Here we introduce a selection of judges from five panels across the Queen’s Awards categories
JUDGE’S NAME: Sally Uren OBE
CATEGORY: Sustainable Development
AREA OF INTEREST: Sustainable development
Chief Executive Sally Uren’s chief responsibility at Forum for the Future is to accelerate a seismic shift towards a more sustainable future by catalysing transformational change in global systems. In order to achieve this, Sally partners with leading foundations and global organisations such as Unilever, Kingfisher, Sedex and C&A Foundation, both in one-to one partnerships and as part of multi-stakeholder collaborations. This flexible yet co-operative approach ensures the complex
challenges associated with diverse systems like food, energy, apparel and shipping can be addressed in a truly effective way.
An integral part of Sally’s role is to inspire and equip individuals and organisations to deliver systemic change for sustainability. She fulfils this by speaking at national and international conferences, and by writing articles for influential publications like the New Statesman, Huffington Post, Management Today and The Independent. In December 2017, Sally received an OBE in the Queen’s New Years Honours List for services to sustainability in business. In 2018 she was appointed the independent
Chair of DFID’s Business Partnership Fund, part of the Business Innovation Facility. Currently, Sally acts as an independent advisor on advisory boards for a number of global businesses, including Kimberly Clark, Kingfisher and Burberry.
JUDGE’S NAME: Abyd Karmali OBE
CATEGORY: Sustainable Development
AREA OF INTEREST: Climate change and sustainable finance
Climate Finance Executive at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Abyd Karmali is responsible for scaling up company investments into low-carbon climate-resilience opportunities across the investment and commercial bank. He has spent much of the past 30 years working on a wide range of climate change issues, honing expertise from multiple vantage points including techno-economic, policy, strategic and financial.
In addition to sitting on the board of the business NGO, The Climate Group, Abyd is also a member of The Aga Khan Foundation (UK), a national committee of international development NGO. Abyd holds an MS in Technology and Policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
JUDGE’S NAME: Simone Roche MBE
CATEGORY: Innovation
AREA OF INTEREST: Opportunity for all and equality
An impassioned promoter of connecting and engaging with people about gender diversity/equality in business, Simone Roche is the CEO and Founder of Northern Power Women, a campaigning group that aims to accelerate gender equality in the North of England.
Before launching the hugely successful Northern Power Women campaign, Simone fulfilled roles in male-dominated work environments like the Royal Navy, Aintree Racecourse and the Olympic Games. It was however her appointment as director of a campaign supporting women in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industry – along with a subsequent request to become a champion for the Government Equalities Office – that really inspired her to fulfil her long-held ambition of promoting gender equality and empowering women. In 2018, Simone received an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to gender equality in the north of England.
JUDGE’S NAME: Lesley Batchelor OBE
CATEGORY: International Trade
AREA OF INTEREST: All aspects of international trade & export
Until recently, Lesley Batchelor was Director General of the Institute of Export (IOE), where she spent 12 years promoting professionalism and the need for qualifications and support for businesses. Today this much-admired champion of exporters runs Exportbootcamps.com, an expert accredited training company that helps businesses identify international opportunities and focus on new export market growth.
Hailing from a blue-chip background, Lesley is active on the APPG Advisory Panel on Trade & Investment and has given evidence to the House of Lords Select Committees on Government support for SMEs. She also writes thought leadership pieces for many journals, and is often sought out by TV and radio stations for comment on international trade issues. A graduate of Coventry University, the Institute of Export, and the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Lesley was awarded an OBE in 2014 for services to business.
JUDGE’S NAME: Lord Dolar Popat
CATEGORY: International Trade
AREA OF INTEREST: SMEs, Exporting, Commonwealth and Africa
Conservative Peer Dolar Popat has been the UK Trade Envoy for Rwanda and Uganda since 2016. He has also served as Minister of the Crown with responsibilities for the Departments of Business, Innovation and Skills, and Transport. Born in Uganda, Dolar came to the UK as a 17-year-old refugee in 1971. After putting himself through nightschool at Kilburn Polytechnic, the ambitious young man became an accountant, eventually setting up a business specialising in business and corporate finance and enjoying a successful 30-year career in the private sector. A Member of the House of Lords for ten years, Lord Popat cites the Commonwealth (in particular Africa and India) and small businesses issues as his main interests in the House.
JUDGE’S NAME: Paul Nowak
CATEGORY: Prime Minister’s Advisory Committee
AREA OF INTEREST: Trade unions, Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR), employment relations and engagement.
As the Deputy General Secretary of the TUC, Paul Novak represents 48 unions and 5.6 million union members. Paul first
became a union member whilst working part-time at Asda, aged 17. In time, this was followed by union rep and activist
roles in the CWU, GMB and UNISON.
