Pensions executive hopes her award will raise profile of this 'crucial industry'

14 June 2024 , 08:42

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Tracy Blackwell, co-founder of the Pension Insurance Corporation (Image: No credit)

Tracy blackwell, who has won a prestigious business award for her work at an insurance firm, said she hopes the accolade will raise the profile of the industry.

Tracy, co-founder of the Pension Insurance Corporation, won the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award, with judges praising her work for growing her company’s asset portfolio. She said: "Despite its importance to the future welfare of millions of people, not to mention the infrastructure we fund, the pensions industry flies beneath the radar much of the time."

She added: "To be recognised with such a prestigious award will help to raise the profile of this crucial industry." The 56-year-old businesswoman began her career in the male-dominated investment banking sector before transitioning to the equally male-dominated pensions industry.

She revealed that her approach is to foster an environment of openness and transparency, which she believes has been appealing to potential recruits. She acknowledged that "people have a life", adding: "I hope I can inspire the next generation of game-changing, bold, female entrepreneurs."

Meanwhile, Francesca Brady, chief executive of indoor air quality certification firm AirRated, won the Veuve Clicquot Bold Future Award, which recognises future female entrepreneurs. Prior to co-founding AirRated, which provides advice to companies about the air quality in buildings, she studied environmental science.

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She hoped this recognition would shed light on her extensive work performed in the realm of indoor air quality and serve as a catalyst to boost female representation in scientific fields.

She said that she has found leadership relatively straightforward because of the high level of empathy she believes women have. The 31-year-old said the main issue she faces is age-related as some people do not think she has the same experience as older colleagues.

Jean-Marc Gallot, the president of Veuve Clicquot, praised both winners stating: "Succeeding in typically male-dominated sectors, both our winners excelled across the key areas our judges assess. They both are successfully reinventing traditions, have clearly demonstrated entrepreneurial daring, championed better representation of female leaders and maintained an ethical approach."

Lawrence Matheson