Novi Rising Star of the Year

2026 Novi Awards

Now in its 16th year, the Novi Leadership Summit and Awards honours the impact of female leadership, innovation and entrepreneurism in business. We continue to use our platform to showcase the achievements of women breaking barriers across the public and private sectors, giving them the recognition and visibility, they need to inspire the next generation of leaders. These women are changing lives and transforming the UK’s businesses, communities, and industries. They are the audacious ones, the innovative transformational female leaders – the game changers – the unstoppable ones. Check out the alumni and last years magazine. nominate apply

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Katie Irwin

Since joining MBDA as a Graduate Manufacturing Engineer in 2018, I have progressed to become a Principal Manufacturing Engineer, currently working as a team leader in the Circuit Card Assembly area with a team of 20 engineers. My role requires me to solve problems, maintain standards and push for improvements. I pride myself on fostering a good working environment and building strong relationships with my team. I am also passionate about the next generation of engineers, supporting graduates and apprentices, as well as mentoring students at my former high school who are interested in STEM careers.

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Tomi Olufawo

Tomi is a rising professional in financial crime at Barclays, passionate about mentorship and empowering others to achieve their potential. With a keen eye for investigative work and a commitment to commercial awareness, Tomi actively supports peers and mentees, sharing insights on career development, industry trends, and professional growth. Known for combining analytical thinking with approachability, Tomi promotes a collaborative environment where emerging talent can thrive. Dedicated to continuous learning and leadership, they are recognised for inspiring others to pursue excellence and navigate the complexities of the financial sector with confidence.

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Natalia Narozanska

From a suburban state school growing up in the blocks of post-soviet Poland, through University of Cambridge to leading a technical team in a cutting edge deep-tech start-up her courage and curiosity inspire. Natalia Narozanska is a lead simulation engineer at Evolito, which she joined as one of the 3 founding engineers in 2021. Her focus is motor electromagnetic design and power unit optimisation. Graduating from Aerospace Engineering at the University of Cambridge, she worked at automotive before transitioning into her dream industry – aerospace. For her entrepreneurial skills and projects, Natalia received numerous awards from University of Cambridge, James Dyson Foundation, Forbes, Women Engineering Society and others. She advocates for inclusive leadership and loves sharing her passion for aerospace engineering with others. She speaks regularly at technical conferences and STEM outreach events. Sep 12, 09:25 PM

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Madlyn Debrah

Madlyn Debrah is a Level 6 Compliance Apprentice at Barclays, working towards her ICA qualification. Having begun her career in the legal industry, she successfully transitioned into compliance, bringing a valuable blend of legal expertise and fresh insight into financial regulation. Dedicated to creating opportunities for others, Madlyn mentors aspiring apprentices and actively supports early careers talent. Through her involvement with the Barclays Black Professionals Resource Group, she contributes to initiatives that drive diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. Passionate, driven, and committed to excellence, Madlyn is building a future as a leader in compliance and governance.

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The 2025 Novi Awards

Now in its 15th year, the Novi Leadership Summit and Awards honours the impact of female leadership, innovation and entrepreneurism in business. We continue to use our platform to showcase the achievements of women breaking barriers across the public and private sectors, giving them the recognition and visibility, they need to inspire the next generation of leaders. These women are changing lives and transforming the UK’s businesses, communities, and industries. They are the audacious ones, the innovative transformational female leaders – the game changers – the unstoppable ones. Check out the alumni and last years magazine. Get tickets to the summit & awards Missed this Year’s Awards?

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Isabella Rocha

Isabella is a pioneering UX design apprentice at IBM, combining her passion for technology with a commitment to innovation and inclusion. With expertise in UX and user-centered design, she has delivered transformative projects across various sectors. Her leadership extends beyond her technical skills, as she founded and co-leads IBM UK’s first Latino/Hispanic Business Resource Group, engaging and influencing over 34,000 IBMers globally. Recognised by industry leaders and government officials for her exceptional work, Isabella continues to break barriers and inspire the next generation of tech professionals.

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Breaking Barriers

Now in its 14th year, the Novi Leadership Summit and Awards honours the impact of female leadership, innovation and entrepreneurism in business. We continue to use our platform to showcase the achievements of women breaking barriers across the public and private sectors, giving them the recognition and visibility, they need to inspire the next generation of leaders. These women are changing lives and transforming the UK’s businesses, communities, and industries. They are the audacious ones, the innovative transformational female leaders – the game changers – the unstoppable ones. Check out the alumni and last years magazine. enter the awards get tickets

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Unstoppable Women

With this year’s theme being “unstoppable women”, we are celebrating women who are showing exceptional leadership abilities in their teams, challenging and breaking glass ceilings and uplifting communities across the entire UK and globe. These women are changing the world with their craft, talents, creativity, eloquence, leadership and impacting generations all around the world. The FL Leadership and Summit Awards will bring together women from all fields, organizations, industries and backgrounds to discuss their journeys and careers and celebrate their exceptional leadership. We are bringing together carefully curated expert panels, as well as industry-leading speakers to share thoughts on how we create a safer, healthier and more gender-balanced working environment for all.

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Khadija Owusu

Dr Khadija Owusu is an award-winning UK Junior Doctor, Leader, Change Agent, and International & TEDx Speaker. She is the Founder of The Like Her Project (Ghana), a Founding Member and Director of Programmes at Melanin Medics, an Ambassador at the GUBA-Enterprise and a Trustee for the charity Raising Futures Kenya.

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Samrudhi Inamdar

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Breaking Barriers

Now in its 13th year, the Forward Ladies Leadership Summit and Awards honours the impact of female leadership, innovation and entrepreneurism in business. We continue to use our platform to showcase the achievements of women breaking barriers across the public and private sectors, giving them the recognition and visibility, they need to inspire the next generation of leaders. These women are changing lives and transforming the UK’s businesses, communities, and industries. They are the audacious ones, the innovative transformational female leaders – the game changers – the unstoppable ones. As we celebrate another International Women’s Day, we are excited to launch The Forward Ladies Leadership Summit and Awards to identify and recognize the women breaking barriers. Our theme for this year is Breaking Barriers.

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