Business leaders from across the North West have been recognised in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours list ahead of the Platinum Jubilee weekend.
Among those honoured this year are Fragrance Shop CEO Sanjay Vadera, Iceland boss Richard Walker, and East Lancashire Chamber chief Miranda Barker - as well as Claire McColgan, who had helped bring hundreds of millions of pounds into Liverpool's economy through years of high-profile events.
Sanjay Vadera , chief executive at The Fragrance Shop and Per-Scent in Trafford Park, is made an MBE for services to International Trade.
Mr Vadera set up Per-Scent in 1990 and in 2006 bought The Fragrance Shop. Per-Scent Ltd employs 90 staff, rising to 140 during the peak season, serving retailers, distributors and wholesalers worldwide. Exports are currently running at around £25m and the company is expecting that to grow by another 25% this year.
Today the Fragrance Shop now has 200 stores and an online shopping channel, and employs 1,400 people. The company has also raised more than £1.6m for children’s charities through its Spray a Little Happiness Foundation.
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Sanjay Vadera said: “I’m very proud to have received this honour, particularly in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year. It’s a reflection of all the hard work that my family and all the colleagues we work with have put into the business over the years.
“It’s very satisfying to know we have made a valuable contribution to the economy and I’m also very proud that we’ve been able to share in that success and support wonderful children’s charities such as Rays of Sunshine through our Spray a Little Happiness Foundation”.
Richard Walker , the Cheshire-based managing director of Deeside firm Iceland, is made an OBE for services to business and to the environment.
He took charge of the group in August 2018 and has led its push towards sustainability and a reduced use of plastic.
Claire McColgan , director of Culture Liverpool, was made a CBE for services to Arts and Culture. Ms McColgan has led events that have attracted millions of visitors to Liverpool - including the Royal de Luxe Giant Spectaculars. She also organised this year’s Good Business Festival in Liverpool.
She said: "I am truly made up to receive the CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours and am humbled that I have been recognised nationally for the work I deliver, which has roots in this city that I love.
“There are always loads of people behind these awards - they are never about the individual, and I’d like to thank the Culture Liverpool team, who I truly love. I’d also like to thank Liverpool City Council because over the last 20 years it has given me and the brilliant creatives of this city and beyond, the chance to prove that with a long-term vision, legacy is not just a nice to have, it can transform the economic prosperity of a place."
Sir Phil Redmond CBE said: “This is a very well deserved award to a person who has continually put the ingredients in the rocket fuel that has driven Liverpool since 2008.”
Miranda Barker, chief executive officer at East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, was made an OBE for services to business and to the community in Lancashire.
Nigel Wilkinson , managing director at Windermere Lake Cruises, is made an MBE for services to tourism and to the economy in Cumbria.
His business is one of country’s top visitor attractions, with over 1.6 million passenger journeys annually - while he also chair’s Cumbria LEP’s Visitor Economy Sector Panel.
Lord Inglewood, Chair of the Cumbria LEP, said: “This award is very well-deserved and recognises the commitment that Nigel has made to Cumbria. Not only has he led the growth of Windermere Lake Cruises, making it one of the nation’s top paid-for attractions, he has also shown unwavering dedication to Cumbria’s wider visitor economy.
“In his role on the LEP board and other organisations, he’s given up his time, expertise and knowledge to strengthen the Lake District’s reputation as an international tourism destination. He has done this with real commitment, always looking to support businesses in his sector.
“It has been a challenging and uncertain few years for the visitor economy and throughout this time Nigel has absolutely championed the sector ensuring that its needs, challenges and opportunities are communicated and understood at national level. A timely and very well deserved honour.”
Dame Susan Ion , of Preston, was made a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) for services to engineering. She is chair of the Nuclear Innovation Research Advisory Board and honorary president of the National Skills Academy for Nuclear.
Humera Haqqani , managing director at Let’s Talk, is made an MBE fo services to business and to the community in Rochdale.
Captain Michael Morris , Southport-based chairman of the United Kingdom Maritime Pilots Association, is made an MBE for services to the maritime industry.
Clare Bernadette Roberts , CEO at Kids Planet Day Nurseries in Manchester, was made an OBE for services to education.
Dave Moutrey, director and chief executive at arts venue HOME Manchester, was made an OBE for services to the Arts, particularly during Covid-19.
Professor Samia Nefti-Meziani, professor of artificial intelligence and robotics, and head of the Centre for Autonomous Systems and Advanced Robotics at the University of Salford, was made an OBE for services to robotics.
Sir Pascal Soriot , AstraZeneca’s chief executive officer, has been knighted for services to UK life sciences and the response to Covid-19.
The Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine was approved in December 2020, and jabs were initially rolled out among the older and the most vulnerable in society.
AstraZeneca employs thousands in the North West at sites in Alderley Park, Speke and Macclesfield.
Sir Pascal said: “I am truly humbled by this recognition. Growing up in France, I had many dreams and hopes for the future, but I never thought I would receive a knighthood from Her Majesty the Queen.
“As an Australian citizen, it is a great privilege to receive this award and an honour to work with so many outstanding people around the world dedicated to following the science in order to bring medicines to patients.
“This recognition is also theirs and I would like to thank each of them for their commitment to our mission.
“I am also grateful to my family for their support in enabling me to pursue a career doing what I love.”
