2022 Women In Construction & Engineering Awards

MAY 2022

KIRSTEN LEES DISTINGUISHED WINNER

Congratulations From Zars Media, proud host of tonight's celebrations

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Welcome When we danced the night away at the end of the 2019 WICE awards dinner, none of us expected it would be another 2 years before we are able to celebrate in person.

It was an emotional roller-coaster deciding whether to have this year’s judging day and awards dinner in person, however, with a spirit of optimism, we pressed ahead and almost 500 guests celebrated with us this evening.

I would like to thank the judges for their dedication, time, and energy during the judging day. We would not be here this evening without their support.

To all the companies that keep nominating each year the incredible women in your teams; to the companies that nominated for the first time this year, thank you.

And of course, congratulations to all the nominees, finalists and winners.

Find latest news about WICE AWARDS and share yout experience of the event at: LinkedIn: european-womenin-construction-&-engineering-awards Facebook: wiceawards Twitter: WICEAwards Google +: +Wiceawardseurope

Thank you for celebrating the 2022 WICE awards with us.

AFI OFORI

Managing Director, Zars Media

www.wiceawards.com

THE EUROPEAN WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING AWARDS MAGAZINE - MAY 2022 is published by Zars Media

Official Printer: SPLASH PRINTING

WICE Awards photographers:

www.splashprinting.co.uk

Paul Grace www.pgrace.co.uk @pgracephoto

8 Heath eld Court Fleet, Hampshire GU51 5DX England Tel.: 01252612025 info@wisawards.com

Design by:

Ramis Karamatov Photography www.ramisphotography.com @rms.mains

Yuliya Canavaggio

On the Cover: DISTINGUISHED WINNER OF 2022: KIRSTEN LEES

THE EUROPEAN WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING AWARD / MAY 2022

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IN THIS MAGAZINE 6 DIVERSITY IS THE REWARD FOR INCLUSION

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2022 JUDGES

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18 THE JUDGING PROCESS

22 2022 SPEAKERS

24 2022 FINALISTS

64 WICE AWARDS 2022 WINNERS

164 AT THE WICE AWARDS, EVERYONE’S A WINNER

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156 THE EUROPEAN WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING AWARDS 2022

BY THE NUMBERS

116 COMPANIES

250

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JUDGING DAY AT TENDEES

COUNTRIES

350+ NOMINATIONS

60

174

JUDGES

FINALISTS

25 WINNERS

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DISTINGUISHED WINNER

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Diversity is the Reward for Inclusion

By RINA GOLDENBERG LYNCH, CEO, Voice At The Table

We’re all sold on the importance of Diversity – the more people with different experiences in a team, the better the results of that team’s collaboration. We call this collective intelligence.

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f course, it’s not enough to have a diverse group of people.

In order to benefit from their diverse thinking, we also must have a leader who is able to set the tone for an inclusive environment that allows these thinkers to actively and openly share these experiences.

In other words, Diversity can only be accessed when we have Inclusion.

That’s why we have distilled Inclusion into 8 Inclusive Behaviours(SM): Our Inclusion Behaviours – those that help us become more inclusive (Empathy, Listening, Mitigating Bias and Personal Values) and our Diversity

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Behaviours – those that help us invite difference into our lives (Humility & Vulnerability, Valuing Difference, Use of Language and Speaking Out).

Diversity can only be accessed when we have Inclusion

THE EUROPEAN WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING AWARDS / MAY 2022

Sure, most organisations believe that they are already inclusive. But of course, it’s easy to be inclusive with people who are like us. What about those others who aren’t like us? Do they feel as included? And would they feel welcomed to join your organisation and then contribute with that difference of experience?

To ensure that they do, it’s important to continue to develop our inclusive behaviour. From the newly-hired graduate right up to the CEO, each one of us has room for improvement.

HOW DO THE 8 INCLUSIVE BEHAVIOURS MAKE THE ORGANISATION MORE INCLUSIVE?

Each one of the 8 Behaviours is designed to make us improve in the way we connect with others – be it our colleagues, customers or suppliers. Understanding the behaviours and improving in them increases our performance, engagement and connection with the world around us.

As Atticus Finch said in Hemingway’s To Kill a Mockingbird: “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

He was talking about Empathy. In order for us to be inclusive, we need to be able to understand our colleagues and customers – what’s important to them, how they experience the world, and how we can make it better for them with our conduct, services and products.

How else can we design products for the elderly, for instance, if we cannot empathise with them? If we don’t know how they experience the world around them? Or how do we build social housing that meets the needs of the people who are meant to live there?

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“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

— “To Kill a Mockingbird”, Ernest Hemingway

BEFORE WE CAN EMBARK ON ANY PROJECT, WE NEED TO DEVELOP GREATER EMPATHY.

Similarly, in our teams, we need empathy to understand how our colleagues are feeling so that we might get their best contribution. When we asked a team (in one of our Inclusive Behaviours workshops) to explain why empathy is needed at work, they said things lie “to create a space where everyone feels safe and included, regardless of who they are’ and ‘to bring people together’ and ‘to understand that people from different backgrounds are going through different things in life’.

It’s clear that we appreciate the importance of empathy in the workplace, but not everyone sees the fact that they need to develop their own levels of empathy.

Just think of the many business decisions taken without sufficient empathy that created big losses for

companies. You may have heard of the Chevrolet Nova – a car that never made it in the Spanish-speaking market (comprising most of Latin America, and beyond) because the word Nova was heard as ‘no va’, i.e. ‘no go’ – a bad name for a product that’s supposed to take you places.

Other prominent examples include: Google Glasses – the people behind this product massively overestimated the market’s interest in this new technology, RJ Reynolds’ smokeless cigarettes – the team behind this product misjudged smoker’s emotional connection to the familiar elements of traditional cigarettes (the smoke, the burn and the flick), and New Coke – the creators of this product that was intended to reinvigorate sales of the drink, misinterpreted their customers’ strong preference for the traditional flavour of Coca Cola Classic.

All these flops have one thing in common: the people behind them failed to improve their levels of empathy - better listening skills, greater social awareness and greater desire to understand their stakeholders, including their customers.

And this is just one of the 8 Inclusive Behaviours! Imagine what business gains – with peers and customers – we could make if we were to improve in all 8!

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Women in Construction & Engineering Awards 2022 THE JUDGES / THE JUDGING PROCESS / WICE SUMMIT SPEAKERS

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The Judges —

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Alex Flach

Isabel Coman

UK & I Development Director Whitbread

Managing Director of In House Services and Estates House of Commons

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Alex Naraian Group Head of Technical Churchill Retirement Living

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Allison Broadbent Regional Director. UK & Europe Engineering, Design & Project Management, Faithful+Gould, member of the SNC-Lavalin Group

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Alun Thomas Delivery Director Mount Anvil

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Amanda Illing CEO Gatehouse Chambers

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Anita Prashar Programme Leader Major Projects, Regional Investment Programme (RIP) Highways England

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Anthony Leslie

— Celia Carlisle General Counsel Tideway

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Christina Brown HR Director, UK Construction Services Balfour Beatty plc

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Darren Potter Head Of Delivery Carey Group

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David Burge Global Health & Safety Director BuroHappold Engineering | Operations

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David Savage Partner Charles Russell Speechlys

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Dean Manning VP of Construction Brookfield Properties

Technical Dir, Infrastructure Engineering, Design & Project Management Atkins

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Carol Massay

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Head of Construction The Access Group

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Catherine Hallett Director of Portfolio Management In House Services & Estates UK Parliament

Elaine Lewis Managing Director Cadventure

Erica Carras Associate Director Walker Construction Consultants

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Grant Mobbs UK Strategy and Preconstruction Director Ferrovial Construction

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Helen Barrow Power Generation & Infrastructure Lead UKI Accenture

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Jackie Heath Director Ramboll

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Jacqueline Heron Founder Jacqueline Heron Coaching

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Jamie Hillier Partner Akerlof

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Jane Duncan Founder Jane Duncan Architects

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Jane Towse-Laval Business Director Ground Engineering Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering

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Joanna Mulcahy Commercial Director Transportation J. Murphy & Sons Limited

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Joanna Vezey Technical Director Europe Laing O’Rourke

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Julia Skeete Senior Associate Principal SOM

the judges THE EUROPEAN WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING AWARD / MAY 2022

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the judges 16

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Kam Kullar

Rocio Allende

Director Kam Kullar Consulting

Head of Planning (LSSP) Kier

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Karin Mueller

Mary Ann Smith

Sharon Fasanya

Founder & Managing Director Liebfrog

Director

Managing Director Facet Consulting

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Kath Fotana Director FMS Ltd

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Mary Rose Griffiths

Sharon Young

Partner Gardiner & Theobald LLP

PES Deputy Head & LPDE Bond Street TFL

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Matt Douglas

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Shine Salur

Deputy Managing Director Project Centre Ltd

Director, Group Leader NW &Y Infrastructure Arup

Lead Asset Manager Colas Group

Kevin Scott

Matthew Cova

Susan Hone-Brookes

Operations Director, Construction South West Wates Group

Group Managing Driector Claritas Group

Director of Sustainability chapmanbdsp

Orla Bance

Teresa Borsuk

Managing Director Alchemy Business UK

Senior Advisor Pollard Thomas Edwards

Paul Chandler

Thomas Edgcumbe

Managing Director Wates Group

Managing Director, Surfacing Solutions AggregateIndustries UK

Paula Chandler

Tony O’Donnell

Regional Design Director Wates Group

Engineering Director Mabey Hire

Philippa Spence

Viki James

Managing Director Ramboll UK

Senior Director Consents Management Consultancy Ardent Management Ltd Infrastructure & Regeneration

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Ken Simmonds

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Lauren Blakely Principal Consultant Lendlease

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Lindsay McGibbon Managing Director Balfour Beatty, UK Construction Services

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Dr Louise Brooke-Smith International Development & Strategic Planning Advisor and Non-Executive Director Consilio Strategic Consultancy Ltd

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Lucy Howard UK Head of Infrastructure Markets Turner & Townsend

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Marian Ferguson Founding Director energylab

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Rachel Woolliscroft

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Director BayNel Advisory

Vip Gandhi

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Managing Director Keltbray

Rand Watkins Client Director Atkins

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Ricardo Ferreras UK Construction Director Ferrovial Construction

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Rina Goldenberg Lynch Founder and CEO Voice At The Table

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The Judging Process After a 2-year judging day online it was great to be back in person. Approximately 250 people participated in the 2022 judging day on the 28th of April.

THE JUDGES

THE FINALISTS TIME WITH THE JUDGES

A group of 60 senior executives from various industries were carefully selected as the evaluation panel of independent judges. Their objective was to review the nominations and interview each of the finalists.

This was an opportunity for the finalists to engage the judges by telling them the story of their success. Each judge awarded points across the same criteria. After the interview, all finalists answered one final question: “why should you win the award in your category and how would you use it to make an impact on improving equality and diversity within the construction & engineering sectors?” Each finalist’s overall score was the sum of the scores from the judges.

WHY AN INTERVIEW WITH THE JUDGES?

An in-person interview allows the judges to further assess each finalist’s skills, achievements etc. The interview also complements their review of the submitted nomination forms.

The finalist with the highest score in each category was selected as the winner in that category.

THE JUDGING DAY

THE MOST DISTINGUISHED WINNER OF 2022

The judges were organised into 20 groups; each group was made up of 3 judges and interviewed several finalists

This award is for the finalist who impressed the judges the most and scored the highest

within their assigned categories. Nomination forms and any supporting documents were reviewed by the judges prior to a nominee being selected as a finalist. Each nomination was evaluated and scored out of a total of 5 points. The next stage of the process was an in-person interview with the judges.

