Transparency data

Women-led high-growth enterprise taskforce meeting minutes: 22 January 2024

Updated 1 February 2024

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

Attendees

Taskforce members

• Anne Boden MBE (chair), Starling Bank
• Zandra Moore, Panintelligence 
• Deepali Nangia, Speedinvest
• Jan Putnis, Slaughter and May
• Angela Scott
• Sam Smith, FfinnCap Group
• June Angelides, Samos Investments

Secretariat, analysts and other support staff

• Teena Lyons, Starling Bank
• Gillian Unsworth, Equality Hub, Cabinet Office 
• Sue Beaumont-Staite), Equality Hub, Cabinet Office (Secretariat)
• Barbara Collins, Equality Hub, Cabinet Office (Secretariat)
• Paul Williamson, Equality Hub, Cabinet Office 
• Kevin Mantle, Equality Hub, Cabinet Office (Secretariat)
• Libby Daniels, Cabinet Office
• Megan Kane, Cabinet Office
• Leah Shearer, Private Secretary, Minister for Women
• Francis Evans, Department for Business and Trade 
• Amanda Clark, Cabinet Office
• Elisabeth Brind

Apologies

Taskforce members

• Judith Hartley
• Helen Steers, Pantheon
• Check Warner, Ada Venture

Secretariat, analysts and other support staff

• Mayeesha Jamil, Cabinet Office

Summary of actions

1) Zandra Moore to liaise with Equality Hub on the Regional Growth Boards potential launch dates.

2) Equality Hub officials to send Deepali Nangia core script on the report.

Discussion items

1. Welcome from chair, minutes and actions

The chair thanked all members for attending the final taskforce meeting. Members were thanked for their hard work and commitment.

2. Current state of play with report (chair)

There was an update on the draft report and the next steps for clearance and printing. It was highlighted that the Minister for Women mentioned the work of the taskforce during her recent appearance in front of the Treasury Select Committee.

Francis Evans gave an update on the next steps with the work of the Rose Review. The Rose Review Board met for the last time in November 2023 and members shared their proposals for the future. A final decision was still to be made on the government’s approach to promoting women’s enterprise. Francis Evans will make sure members of any future campaign are kept up to date with the recommendations of the taskforce once these have gone through the final stages of clearance. Sam Smith highlighted that members of the taskforce would be happy to meet with members of this future body once it had been established, to talk through their recommendations.

3. Regional growth boards: update

Zandra Moore gave an update to the taskforce on the work she has been driving forward to promote and develop the Regional Inclusive Growth Boards. Great progress is being made and further announcements should be ready to be made on this following the launch of the taskforce. The project itself is called ‘Lifted’. Zandra Moore ran through draft targets that would be included for each potential regional board. Everything on this project is underpinned by data and will aim to grow the regional ecosystem.

Action: Zandra Moore to liaise with Equality Hub on any potential launch dates.

Sam Smith gave an update on her work to prepare literature for schools across the UK showcasing women high-growth entrepreneurs.

The chair also gave an update on work with Swansea University to promote women high-growth entrepreneurs to universities. This is going well and case studies are being gathered.

4. Event and launch

Libby Daniels updated attendees on proposals for the launch of the report including the event and related communications. She also flagged potential opportunities with International Women’s Day week and digital content with the likes of Swansea University and other stakeholders involved in the report.

Action: Equality Hub officials to send Deepali Nangia core script on the report.

Gillian Unsworth updated the group on proposals for CSW in New York in March (11 to 15 March). Options were being developed for a side event in New York which would be accessible as a virtual event from the UK – the taskforce report would be a central element of this side event.

Sam Smith updated the group on work she is doing on a ‘50 over 50’ project –  showcasing 50 women who have built businesses worth over £50 million.

5. Any other business

Maria Caulfield, Minister for Women, came to give thanks to members of the taskforce for their hard work. Zandra Moore updated the minister on the work of the regional growth boards. The chair and Deepali Nangia spoke to the minister about grants and funding.