As well as sitting on the Prime Minister’s Advisory Committee (PMAC), Mr Novak is a member of both the ACAS Council
and the Government’s Strategic Trade Advisory Group (STAG).
A lifelong Everton fan, Paul lives in Merseyside with his wife Vicky and their three children.
JUDGE’S NAME: Lopa Patel MBE
CATEGORY: Innovation
AREA OF INTEREST: Technology
A founder of two ventures in online media and a data-driven marketing consultancy, Lopa Patel is a digital entrepreneur
and evangelist for STEM who knows exactly what it takes to kick-start successful start-ups and transform businesses through
tech.
As a leading ambassador for British innovation, technology and entrepreneurship, Dr Patel has received many prestigious
accolades, including an MBE for services to the creative industries and the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion. She also
has an Honorary Doctorate from the Open University, bestowed in 2017 for her efforts to promote diversity and inclusion
within science and technology.
In addition to being Chair of the equality and inclusion think tank, Diversity UK; Dr Patel is also a Trustee of The Science
Museum Group, and a Non-Executive Director of the Intellectual Property Office (IPO).
JUDGE’S NAME: Karim Fatehi MBE
CATEGORY: International Trade
AREA OF INTEREST: International Business Development for UK PLC.
Karim Fatehi is the CEO of United Corporation Ltd, a globally approved Engineering Procurement Management company
serving the oil and gas energy sector.
As well as providing high-quality, professional engineering services to major players in the petrochemical and gas industry,
United Corporation has won the Queens Award for International Trade on two separate occasions (in 2007 & 2011).
In 2012, Mr Fatehi was awarded an MBE for services to International Trade.
JUDGE’S NAME:Will Tyler
CATEGORY: Sustainable Development
AREA OF INTEREST: Small business inclusion
Chief Executive of Octink Will Tyler boasts more than 30 years’ experience at the forefront of both London and the UK’s
display and large format digital printing industry. A CommunityMark company with over 100 staff, Octink commands an
annual turnover of around £16m and puts environmental protection and early learning in terms of social priorities at the
core of its activities. Away from the office, Will sits as a member of the Council for the London Chamber of Commerce, and
engages in regular public speaking opportunities to business forums. He is also the chair of ‘Spark!’ the Hounslow Education
Business Partnership that helps inspire and prepare young people for working life. Will is married with two daughters.
JUDGE’S NAME: Dr Vicky Kell
CATEGORY: Innovation
AREA OF INTEREST: Innovation (Business & Economic Development)
Director of Invest NI’s Innovation, Research & Development division, Vicky Kell is passionate about stimulating the growth
and global competitiveness of Northern Ireland’s businesses. Boasting considerable experience in both the private and
public sectors, Vicky has proved herself adept at developing expertise in innovation, technology and international
commercialisation, enjoying succesful stints at Pritchitt Foods and Courtaulds Textiles, and working with both regional
and UK-based blue-chip companies at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
No stranger to the judging arena, Vicky has sat on many a panel judging business, innovation, marketing and export
awards. When time allows, she can be found making keynote addresses and facilitating workshops at international
conferencing events.
JUDGE’S NAME: Amanda Mackenzie OBE
CATEGORY: Promoting Opportunity
AREA OF INTEREST: Responsible business
Amanda Mackenzie is the Chief Executive of Business in the Community, an outreach charity that – as part of The Prince’s
Responsible Business Network – endeavours to create healthy communities with successful business at their heart.
A graduate of London University and INSEAD, Ms Mackenzie has over 25 years’ commercial experience, fulfilling Director
roles for British Airways Airmiles, British Telecom, HP and British Gas. Prior to her current role, she was Chief Marketing Officer
at Aviva’s Group Executive for eight years, a role which also saw her seconded to ‘Project Everyone’, a Richard Curtis-inspired
campaign that helped launch the UN’s ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
As well as being a Life Fellow of the RSA and a Fellow and Past President of the Marketing Society, Amanda was on the
board of the National Youth Orchestra for ten years. She received an OBE in 2014 and holds an Honorary Doctorate from
Winchester University.
JUDGE’S NAME: William Fletcher
CATEGORY: Promoting Opportunity
William Fletcher is Chief Executive of Recycling Lives, a nationwide recycling and waste management business that supports
the delivery of charitable programmes.
Bringing a wealth of experience with him from the financial management and retail sectors, William used his expertise to
spur on both commercial and social advancement when he joined the company in 2013. His impact was so impressive
and immediate he was made Managing Director just one year later. Continued success and rapid growth followed and as a
result the business – which recycles metals, plastics, cars and waste – now enjoys both national and international recognition.
Along with Recycling Lives Ltd, William is also a trustee of Recycling Lives Charity, an initiative run in conjunction with
Chorley Council which aims to rehabilitate offenders, support the homeless and redistribute food to local communities.