FAQ's WHO ARE THE JUDGES? WHERE DO THEY COME FROM?

Zars Media invites judges from countries all over Europe. Judges may be executives with social innovation expertise, businesspeople, educators and university administrators and leading practitioners in the field.

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE JUDGES?

We usually look for executives with backgrounds relevant to the event and with more than 20 years’ experience. We actively recruit and also take suggestions from partners, mentors and past judges.

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WHAT DO THE JUDGES EVALUATE?

Judges review all the entries within their assigned categories and give their scores as per the guidelines.

This will include reviewing the nomination forms and any confidential supplemental documents and project information that is included in the application.

IS THE JUDGING BY INVITATION ONLY, OR CAN I APPLY TO BE A JUDGE?

We recruit judges after screening their profiles using LinkedIn and other news sources. We are happy to consider suggestions. If you’d like to be considered, or suggest future judges, please email judges@wiceawards.com

INTERESTED IN NOMINATING FOR 2023 THE THE EUROPEAN WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING AWARDS?

WWW.WICEAWARDS.COM

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WICE SUMMIT

Speakers 22

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Moderator Jayne Constantinis

Joanna Hills

Story Time with Finalists:

Director of Assets & Services, Raven Housing Trust

Juliet Abbah

Trainer, Presenter, Voice-Over, Speaker

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Sally Grant

Tina Gunnarsson

Misty Nicholson

Senior Engineer, Balfour Beatty Major Projects

Katie Pawlett

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Theeba Ragunathan

Lina Söderberg

Nathalie Richards

Lead Engineer Modern Methods of Construction Balfour Beatty Major Projects

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Shweta Thakur Project Lead. Multiplex

Emily Marner Chloe DeBanks-Hirst Isa Ribeiro Eveline Buyens

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CONGR AT UL AT IONS FROM Z A RS MEDI A PROUD ORGA NIZER OF EUROPE A N WOMEN IN CONS T RUC T ION A ND ENGINEERING AWA RDS 2022

Meet the 2022

Finalists 24

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A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T WOM A N R A IL ENGINEER

ANA COMAS MURO “The world of construction requires talented women to drive and achieve great success. I hope my contribution inspires young women engineers to become part of the rail industry and this profession”

JULIE CURRIE

MARÍA FERNÁNDEZ ALEPUZ

“I am a big believer that gender should not define or limit our career choices or opportunities.”

NATALIA OLSZEWSKA

SIAN HARRY

“I never dreamed about success. I worked for it”

“I am extremely thankful to have been chosen as a finalist for the WICE awards and proud to be amongst such inspiring and successful women”

— Estée Lauder

“There are no limits except the ones you set to yourself”

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A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T WOM A N PROJEC T M A N AGER

ALBA CORRALES

ANNE-LISE GRAS

CHLOE DEBANKS-HIRST

“WICE Awards is a powerful tool to inspire future generations of women to break bias and join the industry without the fear of exclusion”

“It amazes me to see what diverse project teams achieve, when working together with passion and agility towards agreed and shared objectives”

“Whilst there is more to do to create a truly diverse construction industry, I’m proud and excited to be part of its future.”

PALOMA FERNANDEZ RUIZ “To Infinity and Beyond!”

— Buzz Lightyear's, Toy Story.

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ISA RIBEIRO

JULIA HUMPIDGE

KATIE CARDWELL

“Work hard, set yourself to excel at the job you love. Never be afraid to ask. Always be kind. Be resilient. Enjoy the ride”

“I’ve always enjoyed working in the engineering and construction industry, as an engineer who happens to be a woman.

Together we can all achieve.”

“Construction is an exciting and dynamic industry I am passionate about working in and I want to show future generations there are no limits.”

SARAH MCCARTHY

VICTORIA CLIPSHAM

“I believe the cornerstone of successful project delivery is a Project Manager who inspires and fosters a collaborative and high-performing project environment”

“I never imagined that a childhood passion could lead to such a fulfilling career, delivering innovative solutions to the very real challenges of coastal change.”

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A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T WOM A N IN EN V IRONMEN T & SUS TA IN A B IL I T Y

GEMMA SMALL

GERALDINE BADURA

HELEN CHEW

“We are all custodians of the natural and built environment, but engineers have the opportunity and influence to preserve and enhance both. Let’s get to it!”

“Working in the Construction & Engineering industry we have the profound opportunity to create a sustainable future for all – what’s more inspiring than that?”

“To the women who are labelled aggressive and bossy, keep being assertive and keep on leading and more importantly, keep being yourself!”

SALLY KINCHIN “Work hard, play hard, live life to the fullest, be happy and believe in yourself”

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— The Female Lead Helen Craven

PENNY GOWLER

JENNIFER OSHEL “What you do here matters.

It matters today, tomorrow, and for future generations.”

“I am passionate about helping to shift the construction industry towards a more sustainable future which balances society’s needs with the limitations of the planet.”

MARIA ARANZAZU SERO MORA “I am the dancer, not the dance”

SARAH DAVIES “It’s an exciting time to be a woman working in the industry.

We are beginning a journey of delivering projects sustainably – let’s make a difference!”

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A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T WOM A N IN D IGI TA L INNOVAT ION

CATHARINE DASS

HELENA RIVERS

MARTHA TSIGKARI

“I picture myself like a feather floating through time; now is my moment to innovate and conserve our legacy for future generations, a UNESCO World Heritage Site”

“I’m committed to being a visible role model to young women in Engineering and showcasing the opportunity an engineering career it has to offer”

"In our industry, technology is an opportunity for change and growth. It feels incredible to be nominated alongside women who are delivering innovation of the highest quality."

SARA MEHRABI “We live in truly exciting times, with a real prospect of entrenching fact-based, data-driven decision making in critical domains to help with levelling many inequalities.”

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RACHEL SCHOFIELD

REBECCA SEATON

RUTH NORMAN-JOHNSON

“I’ve had the privilege to pursue my education, development, and passions within digital and construction spheres, I want to replicate this for the future generation”

“I'm proud to see my work in digital innovation having a profound impact, motivating transformation for new ways to tackle complex problems in the industry.”

“We’re going through a digital revolution – this is exciting for everyone!

I love to support people in realising their ideas and driving change”

SARAH KEYTE “Embrace opportunities.

Be confident & bold. Use innovation to construct a world to thrive in. Celebrate mentors.

Ensure the route you climbed is intact for other women”

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A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T YOUN G WOM A N IN C ONS T RUC T ION

BETHANY LILLEY

EMILY WOODLOCK

“I enjoy surprising people when they discover I work in construction. I’m breaking down barriers, changing perspectives of women in construction, inspiring the next generation.”

“Everything happens for a reason – Transferring to the Construction Industry has been my best life decision so far. I hope my story inspires others…”

IONA MORRISON “Every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another. We’re strongest when we cheer each other on” — Serena Williams

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ESTÍBALIZ FERNÁNDEZ PALACIOS “Although women are already writing the present, there is still much work to be done.

Thanks to the WICE awards for promoting our talent.”

EVELINE BUYENS

HANNAH DALY

“Don’t let limiting beliefs of women in construction hold you back from growing.

Believe in yourself, step outside the comfort zone and create opportunities”

“I am proud to be a finalist alongside so many talented women. I hope the awards inspire more women to consider a career in construction!”

HAYLEY MILLAR “I consider myself incredibly privileged to do a job where I get to help people facing social challenges”

KEELEY DARBY

LUCY SMITH

“You can dream, create, design, and build the most wonderful place in the world.

But it requires people to make the dream a reality.”

“I am proud to be counted among so many like-minded women in construction who promote, encourage, and inspire others to build a sustainable future.”

— Walt Disney

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A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T YOUNG WOM A N ENGINEER

ELLA CLARK

FRIBA HOSSAINI

“The under-representation of women in construction and engineering is an ongoing issue and I’m grateful to be part of an initiative that is highlighting this.”

“I believe, with the social media platforms that we have in hand, Engineers can inspire young girls through STEM outreach, no matter where we are on the planet.”

JENNIFER GLOVER

MICHEALA CHAN “Your real job is that if you are free, you need to free somebody else.

If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else.”

— Toni Morrison

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“Continuedly developing engineering and construction to a more diverse and successful future ”

KIT WOLVERSON

LISA PARDINI

“It’s fantastic to be nominated alongside these great women; you cannot be what you cannot see and hopefully we all can inspire future generations!”

“I am honoured to participate in this event. I hope that the work I am doing in shaping the energy system of tomorrow can be of inspiration for future young female engineers”

JESSICA CLARK “We can only build a fair world for everyone to live in by taking the time to understand and support each other”

SOPHIE CUTLER

ZOE BALL

“Engineering: a challenge that goes above and beyond a technical problem. Definitely testing at times, but who doesn’t like a challenge?”

“It’s wonderful to see so many women in this industry come together, celebrate our achievements and be passionate for future generations to do the same.”

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A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T WOM A N C ONSULTA N T

AMY SAVAGE

CHARLOTTE FLOWER

EMMA JUDD

“I am proud that my work in flood risk and coastal management provides solutions to complex challenges in a changing world and directly improves people’s lives”

“Whilst working I’ve discovered a fantastic network of female role models, and I hope to follow in their footsteps to inspire others in the future!”

“It’s an honour being shortlisted alongside so many talented women – hopefully the achievements celebrated here inspire more women to consider a career in our industry!”

ROXANA RADUCU “Choosing a career in engineering implies letting your creativity thrive. Creativity combined with perseverance, confidence and hard work are the key to unlock your potential and ensure success.”

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LARA ALVAREZ

RIYA RATHOD

ROSE RICHARDSON

“Sustainability is my passion.

Carving out a career in this field has been a privilege, having my contribution recognised by industry is truly an honour.”

“I truly believe the power for creating a better future is contained in the present moment. By becoming selfaware you can take greater ownership of your own reality.”

“The experience of reflecting on my achievements has been a real boost to my determination to support and inspire the next generation of women into engineering”

RUTH HYNES

SARA SUBTIL

“Sharing knowledge, experience and innovation is vital to improve the construction sector and address the challenges facing our industry.”

“It is an honour to have been selected to be amongst these very talented Women and together celebrate our role in shaping the construction & engineering industry.”

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A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T WOM A N CI V IL ENGINEER

ANEEKA BARMI “One of the best things about being a female in construction is the strong sense of female empowerment.”

JOANA RODRIGUES CECILIA CANELA RODRIGUEZ “The most effective way to do it, is to do it” — Amelia Earhart

ROSARIO TRIPIANA MARTINEZ “We need to pave a sustainable road for future generations, empowering them to be brave, removing the stigma of perfection and breaking gender bias”

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“Being a finalist is the recognition that our work is appreciated and valued. Let us be an inspiration to ourselves, as much as to others.”

KATE APLIN

LIZZIE WELLS

NJEMILE FAUSTIN

“I wanted to be a Civil Engineer from my early teens; nobody told me I could not.

Now with more women, the industry the better”

“I thrive in this industry, and I will continue to break the barriers from un-conscious bias to allow others to do the same”

“1.5% of UK engineers are women from underrepresented backgrounds.

Female role models are crucial to attract and retain more women in construction and engineering.”

SALLY BRADLEY “I am excited to be part of an industry that is changing and want to thank my colleagues for all the support in getting me to this point, I hope I can make them proud!”

SUSAN BEATRIZ VILLALOBOS FERNANDEZ “We shouldn’t let gender define what we can do or achieve. Dream big, persevere, embrace your differences and be yourself”

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A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T WOM A N S T RUC T UR A L ENGINEER

AMPARO MENDEZ MORENO DOMINIKA KOMAROWSKA “As a structural engineer, I am not limited to the concept of structural calculations; building bridges means quite literally getting communities closer together, serving society”

DANAE POLYVIOU “I’m really pushing myself to attain the greatest possible exposure and knowledge”

NATHALIE RICHARDS “I am proud to be a part of this acknowledgement of female achievement in a currently male dominated industry, one that i love and endeavour to encourage more women into to create greater gender equality.”

