“As Great Women celebrates its eighth year, the number and quality of entrants keeps getting bigger and better. It’s a privilege to be a part of this initiative.
“The judging gets ever harder as more and more women are recognised for their achievements by industry leaders, peers and colleagues. What’s great about that is it demonstrates how passionate they are about their careers and their commitment to making a difference.”
Joining Prasher on the judging panel are her Haymarket colleagues from Autocar’s editorial team: Jim Holder, Rachel Burgess, Mark Tisshaw and Piers Ward. Mike Hawes, chief executive of the SMMT, and Emma Butcher, head of communications at the SMMT, are also judges.
The judging team is also ably assisted by executive search specialists from Ennis and Co, who use their expertise and contacts to ensure the very best Rising Stars are recognised.
Hawes said: “We’re proud to join Autocar once again to celebrate the rising female stars who are channelling their passion into the automotive industry.
“As the Great Women initiative continues to develop, championing both the dedication and an ever-widening skill set of women within the industry, the awards can only help encourage the brightest and best talent – inclusive of all diversities and genders – into what is one of the most exciting and fast-moving of industries and one which has a tremendous future in the UK.”
When the Rising Stars award was last run in 2021, Hannah Denton, then area fleet manager for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, took the prize and beat tough competitors with her drive and determination in the process. She was the second-most successful fleet manager by volume in the whole of Volkswagen Group UK in 2018.
Our categories for the 2023 awards extend to: Customer Aftercare; Diversity, Equality and Inclusion; Marketing; Manufacturing; Mobility and Digital; Operations; PR and Communications; Purchasing; Sales – Retail; Sales – OEM; Vehicle Development and Apprentice.
Autocar’s Great Women 2023 is proudly sponsored by APC UK, Aston Martin, BMW, Bosch, CitNow, Horiba MIRA, Inchcape, Jardine Motors, LEVC, Lookers, McLaren Automotive, Nissan, Pendragon, Stellantis and Toyota.