Winners crowned at the Women in Governance, Risk and Compliance Awards 2024

 Following over 500 applications and the shortlisting of over 100 finalists, the esteemed Women in Governance, Risk and Compliance Awards judging panel chose winners for each of the Awards’ 15 categories.

Those winners were announced last night in a glamorous Gala final held at the palatial St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, in the heart of the nation’s capital. Among them was Kathryn Hollingworth, UKSBS, who took home the title of Woman of The Year 2024. 

The event marked the culmination to a programme that recognises, promotes and supports women working in Governance Risk & Compliance; it champions their peers and advocates, and helps to foster the next generation of GRC business leaders. 

This, the third Women in Governance, Risk and Compliance Awards, was sponsored and supported by a range of high-profile industry names, including: CyberCx, Archer, Acuity Risk Management, Capgemini, Origami Risk, Diligent, Exterro, Protiviti, Enhesa, and GRC World Forums. 

The ceremony was hosted by Nicola Dowdall, Managing Director of GRC World Forums. Addressing those in attendance, Nicola spoke of her honour leading the evening’s proceedings and witnessing the coming together of so many to celebrate the remarkable achievements of women leading the way in their respective fields.

“GRC plays a pivotal role in the modern business landscape, ensuring that organisations operate with integrity, manage risks effectively, and comply with ever-changing regulations,” Nicola said.

“Ladies, we are with you, and through our Women in GRC initiative we will help promote you as much as we can. It is through events like tonight’s that we will shine the spotlight on the incredible contributions that women make to ensuring that working within a GRC role is exciting, rewarding and can lead to leadership positions,” she continued.

“We are here to celebrate trailblazers, innovators, and leaders; women who have tackled complex challenges, implemented ground-breaking solutions, and driven impactful change within their organisations. These awards are not just a recognition of individual accomplishments but a testament to the collective power of women in Governance Risk and Compliance,” she added.

The Women in Governance, Risk and Compliance Awards winners 2024 are:

• GRC Rising Star of the Year Award - Jessie Williams, Excello Law

• GRC International Rising Star of the Year - Hemal Bhavsar, Bayer CropScience Limited

• GRC Employer of the Year – Vodafone

• GRC Innovator of the Year - Margarita Derelanko, IvyRehab

• GRC Ambassador of the Year - Izabella Stueflotten, Elasticito

• Head of Legal of the Year - Annick O’Brien, CybSafe

• Head of Governance of the Year - Lauren de Thibault, Vodafone 

• Chief Compliance Officer of the Year - Tina Forrester, Liverpool John Moores University

• CEO of the Year- Ilana Krancenblum, Sqope Intelligence

• Chief Risk Officer of the Year - Julia Nicol, SecuriGroup

• Information Security Officer of the Year - Astha Keshariya, Nexi Group, Germany

• GRC Role Model of the Year - Alice Short, Protiviti

• Chief Privacy Officer of the Year Award - Kathryn Hollingworth, UKSBS 

• GRC Team of the Year Award - YouGov plc Governance Department and Dr Martens, Airwair International Ltd 

• WOMAN OF THE YEAR - Kathryn Hollingworth, UKSBS

Highly Commended

• Chief Compliance Officer of the Year – Camila Witt, InPay

• GRC Ambassador of the Year – Juliana Oliveira Nascimento, KPMG/ Compliance Women Committee

• GRC Role Model of the Year - Zahra Gill, Starling Bank