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“My dream is that in the future when someone learns I am a civil engineer, they will stop responding "so you work with men only”

ELISE EL-CHALOUHI KATIE PAWLETT “Empower Yourself! The construction industry offers endless opportunities, whether your choice is science & technology, sustainability, commercial activities, etc…

An opportunity to become a Modern-day Renaissance (Wo)man”

“We shape our buildings – thereafter, they shape us” IOANA PRICE

— Winston Churchill

“I’m proud to be an Engineer and to be shaping a more sustainable future for our communities.”

“In a society-shaping industry, what an honour to be amongst these inspirational women”

REBECA GOMEZ GONZALEZ

SANDRA PENA-PEREZ

“Find something that you’re really interested in doing in your life. Pursue it, set goals, and commit yourself to excellence.

Do the best you can.”

“The best prize of this award is to meet great women engineers whose work is at the highest expression of engineering”

— Chris Evert

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A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T WOM A N QUA N T I T Y SURV E YOR

CHARLOTTE HOLLINGSWORTH ANEESA BAWA CATHRYN LEES “Determination, focus, and embracing discomfort to enable growth has helped me progress in my career. Be confident and take on opportunities that come your way.”

“I am so fortunate to have such a fantastic network of women within this industry. When women support each other, incredible things happen”

SALLY GRANT “This quote has always resonated deeply with me, never more so than today - ‘Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them” — #thefutureisequal

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“The construction industry offers endless opportunities.

For me, it’s about inspiring other people to challenge any preconceptions and push themselves to make a positive difference in how we work.”

JUSTINE DOODY JOANNA KUŁAKOWSKA “Your world is bigger than your low self esteem want you to believe” — Gillian Anderson

“It is an honour to be shortlisted as a finalist and I hope to inspire many young females considering a career within the Construction Industry”

MISTY NICHOLSON “Being a finalist is still surreal. It is exciting to see where this industry is going and be a part of that”

SOPHIE DUMONT

SUHA HERMIZ HOLMYARD

“My claim as a woman is that my difference is taken into account, that I do not have to adapt to the male model.”

“I take challenges with open mind and positive approach.

All individual's viewpoints are imperative for successful outcome. Always happy to assist others in any way”

— Simone Veil

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A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T WOM A N A RC HI T EC T

CARLA SORRENTINO HELEN GROVES

ALISON QUINN

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“I have a strong belief in legacy and the impact the built environment will have on future generations. My role is to inspire good design.”

“I was so delighted when I found out I have been nominated for the WICE Awards as Best Woman Architect. I hope this can inspire other young female architects to succeed in a predominantly male industry.”

“Construction is a career where we get to make a difference to our world, and there is nothing more powerful than that: what a privilege!”

KIRSTEN LEES

LISA BASU

MINA HASMAN

“This community advocating, enabling and believing in the contribution we can all make to our built environment future – is critical. We only succeed through collaboration.”

“Architecture is my passion and I want to make a positive impact by driving diversity and mentoring other women to succeed in this rewarding profession”

“Breaking down barriers and building new heights” are essential to futureproofing our industry and creating a resilient, collective and inclusive environment for the next generations to thrive on”

THE EUROPEAN WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING AWARDS / MAY 2022

A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T WOM A N A RC HI T EC T UR A L T ECHNOLOGIS T

KATERINA HOEY

HARRIET ROSE

“I am passionate about sharing my experiences to encourage and mentor other young architects”

“I’m incredibly proud to be an Architectural Technologist, and I hope to inspire young women to pursue careers in our industry”

SHELY BEGUM

INÉS AZPEITIA GONZÁLEZ

“Your success will not be determined by your gender or your ethnicity but only by the scope of your dreams”

“Don't be scared to do what no one ever did before. You'll be the first, but you will lead the way to so many others”

— Zaha Hadid

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A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T WOM A N IN BUSINE S S D E V ELOPMEN T

GABRIELA ALVAREZ CASTRO

“There has never been a better time than now to transform our industry”

“Did my character drive me to be an engineer or has being an engineer shaped my character?

Both. Engineering fundamentally contributes to my life’s journey”

“I’m incredibly proud of what I’ve achieved in my career and hope sharing my experiences will inspire more women into an industry that I love.”

MICHELLE WHEELER

NATASHA MCGRATH

PAULA RAINEY

“We can change the world and make it a better place. It is in your hand to make a difference.”

“Our industry is all about people and I get great satisfaction knowing that I am creating a positive impact within an industry that I love”

“I hope to inspire women from all backgrounds and make them aware that there are opportunities to be recognised and celebrated within Construction and Engineering”

CLARE EMERY

— Nelson Mandela

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KATE WYATT

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A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T YOUNG WOM A N A RC HI T EC T

CLAIRE BOLAND LAUREN KEARNS “The origins of my passion stem from my eagerness of breaking the bias of women working in construction. I believe in creating inclusive environments where everyone can flourish.”

“I am not inventing anything new, I am just using existing material differently – Shigeru Ban’. I look to make a positive impact towards a socially, culturally and environmentally regenerative future through innovative thinking, communication and design”

SALLY MARSHALL

LOURDES GOMEZ NUÑEZ

“Honoured to be alongside so many great women in construction. What a positive and inspirational process to be a part of”

“Always an attitude of continuous learning and adaptation to the needs of each project”

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A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T WOM A N C ON T R AC TOR

AUSRA VADAPOLAITE

ALEX WALKER “Get out there, be seen and reflect on the difference you have made!”

“I love the construction industry; I have a passion and drive for it. I believe hard work, precision and communication are crucial to being successful engineer, I believe this industry can build on by talent.”

LUCY CRAGGS “As a Civil Engineer, I’m proud to find innovative solutions that will create a better future for my peers, the industry and society”

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DIANE CHAMPION “I find it inspirational that the work we do leaves a legacy for future generations - I cannot imagine working in any other industry.”

GEMA DIAZ CABALLERO EVA MUÑOZ “I have never felt less than any male colleague at work.

We all have something good to contribute and it is fair to have the same opportunities”

“As a woman I understand the barriers we deal with by being part of just 11% in construction. To inspire other women, make our achievements visible is crucial.”

KAYLEIGH BODEN “Take every opportunity that comes your way, strive to complete your challenges and when the day is over, go home and hug the dog!”

MARIA DEL MAR DELGADO “I am determined to play my part in changing the perception of contractors and construction sites to attract and retain women in this field”

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A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T WOM A N IN HE A LT H & S A FE T Y

CATHERINE FYFE

CHANTELLE GOODWIN-SWORD

“I look forward to a future where there are no female leaders, just leaders. Until then, I’m proud to join so many wonderful female leaders challenging the status quo”

“Do a job that you love, because your passion will shine through, brightening and inspiring the people around you”

MARTA GRZELCZAK

OLGA DIAZ-TAPIA ARROYO

“I'm no angel, but I've spread my wings a bit.”

“The question isn't who is going to let me; It's who is going to stop me”

— Mae West

— Ayn Rand

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CHLOE JOHNSTON “I have already met such inspirational women on my WICE journey, to be amongst them has given me greater drive to support women in construction and engineering.”

A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T WOM A N IN HIGH WAYS

CLAIRE SEWARD

ELIZABETH SIMMONDS

KRISTINA PILL

“I love my job as a civil engineering leader, inspiring the next generation to develop their careers and move towards a more diverse future!”

“Don’t beat yourself up if you haven’t achieved all your goals yet, great things take time … & you’ll have one hell of a ride getting there!”

“Women’s achievements and hugely positive influence on the future of Construction and Engineering is a movement I’m very proud to be part of.”

MICHELLE PAVLOVIC

RAQUEL CORRAL CASERO

“Humbled to be a finalist amongst such brilliant and diversely talented women in our industry.”

“Setting a great example is the main leadership tool we all have”

“Work hard and be kind, and amazing things will happen.”

— Conan O'Brien

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A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T WOM A N IN C ONS T RUC T ION L AW

ANNA RABIN

MARTA BARANDIARAN ODRIOZOLA

“The hurdles women must overcome in the legal, construction and engineering sectors are immense but not insurmountable. Be determined, passionate, and create your own opportunities.”

KIM ROBERTS “It’s an honour to be a finalist at this year’s Awards and a privilege to have met so many successful women in the construction sector.”

“We have the responsibility to make this industry more equal to encourage other female lawyers to believe they can also succeed in this complex engineering sector”

MONIKA KRZEMIEŃ

NICOLA CALEY

THEEBA RAGUNATHAN

“Because together we can do more.”

“Whether you think you can or you can’t you’re right.”

“The "why" to all I do is because life is about service and making a positive contribution to the society that we live in”

— Henry Ford

“It’s been inspirational to meet amazing women in the AEC industry who know they can.”

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A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T WOM A N EL EC T RIC A L & MEC H A NIC A L ENGINEER

DRAGICA KOSTIC-PEROVIC

CATHERINE GRAY “I have always been passionate about supporting people in whatever way I can”

“All that was great in the past was ridiculed, condemned, combated, suppressed – only to emerge all the more powerfully, all the more triumphantly from the struggle” — Nikola Tesla

KATIE WOODWARD

LINDSAY ROWE

“I have met and worked with so many inspiring women engineers. We are out there doing it, and these awards celebrate that.”

“To solve the challenging problems our world is faced with we need a diverse workforce. Everyone has something valuable to offer, whatever their background”

EMILY MARNER “It’s better to be a has been than a never was.

If you try you might, if you don’t you won’t!”

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A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T WOM A N C ONS T RUC T ION PL A NNER

AGNIESZKA GAJOS

DARCY SMITH

“I am very proud to be a Woman in Construction and to face the challenges related to be a minority in the Construction Industry.”

“Watching the team I manage & the people I mentor learn, develop & succeed is one of the greatest achievements in my career”

PENNY O’CALLAGHAN

RINITHA NAGARETHINAM

“A woman is like a tea bag you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water”

“Being a woman from a conservative Indian family, I had big dreams”

— Eleanor Roosevelt

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GUADALUPE BARRANTES DÍAZ “Let only your dreams decide your limits and dare to fly and go beyond them”

A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T WOM A N GEOT EC HNIC A L ENGINEER

CLAIRE WATTERS “Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.”

— Ruth Bader Ginsburg

EMILY CROSS

LAURA VERDA

“Making a success of opportunities has propelled my career.

Making opportunities open to others will make my career a success.”

“My deepest thanks to WICE Awards, who is helping us free women from existing gender stereotypes about engineering professions and bring different perspectives into construction industry”

VICKY BARNETT “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass… it’s about learning to dance in the rain” — Vivian Greene

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A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T FEM A L E MEN TOR

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AMAYA CORREDOR PALOMINO

ANNA PERELA

CLAIRE DIOSZEGI

“Education is the foundation to eliminate the gender gap and increase diversity in our communities and organizations.

Pave today the future for the next generation”

“If you are surrounded by identical people, you can only get one result - the same as always.

To truly innovate, one needs to be inclusive”

“To me, mentoring is about giving mentees the opportunity to develop themselves so that, after a hard day at work where they had to take tough decisions, they know they can trust their judgment”

LIZ BALDWIN

NICHOLA MANSFIELD

RIDDHI KARAMBELKAR

“I feel very humbled to have been nominated for the WICE Awards. Having never had a female mentor in my early career I feel passionately about offering that opportunity to others”

“I'm proud to work for a company that values diversity and inclusion. There is nothing better than seeing your mentees grow in confidence, develop and flourish”

“Women, engineering, manufacturing, and mentorship’’ words that most believed to be like oil and water, that don’t mix.

