BUSINESSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Teesside University
WINNER :
CHLOË CLOVER
( WANDER FILMS )
Chloë Clover said her business Wander Films was committed to “ shaking things up ” after she succeeded Claire Preston , Sharon Lane and Jane Armitage to be crowned the fourth Tees Businesswoman of the Year .
It was just the latest but surely the greatest award win in an ever-extending list of successes for creative director Chloë and Wander Films , the Middlesbrough firm she runs with partner Lou Tonner .
Wander Films , which has recently landed its biggest six-figure contract , won Business of the Year at the previous Businesswomen Awards , with the Personal Support Network – where Chloë ’ s mother Ruth Jameson is a director – succeeding them in 2021 .
Chloë , 29 , was also crowned Best Newcomer in last year ’ s Businesswomen Awards , having already won the Rising Star accolade at the 2020 Tees Tech Awards , and was also listed in the prestigious Forbes 30 under 30 .
Chloë – affectionately known as Clover by friends and colleagues – reflected : “ I ’ ve got an incredible team – I have the most amazing people around me . We want to shake things up , we want to do things differently and we want young people to see that you can make it .
“ I want girls and women to believe in themselves . They need to feel like they can achieve something and if I can help show that it is possible , I want to be able to do that .”
Passionate and positive , Chloë also strongly advocates work-based learning , supports various campaigns and proudly represents women , young people and the LGBTQ + community . She also recently became a director of the Power of Women campaign .
Winner – Chloë Clover with Laura Woods of category sponsor Teesside University .
FINALIST : FINALIST :
VIKKI JACKSON-
SMITH ( J & B RECYCLING )
Vikki has been at the helm of J & B Recycling since it was established in 1998 , when she transformed her father ’ s solid fuel distribution company into a waste management and specialist recycling provider .
And after a year like no other , she ’ s led J & B through the pandemic in inspirational fashion , increasing its workforce by eight to 195 and achieving an estimated £ 1.8m net profit – J & B ’ s fourth consecutive year of growth .
Its four sites process 200,000 tonnes of waste a year – but Vikki , who employs and mentors several women in senior positions , says her main achievement in the past 12 months has been to keep her workforce safe in the most challenging of years .
ZOE LEWIS
( MIDDLESBROUGH COLLEGE GROUP )
As principal and CEO of the Middlesbrough College Group , which includes Northern Skills Group and TTE , Zoe leads one of the largest employers locally , with more than 1,000 staff , 12,000 students and a £ 45m turnover per annum .
But in perhaps her most challenging year since appointment in 2013 , a successful Covid-19 strategy , with its mix of online / onsite teaching , safety measures and close interaction with staff , students and employers , has seen the group maintain high and consistent results , and secure positive student , apprenticeship and employer satisfaction rates .
Zoe also continues to speak at employer events , encourage schoolchildren in their career aspirations and raise the profile of businesswomen across the Tees region .
SPONSOR ’ S MESSAGE
Laura Woods , Teesside University ’ s director of academic enterprise , said : “ It was a really uplifting evening . Everyone was so happy to be there – you could feel it . The warm tributes to Jane Turner , who inspired and championed these awards , will have made her family very proud .
“ The shortlist for Tees Businesswoman of the Year was nothing short of impressive . We were honoured as sponsors to celebrate the fantastic line-up of highachieving women , whose businesses are great adverts for the Tees Valley .
“ As for the deserving winner , Chloë is the amazingly talented young head of an amazingly talented young team . There ’ s no doubt at all that she ’ ll lead Wander Films on to mega success !”
44 | Tees Business