Shortlist: Digital Innovator of The Year – Digital Women Awards

The Digital Women innovator of the year award recognises and rewards individuals who have harnessed the latest in digital and tech over the past year and are showing innovation in their area of work.

Here are your finalists:

Susan Kabani – Ugenie

I aim to level the playing field for SME’s by acting as an alliance so they can compete with those that have more resources like larger corporates or enterprises.

With a background in intellectual property law and SME business development, Susan Kabani launched Ugenie, a private membership hub for businesses. Susan helps businesses grow an audience or better engage their current clients. Susan also works closely with her clients to formulate digital communication strategies to ensure their successful use of technology in business.

Suze Cooper – Big Tent Media

I have always had a keen interest in tech and digital, spurred on by my dad’s computer building and interest in the very early iterations of the internet.

Suze Cooper is a voice content strategist with Vixen Labs, a voice consultancy working with brands and businesses on the creation of Voice experiences. With 20 years of experience in journalism, Suze merges her broadcasting skills with her Voice tech knowledge producing news stories for the London Evening Standard. These can be heard on Google Assistant’s AI-driven news feature. She is also a freelance newsreader for Kent radio station, kmfm.

Now a director of her own company Big Tent Media, she works alongside her husband creating content for small businesses with a specialist eye on audio content, from podcasts to audiograms. Suze is the creator of the Social Days Flash Briefings; an audible social calendar for content creators which can be heard daily via Alexa-enabled devices. She is a confident public speaker, eager to inspire and educate others about the possibilities of voice technology.

Dior Simms – Designer Dior Designs

I like to do things differently, do things that have not been done before and also do things in a creative and innovate way. I have used my digital skills to setup and develop a service a internet radio station to drive a business forward with its marketing.

Dior Simms is a creative web and graphic designer and also the founder of Designer Dior Designs, a creative design and digital agency which works with clients to develop and deliver creative ideas for graphic design, web design and digital projects. Dior is passionate about designing and has a great eye for designs but also has an interest in connecting things together so working on digital projects and applying here digital skills to develop business growth is 1 of the most enjoyable parts of here creative role.

She has over 5 years experience working on creative designs, digital and printed magazines, carrying out digital media such as internet radio, marketing and animation work. In addition Dior holds a BTEC in Graphic Design and is currently study for a BA Hons in Graphic Design.

Pamela Finn – Hashtag Media

The most innovative project I have embarked on so far is Social TV which is arguably the next wave in online trends. The line continues to blur between traditional video and television and the online world. It’s not classic broadcasting and presenting nor is it a voyeuristic live stream, it’s interactive, fun, natural, a real-life experience like and showcases a completely different style of engagement.

Award winning entrepreneur ‘Best PR Agency in Ireland 2020, Founder of Hashtag Media – Voted Hottest Company of 2019…Pamela Finn aka PR Pam has worked in the media industry for over two decades in social media years that’s about a century!

Sandra Patterson – Kids Bee Happy Ltd

Digital is the secret sauce of our business. Yes, we have award winning fantastic products, yes, we have a business model that was recognised with the FSB Business Innovation award for Scotland, but the secret sauce that hangs it all together is digital. Digital is our way of ensuring that when a customer attends a Kids bee Happy workshop in Southampton, that they get exactly the same experience as they do in Newcastle.

Sandra is CEO of an arts and crafts distribution company and the primary product is Sand Art.

“We sell through our own direct sales network of 300 branded consultants operating from Orkney down to the Channel Islands, and we have also replicated out business model with a partner in South Africa, providing a foundation for further international growth. In the UK we also sell directly to multi site corporate partners such as Parkdean, Haven etc.

I am a Chartered Accountant by training, qualifying with Arthur Andersen, and first went self employed in 2001 with a local village store. Myself and my husband also built an online courier platform which we successfully sold to the US market leader in 2010 I am completely passionate about achieving equality and creating a working environment fit for 21st century families. Kids Bee Happy is a Scottish Pledge company, our working style embraces proper flexible working and we are heading towards achieving the four day week by 2021. I adore business. My training and background teaching me early in my career that all business skills and knowledge is infinitely transferable. My speciality is strategy and big picture, and understanding the detail needed to achieve that.

My background in the 3Principles understanding also gives me a grounding that reduces stress, improves decision making, and creates an openness to new opportunities and thinking.”

Congratulations to these incredible and innovative women!

Join us on the 9th March in London as we celebrate international womens day and the work women are doing in digital and business.