Out At Work & Telegraph top 10 LGBT business leaders

The top 50 most influential LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people in business and enterprise have been officially recognised in a list published by the Daily Telegraph in collaboration with diversity and inclusion company Square Peg Media today (Friday 16 January 2015).

Antonio Simoes, chief executive at HSBC UK, tops the Out at Work Top 50, which showcases the countries growing number of LGBT business powerhouses.

Dubbed the ‘gay New Year Honours list’, it is the first time a comprehensive guide of Britain’s leading LGBT business executives has been announced. It is published in the Daily Telegraph today.

Claudia Brind-Woody of IBM, Burberry chief executive Christopher Bailey and Anthony Watson the former Global Chief Information Officer at Nike are also featured on the list which was unveiled at the Houses of Parliament on Thursday evening.

Microsoft’s Marianne Roling who sits on the company’s gay and lesbian employees board; Mark McLane, the Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Barclays Bank PLC; Liz Bingham, the most senior LGBT Partner at EY and Andy Woodfield, Partner & Head of International Aid Development Consulting at PwCare also listed.

Names included were nominated by colleagues and peers and were considered by judges according to their support for LGBT equality both inside and outside their workplace, as well as their business achievements.

Entrepreneur and broadcaster Mary Portas, Labour peer Michael Cashman, Lord Guy Black of Brentwood, Director of the Telegraph Media Group and diversity expert Linda Riley were amongst the Out at Work Top & Telegraph Top 50 judging panel.

Linda Riley said: 'This list isn’t about the highest paid executives, it is about those who are blazing a trail and smashing the glass ceiling and proving that being lesbian, gay bisexual or transgender is no barrier to success. I'm hugely proud that we've got so many people in Britain who we can celebrate for proving just that.

'The judging panel considered the merits of all nominees, their business achievements as well as their commitment to LGBT equality inside and outside of the workplace.

'Out at Work Top 50 is incredibly important overview of Britain’s best LGBT business achievers in 2015'.

2015 Out at Work Top 50

1. Antonio Simoes

Chief Executive Officer

HSBC UK

Antonio has increased the visibility of LGBT issues at HSBC, works with their Pride networks and Chairs the UK Diversity & Inclusion Committee. Lord Browne dubbed Antonio “a poster child for diversity” in his book, ‘The Glass Closet’

2. Claudia Brind-Woody

Vice President & MD, Global Intellectual Property Licensing

IBM

Claudia is one of the most senior out executives at IBM and co-chairs their Global LGBT Executive Taskforce, taking the lead in revolutionising training on LGBT visibility and rights. She serves on LGBT boards and is an active speaker at LGBT events worldwide.

3. Christopher Bailey

Chief Creative & Chief Executive Officer

Burberry

Christopher’s role sees him as the first openly gay CEO of a FTSE 100 company, responsible for over 11,000 employees. Since joining Burberry as creative director in 2001, the company’s revenues have increased fourfold.

4. Anthony Watson

Former Global Chief Information Officer

Nike, Inc.

Anthony is the first British and non-American citizen to be appointed to the Board of Directors of GLAAD, he is also a Patron of Diversity Role Models, and Chair and Head Judge of the European Diversity Awards.

5. Audrey Connolly

Head of FOS Operations

Lloyds Banking Group

Audrey is Lloyds Banking Group’s most senior out gay woman. She is Co-Chair of the Group’s LGBT Rainbow network and advises the Group on LGBT-related HR policy improvements and LGBT-specific marketing activities.

6. Andy Woodfield

Partner & Head of International Aid Development Consulting

PwC

As Partner at PwC, Andy is the most senior out role model. He created the LGBT network GLEE@PwC, takes a keen interest in LGBTI and Human Rights challenges, and is a trustee for Diversity Role Models and Action Breaks Silence.

7. Claire Harvey

Senior Consultant, Inclusive Leadership

KPMG

Claire Harvey, a Paralympic athlete, chair of the Government Equalities office steering group, Anti Homophobia & Transphobia in Sport and is also a patron for anti-bullying charity, Diversity Role Models.

8. Beth Brooke-Marciniak

Global Vice Chair of Public Policy

EY

Named as a Forbes ‘World’s 100 Most Powerful Women’, Beth helped unify EY’s LGBT networks globally, has spoken at LGBT events and was featured in Lord Browne’s book, ‘The Glass Closet.’

9. Vincent Francois

Managing Director and Regional Chief Audit Executive

Societe Generale

Vincent leads Societe Generale’s LGBT agenda. Founder and Chair of the Societe Generale LGBT network, he won Diversity Champion of the Year at the 2013 Out in the City & g3 Reader’s Awards and was ranked #46 in the Guardian’s World Pride Power List.

10. Margot Slattery

Managing Director, Corporate Services, Republic of Ireland & Northern Ireland

Sodexo

Margot sits on Sodexo’s global LGBT network leadership team, Chairs the UK D&I Sexual Orientation workstream. She’s a non-executive director for ‘Out House’, an Irish LGBT community and resource centre and is on the Board of GLEN (Gay and Lesbian Equality Network) and Stonewall.