Operations director for Common Purpose in the Midlands, Louise Teboul, has been shortlisted for a prestigious female leaders award.

Now in its ninth year, The Forward Ladies National Awards & Summit sees 51 female leaders from across the Midlands region shortlisted for 11 awards.  Louise, who runs leadership development programmes in the region and sits on Common Purpose UK’s senior management team, has been shortlisted in the Public Sector/Academia/Not for Profit Sector category.

During her 13 years at the not-for-profit leadership development organisation Common Purpose, Louise has worked with many of the region’s senior leaders and delivered customised pieces of work, including programmes for The Met Office, Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health Trust, JCB, Birmingham City University and University of Exeter.  Founded in 1989, Common Purpose has more than 75,000 alumni and runs programmes in over 100 cities worldwide, including Birmingham. 

Forward Ladies is a global platform that connects women to opportunities, networks, businesses and expertise that empowers them.  Founded in 1991, they work with some of the biggest names in business, and run a women’s network with a reach across the UK and beyond, supporting and showcasing the best of female talent across the UK.

Louise said: “It’s really exciting to be nominated for this award. It’s lovely recognition, and although we have small teams at Common Purpose, we have lots of help and support, so I see it as recognition for the work we do with all of our partners and supporters.”

Jennifer Crawley, UK head of performance for small business banking at HSBC UK and chief judge said: “We’re proud to be working with Forward Ladies as part of our ongoing commitment to supporting women in business across the UK.  Each year we are inspired by the number of high-calibre entries, and this year has highlighted the exceptionally talented businesswomen we have in the UK.”

Winners from the Midlands will join other regional finalists at a live panel of independent judges with the national winners announced at the Grand Final in Leeds in December.

This year’s judges also include the founder of Coffee Republic, a professor of entrepreneurship at Lancaster University, former CIO of Royal Mail, and an angel investor.