Thank you WICE for celebrating women in these roles. I’m thrilled”

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EMILY WATTS GIOVANNA CARACCIOLO

KAREN HEIGHAM

“My career advisor never suggested I pursue mentoring!

But through some challenging life experiences, here I am empowering and mentoring women in Construction with their mental wellbeing”

“Wherever you are in your career, always remember to share what you have learnt on your journey and to learn from other people’s journeys”

“I’m passionate about the opportunities the construction industry offers, and I’m passionate about helping people realise those opportunities”

SUZANNE LLOYD

TRACY D’SOUZA

VICTORIA CARTER

“Empowering women with self-belief is the fundamental ingredient in disrupting the status quo and striving for a more inclusive and diverse industry.”

“I’m honoured to be finalist at the WICE awards, as empowering women within the engineering industry has always been a passion of mine”

“My passion for mentoring comes from being incredibly thankful to those that have supported me on my career journey. It is now my turn to give back.”

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A WORD FROM 2022 FIN A L IS TS B E S T M A L E MEN TOR

ANDREW SWAIN-SMITH

DAVID EMERY

“Being nominated is an honour. I strongly believe that mentoring women is important to address the gender imbalance and create a diverse industry.”

“I feel privileged to be nominated.

This is about celebrating the achievements of women in construction and I’m proud to have made a small contribution to supporting change and creating opportunities.”

“Construction and Engineering offers such a rewarding career, allowing everyone to exceed their potential. Developing people on their journey really makes this industry so special!”

PAUL SHIELDS

PETER TOSLAND

RAFAEL FOULQUIE

“I’m delighted to be shortlisted for this award.

Mentoring talented people is a privilege - there is nothing better than helping others reach their potential”

“No one should need additional resilience in the workplace due to their gender and males must be the strongest of allies”

“I don’t think a set formula for mentor/mentee relationships is possible, but I do believe in the importance of these conversations being authentic, for there to be trust, for there to be confidence in the process”

ADY KOE

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MIKE POWERS

GRAHAM STORRIE “Mentoring is an important development tool, it provides valuable insights which only come with years of experience, transforming hindsight into the perfect science.”

MATTHEW LOFTS “This experience has demonstrated to me that mentoring has a great part to play in someone’s development”

“Mentoring is all about helping young people started in their careers and letting them develop into a generation that inspires us, being nominated is such an honour and is all thanks to my mentees who have inspired me”

STEPHEN WEST

STEVEN KENNEDY

TROY ROBERTSON

“Diversity is vital to build a more sustainable society, mentoring is a really rewarding way to contribute to this goal in the construction industry.”

“We can all be mentors: we just need to understand the power of listening, encouragement and feedback to support those around to believe in themselves and the role they have to play in our collective future.”

“I take great pride in my commitment to play an encouraging and supportive role to women considering or new to a career in construction and engineering.”

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THE EUROPEAN WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING AWARDS / MAY 2022

The 2022

Winners THE EUROPEAN WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING AWARDS / MAY 2022

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THE EUROPEAN WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING AWARDS / MAY 2022

Isa Ribeiro 2022 W INNER B E S T WOM A N PROJEC T M A N AGER

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Being shortlisted was an amazing honour for me and feeling the support from both colleagues and friends alike was extremely humbling. Winning this award is a very important milestone in my career, one that I will use to be the best ambassador I can be.

2022 WINNER BEST WOMAN PROJECT MANAGER ISA RIBEIRO SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER GALLDRIS SERVICES LIMITED

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THE EUROPEAN WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING AWARDS / MAY 2022

As part of this, I will continue to promote our industry which I am very passionate about, especially towards young girls and women who may consider joining this profession.

I found participating in the WICE Awards journey to be absolutely delightful. On a personal level, I often focus on setting goals for myself and on what to do next, but during the WICE Awards process, I found myself looking back and taking the time to acknowledge what I have already achieved.

Has it always been smooth sailing? No! Have there been any bumps in the road? Plenty!

Having managed the infrastructure delivery on several complex civil engineering projects throughout my career, which resulted in me becoming Senior Project Manager on one of the biggest regeneration projects in Europe with Galldris Group was an amazing experience.

Getting to know some of the WICE Awards finalists and judges on the judging day was an absolute pleasure, it was an inspiration to be surrounded by so many intelligent, driven, and successful women.

always believed in me in whatever I was doing. Throughout my career, I have never had a female line manager but have had great male mentors who have continually supported me. Winning this prestigious WICE Award is a testament to all these people.

Although already heading in the right direction, the Construction Industry has a long way to go in terms of becoming a dynamic and creative industry for everyone.

But will that ever stop me?... Never!

As with our growing industry, it is important for me to understand that I too am a work in progress and will continue to grow alongside it, to always be the best Project Manager and person that I can be.

I consider myself lucky that people like my parents, my partner and my friends never put a limit on what I could achieve and have THE EUROPEAN WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING AWARD / MAY 2022

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Penny Gowler 2022 W INNER B E S T WOM A N IN EN V IRONMEN T & SUS TA IN A B IL I T Y

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I found out I had been selected as a finalist for Best Women in Environment and Sustainability from a colleague who came over to congratulate me. I had almost forgotten that I had been nominated amid the busyness of daily life, so it was a wonderful surprise.

2022 WINNER BEST WOMAN IN ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILIT Y PENNY GOWLER DIRECTOR AND HEAD OF SUSTAINABILIT Y ELLIOT T WOOD

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The first thing I did was to get in touch with my husband and family to tell them the good news - which was met with some excitement at the other end of the phone line!

It was an honour to be shortlisted alongside such an inspiring group of individuals, in an industry where so many talented people are innovating and working hard to fight climate change. The reaction from my team, Board of Directors, clients and friends in the industry was touching. It took a few days for the smile to leave my face!

Winning the category is a career highlight that I will always be proud of. To be recognised for an award that not only promotes women within the built environment, but also celebrates my contribution to sustainability, is a legacy that I’m grateful my children get to witness.

In a large part, it is because of them that I feel a huge responsibility to leave a world fit for everyone to live happy, healthy lives.

Despite our gains in recent years, there is still a long way to go to achieving equality and reducing the harmful effects of construction on the environment. As a Director and Head of Sustainability at Elliott Wood, I hope this recognition will show others that they can aspire to positions of influence and become authorities in a niche they are passionate about. As a woman

in the spotlight, you become a role model for others and hopefully encourage women to see construction as a viable career in which they can thrive. We have come such a long way, but it is through further progress and a focus on diversity that we will be able to bring more ideas and voices to the table, as we consider how to further address the climate emergency.

Taking part in the awards has given me a rare opportunity to stop and reflect on my achievements in this regard. It has reinforced that through my profession, I am able to have a far bigger impact by reducing material use and carbon within the construction industry than I can in my personal life. That is partly a result of the opportunities I have had to collaborate and learn from my colleagues and peers. I would like to thank everyone who I have worked with and who has supported me in my career. It is by working together that we can accelerate change in our industry, do better things for people and the planet and ensure that everyone’s voices are equally heard.

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Helena Rivers 2022 W INNER B E S T WOM A N IN DIGI TA L INNOVAT ION

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What an incredible journey, the judging day was such an inspiring experience meeting so many super talented, confident, capable ladies all working in such varied parts of our industry.

2022 WINNER BEST WOMAN IN DIGITAL INNOVATION HELENA RIVERS DIRECTOR AECOM

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As women in construction, we are often the only women in the room, very rarely in a room filled with 200 really impressive peers, what a privilege.

The WICE awards are great for shining a light on these wonderfully capable women and helping them grow in confidence which in turn enables them to shine a little brighter to influence more ladies looking for a role model or inspiration.

To enable girls to consider Construction and Engineering the exciting career choices they are.

To my mind, all of the finalists are winners. It is a huge honour to be selected as the winner for the Digital Innovation category. Thank you to AECOM for providing the encouragement and nurture to enable myself and my colleagues to flourish and to boast so many finalists. I am proud to represent AECOM as a Director leading on Estate Decarbonisation at these times of great challenge to our planet from the impacts of Carbon.

engineering, to engage, encourage and retain those same talented individuals who are essential in helping us tackle the very many climate challenges of our time. We all need to learn to adapt in every aspect of our lives and engineers and digital innovation are the key to ensuring that we change for the better so that we can take the population with us to a low carbon economy.

One of the great things to come out of the process is causing me to take a step back, to reflect upon the exciting projects I’ve delivered, the teams I’ve grown and the mentees I’ve supported. With such busy lives it’s too rare that we stop and take time out to think about our achievements and plan our ambitions for the journey ahead but it’s so important that we all do.

To win the Digital Innovation category is huge both for me and for OCEAN the Operational Carbon and Energy Analysis tool. I will work hard to ensure that my success is a success for all at AECOM, IMechE and beyond to attract the best talent into THE EUROPEAN WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING AWARD / MAY 2022

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Iona Morrison 2022 W INNER B E S T YOUNG WOM A N IN C ONS T RUC T ION

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After hearing the news that I has been shortlisted as a finalist for the WICE Awards, I was absolutely thrilled and could not contain my excitement to share the news with my friends, family and my line manager who, as a woman, has offered so much support throughout my time at AECOM.

2022 WINNER BEST WOMAN IN CONSTRUCTION IONA MORRISON PROJECT MANAGER AECOM

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The whole application process really pushed me out of my comfort zone by having to showcase and promote myself and to be recognised for my contribution to the industry is simply amazing.

It was such a privilege to be a finalist amongst so many successful young woman but to also see 20 of my AECOM colleagues shortlisted for the final across many different categories was a significant achievement in itself. As a newly qualified professional, it was inspiring to see my company promoting gender equality and encouraging women across the business to reach their full potential.

Although gender equality in construction and engineering has improved over the years, women remain massively underrepresented. I believe that with the skill shortages and challenges we face in the near future, women will play an integral role in meeting the needs of the industry and having more female role models will be an important factor. Therefore, the industry as a whole has an important part to play in unleashing the talents and capabilities of young leaders.

allows me to wear ‘different hats’ throughout a project lifecycle. What should matter, is that the project can be delivered successfully; no matter if the project lead is a male or female.

With this platform, I would love be a part of ‘breaking the bias’, and negative perceptions of construction by embracing the age of equality and inclusion. Becoming a role model to inspire young woman into the construction and engineering industry through establishing network channels, mentoring junior females, attending school and university open days would allow me to showcase the endless and exciting opportunities the industry can offer.

Thank you for allowing me to participate in the WICE awards and the opportunity to meet so many inspirational and successful women.

‘Where there is a woman, there is magic’.

My role as a project manager in such a male dominated industry can be challenging at times however, it is also extremely rewarding and THE EUROPEAN WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING AWARD / MAY 2022

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Friba Hossaini 2022 W INNER B E S T WOM A N YOUNG ENGINEER

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It is an extraordinary feeling and humbling experience to win this award. Growing up in a place such as Afghanistan in a period when girls were not allowed to have education at all, winning a prestigious award such as WICE was like a dream in fact like a fairy tale for me. I feel I have a good night dream and sometime still pinch myself to see if it is real!

2022 WINNER BEST WOMAN YOUNG ENGINEER FRIBA HOSSAINI TUNNEL ENGINEER JACOBS

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My passion for engineering started when I was gaining high scores in Mathematics and Physics, even though I did not go to school until I was nearly 15 years old and faced serious challenges and broke many barriers to become an engineer.

Being awarded the WICE ‘Best Young Women Engineer’ is proof that all the resistance was worth it! By no means I consider myself the best engineer, but I am an enthusiastic engineer that will not take NO as an answer and will not give up.

The WICE finalist process has been a great opportunity to celebrate my achievements alongside other successful women engineers.

