INSPIRATEES

( new entry )

Bianca Robinson

CEO Sleepout

Sharon Lane

Tees Components , North Skelton

It says much for Sharon ’ s standing within the Tees business community that she has been in the top two most inspiring women in each of the eight years we have run this poll .

The 2019 Tees Businesswoman of the Year , Sharon is a rare breed – the female managing director of a heavy engineering company . She joined her parents ’ East Cleveland-based family firm in 2004 and later recalled : “ When you work for your family company , you worry about people saying , ‘ She ’ s only there because she ’ s their daughter ’.”

Wanting to prove she could stand on her own two feet , she left to make her way with another firm , studied for an MBA and returned at the age of 26 .

Operating mainly in the energy and defence sectors , Tees Components avoided making any redundancies to its 60-strong team despite significant challenges during the pandemic and , with Sharon at the helm , is now hitting top gear once again .

Sharon was unable to attend the InspiraTees event – but had the perfect excuse , as she was hosting royalty in the shape of HRH The Duke of Gloucester , who was opening a new £ 1.5m site extension as the firm celebrated 60 years of operation .

MY TOP 3

2016 Steve Gibson OBE 2017 Dr Bill Scott OBE DL 2018 Ben Houchen 2019 Ben Houchen 2020 Ben Houchen 2021 Prof Jane Turner OBE DL 2022 Frans Caljé OBE

Validation - Bianca Robinson accepts her award .

Our highest new entry , Bianca smashes into the top five InspiraTees , having never previously made the top 30 .

Having taken up Andy Preston ’ s offer to become CEO of Teesside-based CEO Sleepout five years ago , New Zealander Bianca is a social justice campaigner who has persuaded hundreds of business leaders across the country to become a force for positive change by giving up their beds for a night to sleep rough and raise cash for homelessness charities . So far CEO Sleepout has raised more than £ 4.5m .

A mum of adult twin daughters , Bianca was previously MD of a creative agency , university lecturer and a freelance digital specialist .

Speaking after being told she was fifth on the list , an emotional Bianca responded : “ I ’ m gobsmacked . Never in a million years did I think I ’ d be even in the list , let alone the top five , but I ’ m really thrilled .

“ I guess it ’ s validation for the graft I ’ ve put in over the years and the friends I ’ ve made .”

Reflecting on how she leads the way by taking part in each sleepout she organises , she laughed : “ I can look around this room and say I ’ ve slept with at least 50 per cent of them ! And most of them snore !”

Bianca added : “ I ’ ve been kicking around Teesside for 20-odd years now and had a career that ’ s gone like a squiggly line , but it wasn ’ t until CEO Sleepout came along that I found that I ’ d hit my stride – and that ’ s about feeling that you have a sense of personal fulfilment to what you do .”

Reflecting on the InspiraTees top 30 , she said the type of business leaders who inspired her “ are demonstrably strengthening their local communities and strengthening the fabric of society .

“ They ’ re doing more than just making a profit – they are making sure that people , communities and the environment are looked after and they are actually putting their money where their mouths are .

“ There are some very obvious big corporates who aren ’ t doing that , so I really admire anyone who ’ s willing to stand up and say , ‘ I ’ m making

MY TOP 3

a profit but I ’ m also returning real value to my communities ’.”

36 | Tees Business