenny Colver from Knights and Felicity Kemp from Vaillant Live spoke about supporting women in business and promoting diversity.

The conference brought together hundreds of East Midlands businesswomen to share experiences, inspire leadership, and build stronger networks. Organizers said the event demonstrated the region’s progress while encouraging women to continue driving change in business leadership.