It is incredible feeling and inspirational to be in the same room with all these talented people from across the world.

For me winning this award is crucial at this time as it can bring changes to many young girls’ perspectives, especially those from deprived and minority backgrounds. It will demonstrate how they can climb up the obstacles before them and break the barriers.

I love STEM engagement and constantly get involved in Jacobs working groups developing STEM ideas to encourage students to take

up engineering as their future career by demonstrating the amazing projects I have been working on such as Hinkley Point C. I express how they can help the government to meet the Net Zero Carbon by 2050! I show how the industry is rapidly and steadily getting more divers and inclusive. Having said that, I have started establishing an NGO (NonGovernmental Organization) with the aim of reaching out to areas/ countries where girls are not allowed to go to school or have limited access to resources such as Afghanistan.

This award will set a good example for them and show them anything is possible.

Using the award as a platform, I will be reaching out to other young engineers (male and female) who don’t feel confident enough and will empower them and mentor them. I am hoping I will be a good role model for younger generation in Jacobs and my wider network.

I have connected with some of the previous years shortlisted and winners, together we can encourage more and more people in the industry to be nominated for WICE Award 2023 and future years.

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Sara Subtil 2022 W INNER B E S T WOM A N C ONSULTA N T

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When I opened THE email, I could not believe that I had been shortlisted as a finalist for the WICE awards. It was a mixture of feelings: an honour to have been selected but at the same time I also felt the responsibility that comes with such great achievement.

2022 WINNER BEST WOMAN CONSULTANT SARA SUBTIL HEAD OF ASSET MANAGEMENT ARCADIS

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The judging day was an amazing experience, a privilege to be amongst such talented women and together celebrate our role in shaping the Construction & Engineering industry.

Cherry on the top? Winning this award. It is a tremendous privilege. It recognises my achievements as a woman in our industry, but to me personally, also recognises the importance of my consultancy work at Arcadis related to Bridges Asset Management, maintaining our existing assets and our built environment. I will use this award to continue to raise women’s profile in our industry. I will continue to work closely with our engineering institutions, encouraging women to join our sector and mentoring women to achieve their full potential. This award will also help me raise the profile of sustainable asset management as a strong component for the future of our sector. I strongly believe that asset management is key to drive sustainable, low carbon solutions by extending life cycle of existing bridges. Selecting the right options, with the right materials (most often locally sourced as the original structures) has a positive environmental impact but also has positive impact in our society as most of the bridges are often located at the heart of our communities.

During my presentation at the judging day, I mentioned that all of us in that room were lucky, very luck. Not because we were finalists, but because we do not live in the world that our grandmothers lived, where career choices were not an option. We all had access to education and successful career achievements.

Yet quite a lot of women do not get this far.

There are numerous reasons behind this, but I want to make sure that winning this award will show other women and our peers that it is possible and it is very rewarding.

For future WICE awards I would advise any company in our sector to encourage and support nominations for other women. It is the best way to distinguish the contribution that female employers have made to your organisations whilst promoting women widely across our sector. For the nominees, I only have one advice: just believe in yourself and go for it!

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Rosario Tripiana Martinez 2022 W INNER B E S T WOM A N CI V IL ENGINEER

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The first thing I did when I hear I was a finalist was to take a breath, and tell myself: See Rosario, a huge recognition to a life effort of working and studying, share it!

2022 WINNER BEST WOMAN CIVIL ENGINEER ROSARIO TRIPIANA MARTINEZ CONSTRUCTION TECHNICAL OFFICE MANAGER FERROVIAL CONSTRUCTION

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And so, I did and shared the news with those who have been supporting my career and believing in myself: first my husband, which is an unconditional believer in my potential, and with my parents and brothers who have being there and are there no matter what I am going through. As I am not good on sharing my achievement with many, it took me a couple of more breaths to share it with the world.

Winning this award is something I could not feel prouder about it. I am grateful for being recognized and thankful to all those who have helped me to here, to my company for the candidature, to the judges for seeing my value proposition what I sometimes have difficulties seeing and to everybody that throughout fifteen years of career have help me grow and have challenged me to become a better professional. Finally, I am so grateful to be part of the I66 Construction Technical Office team, who care for each other and who are build a megaproject with fellowship and passion, holding everyone up in every step of the way.

It is not easy, but it is possible. We need to help new generations to look into their futures with no fear, to believe in their self, because this is not luck, this is hard work, consistency and resiliency, and we know how to do hard work.

Being part of this award process, since day one, has been a blast. Networking, challenging myself to prepare for the judging day, knowing myself a little better, to be able to let other knows who I am, and the overall experience of having the opportunity of doing something that could mean a lot for others that are looking up to me.

I really think all companies in the industry should take a moment to look at their people and nominate for the awards, as it is an opportunity for awareness related women workforce in construction and engineering, a real step forward breaking the gender bias that unfortunately we are dealing with, consciously and unconsciously.

And to all of you who could wondering whether submit your nomination or not, go for it! Stand up and be the role model you had difficulties finding.

I strongly believe that this award will help many women in the industry to realize that it is possible, because we can change the statistics, as a woman, a partner, a daughter and especially as a mom, we can succeed in our careers while we achieve personal fulfilment.

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Ioana Price 2022 W INNER B E S T WOM A N S T RUC T UR A L ENGINEER

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How amazing to be in this category! Being nominated for this award by my company was in itself a win for me. I felt that my passion and efforts are recognised and highly valued, which immediately resulted in boosted confidence and motivation.

2022 WINNER BEST WOMAN STRUCTURAL ENGINEER IOANA PRICE SENIOR STRUCTURAL ENGINEER AECOM

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I’m genuinely passionate about inspiring a positive change in our industry and it feels fantastic that my commitment has been recognised with this highly prestigious award!

The entire experience of the WICE awards has been incredible. Both the recognition of my work and the opportunity to meet so many inspiring women in our Industry has been fantastic. I would encourage companies to put forward nominations for next year’s awards, as a way to show recognition of their work.

The Construction industry has reached a point where Business as usual is no longer an option. We require radical changes to address the Climate Emergency and ensure diversity and inclusion at the workplace. I intend to use the momentum and buzz from the WICE awards to spread these powerful messages and inspire the next generation of women Engineers, so that we can transform our future together, as well as motivate and empower women already working in our sector.

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Sophie Dumont 2022 W INNER B E S T WOM A N QUA N T I T Y SURV E YOR

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I was having lunch with my line manager when I heard that I had been selected as a finalist and I could not eat anymore as I was so excited to let everyone know. I was overwhelmed to see my name appearing in the LinkedIn article seen by thousands of people, however it helped that I had a outpouring of support from my team, client, and subcontractors.

2022 WINNER BEST WOMAN QUANTIT Y SURVEYOR SOPHIE DUMONT SENIOR COMMERCIAL MANAGER BALFOUR BEAT T Y

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I am lucky also that I had a previous finalist to help me prepare for judging day and I plan to pass on this positive experience to help other nominees over the years to come.

The preparation of the questionnaire and for the judging day has been a journey back through my memories and made me think about all the great male mentors that I had alongside me who supported me during my career. I am so grateful to each of them, but it has brought to light just how much work we still must do to build up women within the industry. During my varied career, I have been very lucky to be a part of and to build teams with diversity at their core, and I want this to be the norm, rather than the exception, across the industry.

I am humbled and honoured that I have won the category of Best Woman Quantity Surveyor. It has taken a lot of hard work, passion, and dedication to get to where I am today. This award is testimony to all of those who have helped me get here.

Taking part in the awards have led me to ask myself how I can be a better mentor and role model to the women around me. It has boosted my confidence and provided a mechanism for me, and the other two finalists on my project, to talk to our colleagues about our achievements.

Throughout the judging day, I was so impressed by all the talented women I met, and it showed me that we need to do more networking to support each other. The other finalists in my category for Best Woman Quantity Surveyor had a wealth of varied experience and had all positively influenced the construction industry; they were equally deserving of the final prize, and I am more than happy to share this award with them.

All of those nominated have achieved remarkable things in our careers and we need to publicise it more. The WICE Awards is a great initiative, but we need to have visible senior female role models through the rest of the year too.

It is in all company’s best interest to support nominees through the full process – from submission to judging day. One element which I would encourage all companies with finalist to adopt would be Coaching sessions as they would help the nominee to prepare for the judging day.

Winning this award is just the beginning of my journey to support and further elevate women into visible role model positions. I already have several candidates in mind to nominate next year!

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Kirsten Lees 2022 W INNER B E S T WOM A N A RCHI T EC T A ND MOS T DIS T INGUISHED W INNER OF T HE Y E A R

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Winning your first project, winning a competition for outstanding design, or winning an award, such as the WICE Award, which recognises the importance of every voice being heard: the feeling of achieving success is fantastic. But wining the WICE award is also very humbling.

2022 WINNER BEST WOMAN ARCHITECT AND MOST DISTINGUISHED WINNER OF THE YEAR KIRSTEN LEES MANAGING PARTNER (LONDON) GRIMSHAW

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My career, the work I do, is about creating spaces and places for diversity of thought and action – from the buildings I design to the people I have work with. It’s a personal endeavour which can only be achieved with the collective might of colleagues, peers, clients, friends, and family.

So, this award may have been given to me, as an individual, but its reach is much wider.

With Grimshaw’s recognition in the inaugural Building magazine Diversity Practice of the Year award in 2020, I am incredibly proud of the way our practice works and the work that we deliver to keep a check and balance on our people and values. This work is constantly monitored and shared through our Grimshaw’s Diversity Report – keeping our targets and achievements transparent.

With this context, beyond today’s ceremony, I want to celebrate my award but more importantly look for ways that I can use the recognition to continue to take action: to keep initiating change in the design and construction industry. This change is about enabling and encouraging more women and more diversity in the built environment: to continue to beat a path that opens the door to others for a career in this industry and how there is support to go on that journey. Today we know that a career in our industry, doesn’t have to come from the ‘traditional’ routes of education.

The work we do can be significantly enriched when we bring in other experts and professionals from outside our industry, and work with people, across different generations and backgrounds.

Its this approach I offer as advice to anyone considering entering the WICE awards. Know where you want to be, be clear on the challenges and opportunities you have to achieve that goal, work with people who will support you and importantly celebrate the differences we all have.

What seemingly sets us apart is also our secret weapon: when we bring different perspectives, life experiences and attitudes together – we will learn from each other for the better.

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Clare Emery 2022 W INNER B E S T WOM A N IN BUSINE S S DE V ELOPMEN T

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When I first heard that Laing O’Rourke was nominating me for the WICE award for Best Woman in Business Development I honestly thought that there had been a mistake. I had assumed that this initiative had been designed to recognise and encourage women who were far younger than I am.

2022 WINNER BEST WOMAN IN BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CLARE EMERY SECTOR SPECIALIST FOR RESIDENTIAL, EDUCATION, SCIENCE & RESEARCH LAING O’ROURKE

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I actually hesitated in accepting the nomination until I had checked out past winners and convinced myself that yes, it was for all women of any age and at any stage of their career.

It was only after I’d satisfied myself that I was a credible nominee that I actually thought ‘well if Laing O’Rourke is prepared to nominate me then I am absolutely going to embrace this opportunity – for myself, for the industry which I have loved working in for 36 years and to encourage other women to join and maintain life-long careers in engineering and construction.’ I was so impressed and inspired by the reach of WICE and the wide ranging recognition of the awards. Engineering and construction has always offered such a variety of career opportunities which I just don’t think are sufficiently understood, acknowledged or promoted by those who are influencing UK’s school leavers in their career decisions. These awards are an opportunity to recognise the achievements of individuals, and to promote the many career opportunities on offer in our industry.

