PICTURE : TOM BANKS
Turner prize reflects growing equality
Professor Jane Turner OBE – presented with the Lifelong Inspiration Award by Dave Allan ( right ) and Martin Walker after the 2020 Tees Businesswomen Awards – has now been voted the Tees region ’ s most inspiring business leader .
Professor Jane Turner OBE talks to Dave Allan about being the first woman crowned the Tees region ’ s Most Inspiring Business Leader .
Jane , congratulations . You are now officially the region ’ s most inspiring business leader . How does that title sit with you ? Not very comfortably . I ’ m in awe of the title . I look at it through the gender lens and where we were four years ago ( when only three of the top 30 were women ). Businesswomen here now have a foothold , a presence and a voice that they didn ’ t have . Businessmen and women are now being seen on an equal footing and that can only be for the good of the region . Ultimately , it ’ s recognition for equality . Tees Business is a great catalyst for giving businesswomen a voice . It ’ s important that we remember we are doing this for the region ’ s girls and young women . Of course , we ’ re not done yet , we ’ re just starting . I think our businessmen had great platforms and networks while women didn ’ t , but now they do – and there are strong bonds and great loyalty that comes from that . But let ’ s also remember this isn ’ t about men versus women , it ’ s about equality of opportunity .
I think a key theme of what you ’ re doing that does inspire people is that you ’ re a driving force on so many fronts while fighting ovarian cancer . Can I ask where you are in your battle ? The cancer hasn ’ t gone away – far from it . I don ’ t want to be defined by it , I humbly accept the award for the work I ’ m doing in the region , not because I ’ ve got cancer . I don ’ t want the pity card . I ’ d hate that . I ’ m feeling pretty grotty at the minute because I ’ m on a new drug trial that may or may not work . We ’ ll know very soon if it does .
You ’ re a real role model for single mums too , having been a single mum at 20 and now a professor , university leader and OBE . You ’ re proof that being a single mum doesn ’ t mean the end of your aspirations and ambitions . That ’ s why the Power of Women campaign is so important . I ’ ve been on the receiving end of negative judgements on how life might turn out , but I ’ d tell young mums or anyone else that setbacks don ’ t have to define you . Arguably , the more setbacks you have , the stronger and more courageous you become . I want young women to know that setbacks are good – it ’ s what you take from them that matters .
People will ask why you do so much when you ’ re so ill – and where do you find the strength ? There are some days I want to curl up in a ball and one day I might be forced to do that , but I ’ m not there yet . You don ’ t know how much time you ’ ve got , so I want to make as positive an impact as I can , while I can . As for where I get my strength , my husband Jason is an absolute stalwart , constantly by my side , while I draw inspiration from my family and from hearing stories from the Girls ’ Network . We ’ re changing lives for the better and it doesn ’ t get much more profound than that .
So which local business leaders inspire you ? I look at the collective that ’ s grown out of the Tees Businesswomen Awards – they are my sisterhood and I draw on them for support and inspiration . Of course , we ’ ve got some high-profile , successful male leaders too . I just see our region ’ s leadership coming to the fore more and it ’ s empowering that people outside of the region are looking at us in a much more positive way .
Give us an update on the Power of Women . We ’ re at the start of a journey . We ’ re piloting the Power of Women campaign in some primary schools and we ’ re calling for women to attend school assemblies to promote the campaign , talk about their own careers and help select our primary school ambassadors . Then we ’ ll pilot it in some secondary schools . There ’ s a website coming and much more .
34 | Tees Business