We were taught that in order to benefit from our MBA we needed to 'manipulate' our career sooner rather than later, post graduation. Within a year I was Director of the Health Authority and when I left the NHS I knew the people to approach to offer my expertise - those Venture Capitalists!!! I sold myself to them on the basis of my MBA and the impact then that I was (a) a woman and (b) that it was a highly-valued Henley MBA.

That's the history. Ten years later, having founded my own business and been through two MBOs and just about to go through another, I now have a company with over 1200 employees and a turnover of £35m. The company has been valued at just under £100m and I was recently a finalist of the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year 2005.