Gathering the testimonials and filling in the nomination questionnaire gave me cause for some deep reflection, an often neglected but hugely gratifying and thought-provoking exercise. The kind words provided by others and my own reflections spurred me on to appreciate what I have achieved over the past 36 years, not just in a business sense but also in the art of successfully balancing a career with raising a family. It also allowed me to reflect on the positive changes made within our sector. I have witnessed an increased number of women joining our industry, influencing and

shaping it’s future and have seen the development in the level of technological advancement. It gave additional impetus to my desire and passion for supporting and influencing the ongoing transformation of the construction industry.

I am a firm believer and advocate of modern methods of construction and having the opportunity to work within a business development capacity for such a progressive company, where I have a remit to directly inform and influence suppliers, clients and end users of the quality, safety, productivity and sustainability benefits of an off-site manufacturing approach to construction, is what I believe has led me to success in these awards. Having a sense of purpose which aligns with your day job is truly empowering.

As a finalist and award winner I feel extremely proud of myself and I am grateful for the extensive network and progressive thinking and behaviours which the WICE Awards experience has opened up to me. I would strongly recommend employers and employees alike, regardless of age or career stage, to get involved!

This award is a highlight of a career which already spans four decades. I am grateful to all of the wonderful people that I have had the pleasure of working with along the way – they really have made me the person that I am today. The future of our industry is bright and I am excited and inspired to continue to play a part in its ongoing transformation, helping to shape sustainable and rewarding future careers for a more diverse employment pool.

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Diane Champion 2022 W INNER B E S T WOM A N C ON T R AC TOR

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I am truly honoured to have won the WICE award for best Woman Contractor. I initially found out that I was a finalist from one of my colleagues, who messaged me offering their congratulations during an early morning Teams meeting, on my return to the UK from a holiday.

2022 WINNER BEST WOMAN CONTRACTOR DIANE CHAMPION QUALIT Y, ASSURANCE, COMPLETION AND HANDOVER MANAGER BALFOUR BEAT T Y

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I was totally shocked, but also immensely proud, to find out that I had actually been shortlisted as a finalist.

I have worked for Balfour Beatty in numerous roles on Projects and in Enabling Functions for 31 years. I can honestly say that winning this award is the most significant moment in my career.

I really must thank Dan Williams and Amelia Carman, Package Managers on my current project, for nominating me and supporting me throughout the process. I have never, and would never have, put myself forward for an award like this, but I have found the whole process to be so rewarding. I know that I am not alone in the fact that I find it hard to talk about myself and tell my story but, preparing my submission and presentation has allowed me to reflect upon my career in a way I have never done before.

I came into Construction and Civil Engineering having been exposed to technical drawing and construction projects when visiting Papa, my paternal grandfather, in my early years. Papa was an Assistant Architect and Quantity Surveyor who worked on lots of pre and post war regeneration construction projects in Bristol. I remember those years visiting his home and being enthralled by the drawings he would have all over his desk in his back room. I was lucky enough that my parents fully supported my choice to study Civil Engineering and I ended up working on a Balfour Beatty site as a Materials Engineer in 1988. I then started working directly for Balfour Beatty in 1990 as a student engineer and joined then full time in 1991. I spent the next 12 years working on sites all over the country. In 2003 I took a huge

decision to make a career change and moved into the HSEQ team as an auditor. My husband and I wanted to have children and were about to begin IVF. Unfortunately, that was not successful but, by the time we gave up on having our own children, I had forged a whole new path for my career whilst remaining with Balfour Beatty.

Over subsequent years I progressed into senior leadership roles in Balfour Beatty, leading risk & assurance for the Major Projects business and then risk for the UK businesses. More recently, I was asked to support our Crossrail project, at Whitechapel, with their project assurance processes which has resulted in my now managing the quality, assurance and handover processes on our Old Oak Common HS2 project. The experience and knowledge that I attained on site have served me well throughout my career and enabled me to work on some of the most complex, technically challenging infrastructure projects in the UK. The reason I feel it is important to share my story is to inspire young girls (and boys) to join the construction industry, so they are able to enjoy the versatility in roles and achieve the job satisfaction that I believe is impossible in so many other sectors. I recognise how fortunate I was having someone to inspire me to explore a career in the built environment, and parents that supported my choices. I certainly could not imagine working in any other field.

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Olga Diaz-Tapia Arroyo 2022 W INNER B E S T WOM A N IN HE A LT H & S A FE T Y

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When I received the news of my shortlisting for the Wice Awards, I did’t know what to say. The nomination was already a prize for me and I was very excited.

When I assimilated it, the first thing I did was to thank my mentor and also my company. It meant a lot to me to have been considered for this nomination.

2022 WINNER BEST WOMAN IN HEALTH & SAFET Y OLGA DIAZ-TAPIA ARROYO HEALTH & SAFET Y AREA MANAGER FERROVIAL CONSTRUCTION

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And then the whole process has turned out to be a great experience, not only for the result but for the whole journey during these months, from the moment of being nominated until the day of the awards, it has been a wonderful journey.

The WICE Awards process has brought me many positive things.

On the one hand, it has allowed me to stop and reflect on my career over the past two decades; to analyze my effort, my work and measure my achievements and to realize that I can become a role model for other women in our industry.

Receiving this award encourages me to keep striving and working along the same lines.

And I encourage Ferrovial to continue participating in these WICE Awards in 2023, nominating all those female colleagues who deserve to be recognized for their good work and personal effort, thus making the work of women more visible within our company and, therefore, in our sector.

And to the rest of the companies, which may not yet participate in these awards, I would say that they should do so.

On the other hand, I’ve been able to meet a group of incredible women within my company, with whom I’ve been able to share this experience, which on a personal level has been very enriching.

In addition, during the judging day, in a very relaxed atmosphere, I was able to meet many other candidates with experiences and concerns similar to mine and enjoy a day of inspiring talks.

And I’m very proud to have won the WICE Award for the Best Woman in Health and Safety.

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Kristina Pill 2022 W INNER B E S T WOM A N IN HIGH WAYS

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This success isn’t just my own, without my team I would not be here, and I can’t thank them enough for that. After the initial surprise at being nominated, I felt proud that someone recognised my efforts and wanted to celebrate my contribution.

2022 WINNER BEST WOMAN IN HIGHWAYS KRISTINA PILL SENIOR ENGINEER COSTAIN CONSTRUCTION

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When I saw my name amongst the other finalists, I was beaming like the Cheshire Cat for the rest of the day. I was delighted to be able to share the news with the colleague who nominated me, those who helped me to complete my application and those who always support and fight with me through the challenging times.

As judging day drew nearer, the nerves and excitement intensified. As a woman in Engineering, it’s outside my comfort zone to praise myself for my own achievements. But the more I spoke to others, my mentors, the women I look up to in the business, the more I realised that I am a strong role model for other women in the industry too. That needs to be celebrated. It’s important to say out loud that I am proud of myself.

Judging day was a fun and rewarding day. Despite the nerves, the Judges made the interview enjoyable. We laughed about common experiences and familiar challenges and I left the room feeling that I had given it my best. Spending the rest of the day with so many likeminded, capable and talented women was energising. We shared stories and advice, we all raved about our love of the industry and debated what else needs to be done to improve equality and diversity. But what was most wonderful about the day was how much every woman there wanted to champion each other. As women in a male dominated

environment, it’s a win for all of us when another woman does well. It’s also a win for the industry to celebrate the positive impact and drive for change and inclusivity that women are bringing to the world of Construction and Engineering. I feel honoured to have won this award, reflecting the positive influence I have encouraging more women into Engineering and supporting my colleagues already working in Construction.

Bringing so many likeminded women together shows that we are a force for change. We will keep fighting for better, for each other and for future generations. There needs to come a time when the teams we work in reflect the population we work for. And that’s why companies must keep pushing for the women in their teams to be nominated for awards such as this. We need allies in our businesses who recognise that we don’t yet start out on a level playing field, we still have to work harder to be taken seriously and we should be empowered to say, “I am good at what I do”.

Until it feels normal for a woman to say, “of course I’ve been nominated for this award, I do great work”, we must keep championing each other and celebrating loudly the successes of Women In Construction & Engineering.

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Natalia Olszewska 2022 W INNER B E S T WOM A N R A IL ENGINEER

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When I got nominated for WICE Awards, I was thrilled and above all, surprised. I was just performing my day-to-day tasks in the best manner I could, but my team noticed my hard work.

Any awards have never crossed my mind. I was just doing my job.

2022 WINNER BEST WOMAN RAIL ENGINEER NATALIA OLSZEWSKA TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORKS MANAGER BUDIMEX SA

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Flying to London for the judging day, I was not thinking about winning at all because I felt like I already got rewarded. The main prize for me was to be able to be surrounded by all the wonderful women who, just like me, have tied their lives to the difficult profession of engineering. The word construction in Polish is actually of the feminine gender. It is a damn masculine world though! It was such an amazing and rewarding experience to listen to women’s stories not only about their professional life but also about their everyday struggles. The celebratory atmosphere prevailed throughout the day, and the smiles never left the faces of the finalists.

I am so happy to win! This award is also a win for my company Budimex S.A. which allows women to follow their dreams and master their skills. Nevertheless, even in my company, there are not enough women who hold managerial positions. I believe that us, women, need more courage and faith in our abilities. I was loudly applauding one of the participants who, with great confidence, stated that she was bound to become a project manager. It was so inspiring to see how women’s mindset has changed and WICE Awards was an amazing opportunity for us to support and build each other up.

I have always been ambitious and I never gave up. I came to a foreign country right after my very first job experience. Without speaking the language, the chances to find employment in my dream profession were close to zero. It has never been easy as an expat. I powered through, though, working relentlessly and also running the household while my husband was abroad. There have been so many sleepless nights, but I never stopped following my goal to become a telecommunications engineer.

Recently, there have been so many women who had to flee their countries. They have skills but are challenged by the lack of language skills and a foreign environment. I want to tell them not to be afraid to pursue their dreams, not to lose their professional goals. Do not give up, because women can make it. Today, being awarded by WICE, I am a great example of that.

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Nicola Caley 2022 W INNER B E S T WOM A N IN C ONS T RUC T ION L AW

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I found out that I had been selected as a finalist via LinkedIn. I was out of the office for the day and my phone exploded with messages of congratulations and posts about the finalists. I couldn’t quite believe it. It gave me a real boost and put a smile on my face for the rest of the day.

2022 WINNER BEST WOMAN IN CONSTRUCTION LAW NICOLA CALEY PRINCIPAL HKA GLOBAL LTD

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The first person I told was my daughter. She also works in the construction industry and the fact that she was so proud of me made me feel amazing and proud of myself.

It feels incredible to have won in my category. At the WICE judging day, I met so many wonderful and inspirational women that I felt in awe of all those that I met. Before the event started I wasn’t sure how valuable the story-sharing sessions were going to be but – wow! They were unbelievably inspiring. I felt privileged to be part of the day and to have the opportunity to listen to and be inspired by the stories of what these incredible women are doing to promote, develop and support other women in the industry.

To me, these awards are a recognition of the contribution women make to the construction industry. I want to leverage my win to encourage other women in the industry to believe in themselves, be confident, and seek out opportunities to be recognised for the contribution that they make and the great work that they do.

me at my ease. Rewarding because of all the amazing women I met and humbling because of the all inspirational stories I heard. There was a real sense of camaraderie in the room which made for a brilliant day. The drumming and boomwhackers were fantastic icebreakers!

I would definitely encourage my company, and any other business in the construction industry, to nominate to as many categories as possible. For the nominee, the process requires self-reflection to consider your achievements and what you bring to the industry. I also found it a useful tool to support reflection on what comes next and how I can optimise my contribution to my company and the wider industry. It is an intense process and companies should be prepared to support their nominees and recognise that participation will require some time investment from the nominees. For the organisations, it is an opportunity to celebrate the successes of the women in their teams and show themselves to be a diverse and empowering organisation.

