Jardine, JCT600, Lookers, Marshall and TrustFord employees have been recognised at the Automotive 30% Club’s annual Inspiring Automotive Women Awards.

Women credited with lifting other women as they rise through the ranks, being instrumental in creating inclusive cultures in their organisations, and personally acting to encourage other women to join the sector were informed of their awards wins this morning (October 17) ahead of an official prize-giving at the Luton Hoo Hotel this evening.

Jennifer Koontz, Enterprise Holdings’ assistant vice-president for European airport properties and relations was named as the Inspiring Automotive Woman of the Year 2022.

The Automotive 30% Club said she had been recognised for “the steps she has taken to make significant changes in the diversity journey for Enterprise, and working to prevent the exclusion of women from the workplace by taking action to de-stigmatise women’s health and life stage challenges”.

Five women received Inspiring Automotive Women Special Recognition Awards, with a further 25 awarded with Inspiring Automotive Women Awards.

The Special Recognition winners were: Inclusive Leader Award - Laura Brailey, head of Retail Operations at Mazda UK; HR Game Changer Award - Mandy Smith, HR Business Partner at Close Brothers Motor Finance; Trailblazer Award - Kerry Allred, workshop controller at Marshall Motor Group; Rising Star Award - Joanna Duraj, High Voltage systems Engineer at Bentley Motors; Diversity Champion Award - Hannah Litt for her role as Head of Resourcing and Inclusion at Motorpoint.

Julia Muir, the founder of the Automotive 30% Club, said: “Our 2022 Automotive 30% Club Inspiring Automotive Women Award Winners are an amazing group who have not only made a great contribution to the success of the business in their day job, but have also been fabulous role models to colleagues.

“They are lifting and motivating others as they have risen in their careers.

“As wonderful ambassadors and advocates for the sector, they have inspired the next generation of women to join the automotive industry and have promoted their companies as inclusive employers of choice.”

This year’s awards were sponsored by Jardine Motors Group for a fourth consecutive year. 

Nominations were open for all women within the sector, allowing individuals to nominate any woman on the basis that they had been personally inspired by them.

The remaining 2022 Inspiring Automotive Women Award Winners are:

  • Camilla Ellerton - marketing director Auto Trader UK
  • Nicole Melillo Shaw - commercial operations director Volvo Car UK
  • Claire Fussey - senior retention manager, Motonovo Finance
  • Becky Hughes - account manager, Close Brothers Motor Finance
  • Natasha Freed - local business development manager, Jardine Motors Group
  • Francesca Hancox - new and used sales controller, TrustFord
  • Samantha Reed - head of compliance, Lookers Plc
  • Steph Brindley - regional operations lead, Solus Accident Repair
  • Claire Graham - group rental manager, North West, Enterprise Rent a Car
  • Sarah Brooks Pearce - future talent manager, Auto Trader UK
  • Leanne Chevannes - service manager, Lookers
  • Charlotte Brown - head of safety and security, JCT600
  • Lindsey Wilson Wood - general sales manager, Motorpoint
  • Anne Woodward - manager fleet services projects, Volvo Car UK
  • Polly Caldwell - product lead, Auto Trader UK
  • Nikki Simms - group customer service and complaint resolution manager, Lookers
  • Tori Patrick - vice-president of airports for European operations, Enterprise Rent A Car
  • Jane Cusdin-Harris - global vehicle ecommerce manager, Jaguar Land Rover
  • Laura Harvey - director of communications, Auto Trader UK
  • Laura Griffin - regional manager South East, MotoNovo Finance
  • Annalise Eldred - head of customer contact centres, Lookers
  • Karen Boulton - network people business partner, Volkswagen Group UK
  • Lisa Minty - senior account manager, MotoNovo Finance
  • Rachel Shepherd - general manager people and workplace experience, Toyota GB
  • Louise Gardner - head of talent, diversion and inclusion, Stellantis

Founded in 2016 by Julia Muir, the chief executive of Gaia Innovation Ltd, the Automotive 30% Club is a network of 66 automotive CEOs and MDs who are increasing female representation in their organisations in order to reap the benefits of a gender-balanced business.

Member businesses are aiming to achieve at least 30% of key leadership or decision-making roles to be filled with diverse women by 2030 through the “30 by 30” strategy.