How do you stop talented women leaving an industry just as they’re hitting their stride?
For Fabienne Viala, the answer lies in sponsorship, trust, and building spaces where women aren’t the only one in the room.
Fabienne is a returning judge for the Novi Awards, bringing more than 35 years of leadership experience in construction, energy, and services across the UK and France. She spent nine years as Chair and CEO of Bouygues UK, and UK Country Manager for Bouygues Construction, delivering major hospitals, universities, and regeneration projects, while driving transformation, sustainability, and inclusion across the business. She stepped down from the role at the end of 2025, and since December 2025 has served as a non-executive director on the board of HS2 Ltd, bringing her experience in commercial management and systems integration to the UK’s flagship rail project.
But her proudest legacy probably isn’t the buildings.
Throughout her career, Fabienne was often the only woman in the room, sometimes the only woman in the whole department. She watched talented women disappear from engineering in their thirties, worn down by rigid structures and the quiet weight of always being the exception.
She believes sponsorship, not just access, is what keeps women in the industry long enough to lead it. Early in her own career, someone believed in her before she’d proven herself, and that belief opened doors that talent alone never could. So she set out to give other women the same chance, co-founding the first women’s business network in France’s construction sector. A decade on, it’s still running and still helping women stay and succeed.
A few highlights from her career:
- Over 35 years leading construction, energy and services across the UK and France
- Spent eight years as Chair and CEO of Bouygues UK, and UK Country Manager for Bouygues Construction
- Now a non-executive director on the board of HS2 Ltd
- Co-founder of the first women’s business network in France’s construction sector
- President of the French Chamber of Great Britain for six years, now a board member
- Board roles at Build UK and Durham University Business School
- Honoured as Officier de la Légion d’Honneur, France’s highest honour
Her leadership reached well beyond construction sites. As President of the French Chamber of Great Britain for six years, she helped steady Franco-British trade relations through Brexit, and she continues to support the chamber as a board member. She also sits on the boards of Build UK and Durham University Business School, bringing the same blend of analytical rigour and emotional intelligence that carried her through decades of high-stakes leadership.
In recognition of her contribution to business and to France, Fabienne was named Officier de la Légion d’Honneur.
Today, she brings that same eye for talent and trust to the Novi Awards, judging entries from women reshaping their own industries.
Because for Fabienne, leadership has never been just about the numbers. It’s about who you bring with you.
At Novi, we celebrate leaders like Fabienne, who don’t just succeed themselves, but build the door for others to walk through too.
Know a woman who’s changing the game in her field? Nominations for the 2026 Novi Awards have been extended to 30th June . Nominate here