Taking part in the awards has been a surprising, rewarding, and humbling experience. Surprising because of how much I got out of the day which I had been anxious about beforehand because of the presentation and judging process. In fact, the judges were brilliant and really put

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Dragica KosticPerovic 2022 W INNER B E S T WOM A N EL EC T RIC A L & MECH A NIC A L ENGINEER

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When the social media notification popped up on my phone, in between meetings, informing me that I had been selected as a finalist for the European WICE Award in the Best Electrical and Mechanical Engineer category, it filled me initially with surprise, followed by a sense of immense pride and pure excitement.

2022 WINNER BEST WOMAN ELECTRICAL & MECHANICAL ENGINEER DRAGICA KOSTIC-PEROVIC CHIEF ENGINEER RICARDO

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It made me remember the day when I first found out that I had been nominated for the prize and thought what an honour it was, as I work for a company with so many remarkable female engineers. Then, when I was informed that I had been selected as a winner of the award, I was suddenly filled with a feeling of huge responsibility.

Through the application process for the award, I reflected on the years of my career in engineering.

I remembered the days when I was a young pupil, choosing the university course and being encouraged by my family and especially by my father, to choose electrical engineering. My primary focus then was my interest and affinity for the subject, and I paid little attention to gender equality and female representation through the innocence of young age. It was very soon, when I started my university course, that I became aware of just how a small number of girls enter engineering education, and when I entered fulltime employment, how an even smaller number choose engineering as a profession. It was at that point that the real importance of diversity and inclusion in the engineering profession became apparent. From then on, I became an advocate for the female perspective in the engineering workplace. Through the period of almost three decades of my career in engineering, I have noticed a change, small and gradual, but enduring and persistent, in the perception of female engineers within the male-dominated professions as well as female decidedness to choose and more importantly, remain, in engineering. During my working life, in the office, I used to be surrounded

by none or one, no more than two, fellow female engineers. I had days of self-doubt about my future in this profession. However, I overcame these with the support of my family and my dear husband who always believed in me. Above all, it was my love and dedication to the profession, that kept me going through all these years. So, when I finally found myself working for Ricardo, this amazing company where female engineers are not a rarity, where colleagues support each other, and senior leaders are dedicated to promoting female engineers, I knew that better days are ahead for all women; those at the start of their career as well as the ones with years of experience.

Progressive companies like Ricardo, backed up with wider initiatives, like the WICE Awards, which celebrate the achievement of female engineers, will make a difference, and improve the diversity and inclusivity in the engineering profession for the new generation, like my daughter’s.

So, having won this prestigious award fills me with responsibility. Responsibility to speak up, promote and explain female and minority perspectives and experiences in everyday situations in the engineering workplace.

Responsibility to speak up in situations, however big or small, affecting employment decisions, promotion decisions, and highlighting the female and minority points of view, thus changing the culture every day, one step at a time.

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Rinitha

Nagarethinam

2022 W INNER B E S T WOM A N C ONS T RUC T ION PL A NNER

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I was thrilled to find out that I had made it to the finalist in the WICE awards 2022 and ecstatic to watch the finalist announcement video with my photo in it. I had immediately shared the news with everyone in my family, friends, and at work and was overwhelmed with the response and wishes I had received. The recognition it gave me within my organization was exceptional.

2022 WINNER BEST WOMAN CONSTRUCTION PLANNER RINITHA NAGARETHINAM PLANNING LEAD MOT T MACDONALD

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Being a woman from a conservative Indian family, I had big dreams. An abroad education, a career in planning and to reach heights in the male-dominated construction industry.

Not just to progress but to make an impact and leave an imprint by being the best at what I do. I had mapped it all in my mind and saw myself achieving all that I had envisioned one by one over the years. To prove myself as a good construction planner and to make the team believe in my programme took a lot of effort and perseverance. Today, it is truly an honour to be receiving the prestigious WICE award for the Best women Construction planner as it recognizes the dedication and reassures the years of effort and love that I have always had for the construction industry. I am proud of the career choice I made and thankful to my parents for standing by me as a constant source of support against all odds.

As women in the construction industry, it is not only important to support other women within the industry but also to encourage deserving women and motivate them by being an example of having a lucrative career in construction. I am going to use this award to break the barriers and perceptions that young women and girls have about construction as a career path and show them the incredible opportunities that this industry could offer irrespective of age, gender, and race.

This award process has not only provided me with an opportunity to reflect on my career and everything I have achieved so far but also on my responsibilities to give back to the industry and the community that has nurtured me. This award by my side has now put a face to the figure that women like me can look up to and think, if ‘she’ one of us can do this and get here, I can too.

Let’s be the change we want to see!

Looking around, there are many women who deserve to be recognized and I would strongly recommend companies nominate and bring these quiet contributors to the limelight. I can confidently say that these women and WICE awards are only going to attract more diverse talent to your organizations.

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Victoria Barnett 2022 W INNER B E S T WOM A N GEOT ECHNIC A L ENGINEER

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I was in shock when I got the phone call to let me know I’d been nominated for Best Woman Geotechnical Engineer by my company.

I remember feeling truly honoured and emotional.

2022 WINNER BEST WOMAN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER VICTORIA BARNETT PRINCIPAL GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER AECOM

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mentor, coach and engage your colleagues to challenge themselves, as well as being an active community member and a good mum.

The first thing I did was message my husband and tell my sons and parents – apparently even as a ‘fully-fledged’ adult you still have to tell your parents first so they can say “Well done, proud of you!”.

I then told my colleagues past and present.

I received such amazing feedback, such as “your people skills are amazing”, “you motivate others and give endless support” and lastly, but what I feels really sums up this award, “I really don’t know how you do it all and raise such fantastic kids at the same time”.

I feel very lucky to work in an industry where I’ve always felt encouraged, supported, respected and empowered to be myself and challenge myself. I’ve had many amazing mentors who have taken the time to help me, while providing positive feedback about my skills. All of this has encouraged me to continue forward, even when the work-life balance is tough.

I am inspired by the women around me and enjoy learning from their different approaches.

Now that I’ve won this award I hope I can be an inspiration for other women in the industry.

As Marian Wright Edelman, the American civil rights activist, says: “You can’t be what you can’t see.” This award means that other women will see you don’t have to be just one thing; you can manage big complex projects,

Setting out my goals this year I wanted to engage further with schools and colleagues to promote the industry, especially when looking back at how I ‘fell into’ my job. When asked about my career in my everyday life I’m keenly aware that my answer elicits a general blank look, so I often follow up by asking: “Do you know what that is?”

This award means I can be a real ambassador for women in construction, particularly women in Geotechnical Engineering, and show young women there is a whole host of opportunities out there, not just the standard jobs which are listed in career classes.

For me, the WICE award experience has been rewarding in itself by making me take the time to really focus on myself and my own personal achievements when we so often think of ourselves as a ‘team’. But one of the most collectively empowering elements was the group chat we set up with my fellow WICE nominees at AECOM – seeing every woman in that group suffer from self-doubt, struggle to find the right approach, even be unhappy with their submitted photographs. We laughed and we encouraged and inspired each other. I am so grateful to these amazing women for being on this wonderful journey with me.

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Karen Heigham 2022 W INNER B E S T FEM A L E MEN TOR

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I am hugely honoured to have been nominated for the Best Female Mentor award at this year’s WICE Awards, among such a strong field of candidates.

The experience of putting together my nomination submission and preparing for the judging day has given me a great opportunity to reflect upon my career to date, and my impact as a mentor.

2022 WINNER BEST FEMALE MENTOR KAREN HEIGHAM REGIONAL COMMERCIAL MANAGER WATES CONSTRUCTION

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I started my journey in construction with a 2-week holiday cover placement as a site admin assistant, and over a 20-year career I have worked my way up to the position of Regional Commercial Director. As such, I am a huge advocate of the opportunities for all within construction. I truly believe that anyone can succeed in this industry, and I am driven to help people realise those opportunities.

I have always seen developing others as a fundamental part of my role. As I have grown through my career, I have broadened my reach to work with individuals and groups both within Wates and in the wider industry. Whether bringing together like-minded groups of women from different teams and businesses, working with the trainees and apprentices within the Group, or working 1-2-1 with mentees to develop their confidence, resilience and influence, I put great value upon supporting the development of all, and I believe in the power of bringing people together.

wellbeing, and education – and provide valuable insight as well as networking opportunities.

I am a huge believer in the power of visibility – over my career I have been fortunate to have a handful of women that I have looked up to, who have given me the confidence to keep pushing forward and the belief that I can achieve my goals. I recognise that I am now becoming one of those role models that young people joining the industry now will look up to, and I am determined to ensure I remain visible and accessible to anyone building a career who needs a mentor, or just a friendly ally to reach out to for a chat or support when needed.

The WICE Awards provide such a fantastic platform to showcase the female talent in our industry and give due recognition to some truly outstanding performers. I am delighted to have been recognised this year alongside such a wealth of talent.

I have been instrumental in developing the Women in Wates network, which is something I am very proud of. This network is a place where women in the business come together to connect, learn and grow. We host regular events focussed on enabling the women within our business to fulfil their potential and achieve their goals. These events range from career development, health &

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Steven Kennedy 2022 W INNER B E S T M A L E MEN TOR

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I was at my desk when I found out I was a finalist for my category. In a somewhat roundabout manner, I was in the studio with some of my colleagues I’d mentored over the past year through Grimshaw’s programme. So the news felt particularly marked – somewhat poignant when I told them about it.

2022 WINNER BEST MALE MENTOR STEVEN KENNEDY PRINCIPAL GRIMSHAW

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It also got me thinking about how important mentoring is, the women figures I’d had as mentors in my own career journey, and how they’d shaped who and where I am today.

It feels fantastic to have won my category. I feel pretty taken aback by the recognition of my input into the development of my female peers; mentoring, listening and sharing as a whole feels so intrinsic to both my professional practice and Grimshaw’s broader studio culture. As a man, I also feel encouraged that my position and experience within this industry can be used to inspire, support, and mentor women across all levels and roles. Having this recognition by WICE is an affirming, yet humbling experience – my own experience in mentorship has only happened through the encouragement, advice and support of others to believe in themselves. It’s a cyclical process.

I have honestly found entering the WICE awards personally challenging, reflecting on something where I see the measure of success is in the success of others. Writing, interviews and other tasks have made me take stock of my experience with mentoring so far. Still, more importantly, how I can personally improve the support, I can

offer to women in our practice and broadly in the architectural industry – as a direct mentor and as a role model. I hope that I will be able to extend the support I can offer to women in our practice with this achievement. With a renewed sense of purpose, I will also engage in the discussion about how we can best encourage more women into long, successful engineering, construction and architectural careers. Finally, I also hope that this win will inspire other men to support the women around them and engage in making the industry more equitable.

In light of that, I would also encourage practices and companies to be proactive in raising awareness and get involved in awards like WICE. I thoroughly enjoyed the judging day, learning from my fellow mentor peers and meeting some phenomenal women from the other categories. The benefits are far-reaching and engender a great sense of learning, inspiration, and encouragement.

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Lourdes Gomez Numez SITE SUPPORT SPECIALIST, DIGITAL CONSTRUCTION AND DATA MANAGEMENT TOS FERROVIAL CONSTRUCTION

2022 W INNER B E S T YOUNG WOM A N A RCHI T EC T

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Inés Azpeitia González 2022 W INNER B E S T WOM A N A RCHI T EC T UR A L T ECHNOLOGIS T

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The last couple of years with the pandemic have been extremely difficult for everyone. Working from home, the confinement, the constant stress and the juggling to keep up with all the work and at the same time find time for our families has been exhausting, but it has also taught us that we can overcome any difficulty that we find in our way. That we are stronger than ever and capable of achieving amazing things.

