Lee Chambers wins national gender advocacy award

Lee Chambers, the Lancashire-based psychologist and keynote speaker, has been victorious at the Great British Businesswoman Awards. The ceremony was held at the Leonardo St Paul’s, with over 400 guests in attendance, including a range of renowned women in business being present.

The awards recognise and celebrate the inspiring women innovating and leading the way in their respective industries across the UK. 22 winners were awarded, selected from over 600 entries, by a panel of expert judges spanning a wide range of sectors and big-name companies, including Nancy Hobhouse, head of ESG at EVRI, Romy Desmarais, talent development manager at Harrods, and Ellie Long, inclusive hiring & early careers leader, Rolls Royce and many more.

The Male Advocate of the Year category was added to acknowledge the men actively supporting female founders, working to accelerate gender equity and who have proven to be effective male allies within their industry. Other winners on the evening included Catherine Wright of HSBC Innovation Bank, Sharon Sage of EDF Energy and Emily Frazer of Matchroom Sport.

The founder of the awards, Niki Dowdall, said: “I am truly humbled by the privilege of witnessing the incredible achievements of the outstanding women, leaders who have shaped industries, broken barriers, and inspired change.

"Tonight, we came together not only to recognise their exceptional accomplishments but to amplify the voices of those whose dedication has paved the way for a brighter future.”

And on winning the special award, Lee Chambers said: “It is a pleasure to have shared the evening with so many amazing women and people I respect. Our work isn’t about winning awards, but the judge’s comments remind us why we continue to challenge the status quo and make workplaces more equitable. It’s a journey, and I’m sure in a few years we will look back at this as another small step towards making male allyship an opportunity rather than a threat.”