The inaugural list has been established to profile the incredible achievements of 50 talented women leaders, including Sophie who will have a huge impact on the cultural life of the UK in years to come.

These women are already making a significant contribution to industries including design, libraries, literature, museums, heritage, music, performing and visual arts, the historic environment and creative businesses and have the potential to become influential and established senior leaders in the sector within the next few years.

“Sophie will continue to be a leading figure in design, in particularly in the critical area of sustainability, helping designers to understand their role and responsibility in developing products and services that are more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable”

“For me, building a successful design business has never been focused on creating enough profit to be able to buy myself a yacht,” says Sophie. “Like many female headed practices we are powered by passion and drive to build up benefit for all. It is therefore great to be recognised for this and I am enormously proud of all our achievements”.

As well as celebrating talented women within the sector, the list has also been established to address the lack of women in positions of senior leadership by inspiring and encouraging more women to aim for the top.

CLP received almost 200 high-quality nominations, from across the UK. After much deliberation these were whittled down by the high-profile judging panel - made up of figures from the cultural and creative industries, the media and popular culture and chaired by Jenni Murray OBE, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour – to the final list of 50.

Jenni Murray, said: “I speak for the whole judging panel when I say that arriving at a final list from such a high quality and quantity of nominations was both a delight and a challenge. While we are obviously celebrating the achievements of outstanding individuals, it is also important to see these women as a collective force and as representative of women’s potential to reach the top of their game within this, and any other, sector. Congratulations and watch this space!”

More information on Women to Watch can be found at: www.culturalleadership.org.uk/w2w