2022 WINNER BEST WOMAN ARCHITECTURAL TECHNOLOGIST INÉS AZPEITIA GONZÁLEZ HEAD OF DIGITALIZATION AND IMPLEMENTATION BIM FOR BUILDING, AEROPORTS AND WATER FERROVIAL CONSTRUCTION

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I learned about my nomination for the 2022 WICE Best Woman Architectural Technologist award right after I returned work from my maternity leave. The first ones I told were my husband and my family, without whom I would never have overcome all the difficulties from the last 2 years. Being finalist and part of the whole process has been a huge honour. I am really grateful for this opportunity and for all the support I have had from all the people around me and specially from Ferrovial.

For me, the WICE Awards have been a parallel process of personal discovery which has allowed me to see from a different perspective my professional and personal life. Not only that, but it has served to analyze all my previous achievements, see where my decisions are leading me in the future and what I would like to improve in it.

The judging day of the awards was a fantastic experience. I feel very lucky to have been able to be part of it this year and to meet so many exceptional professionals. Not many days we have the opportunity to share our experiences and it has been great and enlightening to find out we all face similar challenges by working in the STEM industry.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend participating in the awards to other colleagues. It requires hard work to prepare and you have to juggle normal work and your personal life with the WICE selection process, but it is completely worth it.

The awards are a boost for our self-confidence and self-esteem and help us to continue doing our best more than ever. I’m sure all the nominated this year and the previous one have learnt a lot from it and it is not every day that you get to shine and be recognised this way for your achievements.

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Andrea Pamsl 2022 W INNER B E S T WOM A N IN T UNNEL L ING & UNDERGROUND C ONS T RUC T ION

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When my company nominated me for the best woman in tunnelling and underground construction, I had mixed feelings.

Of course, I was honoured, but it also made me feel quite uncomfortable.

2022 WINNER BEST WOMAN IN TUNNELLING & UNDERGROUND CONSTRUCTION ANDREA PAMSL TUNNEL ENGINEER DR. SAUER & PARTNERS

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Putting your project, your work, and your passion in the centre of attention is one thing but being in the spotlight to talk about yourself is a whole different story. In hindsight, I cannot thank my colleagues enough for granting me this extraordinary opportunity. It allowed me to look at things from a different perspective.

At the beginning of my WICE award journey, I spent a lot of time with self-reflection, something I usually put in the “don’t have time for this” category. I started to develop a genuine appreciation for my achievements. I re-lived the challenging moments I faced and how they made me who I am today. There are so many people that shaped my path and contributed to being selected as a 2022 finalist and the actual winner of the tunnelling and underground construction category. I made a list of all their names and will probably spend the next year on the phone giving ‘thank you’ speeches to all of them.

However, this is just the beginning. Taking part in the awards and listening to the stories of the other ladies truly inspired me to push for more. One comment which particularly resonated with me was that to change something

for the better you have to step outside your comfort zone and go places where you might not feel welcome right away. I firmly believe that with passion, enthusiasm, and a growth mindset, you can overcome every obstacle.

Just recently, I learned that in the early 1970s, women still had to ask their husbands for permission to get a job. At least that was the situation in Austria, my home country. I almost couldn’t believe it and fell off the chair. If I tell a girl or a woman in 50 years’ time that once there was a female quota required, I want her to look at me in utter disbelief because women in construction and engineering will be the norm. This award will hopefully accelerate awareness that everyone has a part to play, as little as it might seem. Acceptance does not create change. In the past, women fought for their right to vote, for their right to live a self-determined life; many women still do. No doubt, we feel privileged already, but there is still a lot ahead of us. I will continue to do my part and motivate others on how to be change advocates themselves. Together, everything is possible.

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Clare Fenton 2022 W INNER L IFE T IME ACHIE V EMEN T IN C ON T RUC T ION

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When I discovered I had been nominated for the WICE lifetime achievement award, I was simply blown away. I've been in this industry for a long time now, under the radar, striving to deliver on everything, improve on everything, and tackle every issue that presented itself head-on.

2022 WINNER LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN CONTRUCTION CLARE FENTON DIRECTOR FENTON PARTNERS

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I’ve delivered to ridiculous time scales, solved numerous problems, pushed back on poor quality, and driven to improve standards. I have mentored so many encouraging this same ethos.

In truth, all that effort has gone pretty much unrecognised. Sometimes it just takes a moment like this, to know that somebody is watching and acknowledging just how tirelessly you work and what you’re trying to do. Over the years I’ve strived to be the best I can be, I’ve pushed my points hard and proved my worth and this has enabled me to confidently stand alongside my male counterparts and be taken seriously.

Times are changing, and for the better, but it has taken strong women like me to pave the way.

The category of Lifetime Achievement is quite a big one, but when you’ve been in the industry for decades it sort of makes sense. I would be very sad and disappointed if I felt I had achieved nothing, influenced no one, inspired no one. It’s fantastic to see the up-and-coming women in our industry being honoured in other categories, I hope they were inspired by women like me and in turn, they inspire the next generation. Recognition is so important and that’s what these awards bring.

on one hand the number of meetings I’ve been to where another woman, who wasn’t taking minutes, has been present. However, there is still no denying that if you sit in a constructionbased meeting and there’s a woman present she’s probably one of the wisest in the room listen to her, she’s worked hard to get there and whatever she’s got to say is going to be good!

Nowadays, imbalance within society is talked about everywhere and the Construction sector is striving to correct this shortfall. I would say I’m still very much an advocate of the right person right job and I do think we have a bit of catching up to do, but I know there’s an army of women marching through our education system and that’s where we can help the change.

Moving forward, I intend to go and spread the word about the WICE awards and their value to me. I chair and sit on many organisational boards and I’m going to make sure they know how this award has made me feel. It’s time that they started bringing other women into the conversation and recognise their worth, a simple WICE nomination is invaluable in this process.

I’ve spent my life in construction trying to motivate others. The imbalance of women in our industry was always apparent to me, I can count

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At the WICE Awards, Everyone’s a Winner

By SHEBUILDS COLLECTIVE

‘Oh, there’s lots of us!’ was our realisation as we sat amongst 600+ inspirational women in a large beautifully decorated room at the WICE Awards.

We used to believe the idea that there aren’t a lot of women in construction, but that’s not true.

There’s approximately 300,000 in the UK, we’re just spread across project sites, offices, homeoffices, companies, and geographies. Events like the WICE Awards are a great opportunity to come together and find contemporary role models.

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We know that it takes hundreds, sometimes thousands, of people to bring a project from design to reality. Yet, when we think of engineering role models, we tend to think of lone geniuses. Talented visionaries who lead construction of projects the way a ruler leads their nation or a conductor directs their orchestra. Entire infrastructure projects are attributed to a single individual.

Gustave Eiffel leading construction of the Eiffel Tower in 1889. Isambard Kingdom Brunel single-handedly engineering the Great Western Railway. Ove Arup sketching the Sydney Opera House. Darwin, Beethoven, Da Vinci and Galileo are all frequent role-models in the ‘Great White Man’ theory of history.

There’s good news for all of us. Geniuses don’t just pop up. Good work isn’t only done in isolation. And the biggest misconception - there isn’t only room for one at the top.

INTRODUCING SCENIUS: THE COLLECTIVE GENIUS

Many brilliant things are the outcome of like-minded people coming together to elevate each other. At a party in London in the 1830s, polymath Mary Somerville invites her student Ada Lovelace along, introducing her to Charles Babbage and his Analytical Engine (now credited as the world’s first computer) and Charles Dickens’ writing.

Ada combines language and analytics to form what she called ‘poetical science’ and what we today consider the world’s first programming language.

Augusta Ada King, Countess Lovelace

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It is possible for many successful individuals to emerge from the same scene, elevating each other to perform better. Brian Eno, pioneer of ambient music, termed this observation ‘Scenius’. A collective of people exchanging ideas, tools and techniques. A fellowship where quirks, unconventional and revolutionary ideas are not just tolerated but encouraged, inspiration is shared and successes are celebrated. A group where great people make things even better. With 300,000 women in construction, the laws of probability mean there are sceniuses working among us right now.

MODERN EXAMPLES OF SCENIUS ARE ALL AROUND US

Illustration: Austin Kleon’s Scenius Diagram

Brian Eno, pioneer of ambient music, termed this observation ‘Scenius’.

A collective of people exchanging ideas, tools and techniques.

A fellowship where quirks, unconventional and revolutionary ideas are not just tolerated but encouraged, inspiration is shared and successes are celebrated.

Fast-forward to 2019. A group of women are nominated for the WICE Awards. They arrive as competitors, and leave as each other’s biggest cheerleaders. We are lucky to count those women as our friends – and it has had an invaluable impact on our careers.

At the WICE Awards, everyone is a winner. If one woman is successful, she is trailblazing for many more to follow. One nominee went on to become a James Rennie Finalist and headed up her own team.

One was nominated for many subsequent awards for her work in engineering knowledge – and won.

Others gained their chartership, took on senior site roles and became leaders in exciting new fields.

We want to share that feeling of encouragement and inspiration that empowered us to go for opportunities we otherwise wouldn’t have.

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SheBuilds Collective was founded on Instagram during the pandemic, where role models and encouragement felt needed more than ever.

To inspire on those days where it feels isolating. To create a space of like-minded individuals who all want to do more and better.

WE NEED AS MANY SCENIUSES AS WE CAN CULTIVATE

Construction is facing big sustainability challenges to achieve Net Zero by 2050 and we need passionate people who think differently, and are prepared to work hard to make impactful changes.

Designers who redesign for net-zero carbon, engineering entrepreneurs who devise low impact methodologies, technicians who successfully trial new sustainable materials and committees who evolve construction codes for a sustainable future.

In the pandemic era of self-isolation, where people worked in silos and new digital ways of working were rapidly developed - we decided to start a scene. A scene inspired by the achievements of a group of WICE award nominees. An inclusive community where ideas for creating change are shared, successes are celebrated and diversity is allowed to flourish. A scene to remind us that great ideas originate in coffee shops and over small conversations that are put into action.

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Thus, the SheBuilds Collective was founded on Instagram during the pandemic, where role models and encouragement felt needed more than ever. To inspire on those days where it feels isolating. To create a space of like-minded individuals who all want to do more and better.

A year on, the community is growing quickly. The page sees frequent takeovers by everyday role models who allow

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us to glimpse into their world, both at work and in their wider life, speaking about topics they are passionate about, and inspiring us to see what every one of us can achieve. A podcast has formed – Engineering Rebuilt – to vocalise both hardships and celebrate successes.

So for those who want to continue celebrating, inspiring and making a difference, we invite you to join the SheBuilds Collective, a meeting place for people who want to change the world.

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C s o d l l l i e u c B t i e ve h S shebuilds.collective

Creating a connection point for women across our industry.

To showcase inspiring role models and create an open space for important conversations.

Find out more here

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COMING SOON

CONGRATULATIONS

WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING AWARDS TO ALL THE FINALISTS AND THE WINNERS

FROM ZARS MEDIA, PROUD HOST OF TONIGHT'S CELEBRATIONS

NORTH AMERICA

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29th September 2022 26th January 2023 23th March 2023

AWARDS DINNER

25th May 2023

JUDGING DAY

FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

NOMINATIONS CLOSE

NOMINATIONS OPEN

20th April 2023

THE EUROPEAN WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING AWARDS 2023 PRELIMINARY TIMELINE

For more information about The European Women In Construction & Engineering Awards visit our website www.wiceawards.com or contact Skye Seymour skye.seymour@wiceawards.com

*Dates are a subject to change