FDM Group's COO Sheila Flavell Sweeps 'Leader of the Year' At This Year's Annual Everywoman In Technology Awards

Online, April 1, 2012 (Newswire.com) - FDM Group's Chief Operating Officer, Sheila Flavell, has won the 'Leader of the Year' award at yesterday's Everywoman in Technology Awards, held at The Savoy, London.

This is the second annual Everywoman in Technology Awards show, which acknowledges inspirational women in the technology industry who demonstrate that women can enjoy highly successful and satisfying careers in what is typically a male dominated industry.

Upon winning, Sheila said, "I am overjoyed and honoured to be recognised as Leader of the Year. It is proof to every hard working and passionate woman that females can succeed in a male dominated industry. The lack of women in technology is shocking [18 percent in the IT industry], and I will continue to ensure that our Female Champion and Women in IT campaigns provide advice and support to women in the IT industry."

Sheila was the first employee at FDM in 1991, and later left and rejoined in 1998. Since then, she has played a key role in expanding and improving FDM's service offerings and has progressed through the ranks. She is now on the Board of Directors, part owner of the business and Chief Operating Officer.

Sheila has been instrumental to the increasing success of FDM's academy programme, which has launched the careers of over 3,000 graduates worldwide. As a result, FDM was awarded the Best Technical Graduate Recruiter and Best Graduate Training Programme of 2010 at Archant London's National Graduate Recruitment Awards.

Under Sheila's guidance, FDM has progressed from one office in Brighton to housing nine offices in the UK, Europe, the USA and Asia Pacific. As a result, FDM was recognised as the top performing IT company in the UK by The Sunday Times' Buyout Track 100 list this year, and has recently been voted into the prestigious Guardian UK 300 list by undergraduates.

FDM's Global Marketing Manager, Nabila Salem said, "Sheila is a true leader and an inspirational woman in the technology industry. She has been instrumental in FDM's international expansion and global success, and has played a pivotal part in championing women at FDM. She has been the driving force of our Women in IT campaign and acts as Senior Female Champion offering advice and support to females at FDM."

Last year, Sheila signed the UKRC's CEO Charter formally accrediting FDM's commitment to actively supporting the aim of increasing the participation of women in science, engineering, technology and the built environment (SET). Moreover, she has pledged to promote FDM's approach by leading advantage sessions to showcase FDM's strategies to praise women in IT.