15 September 2011

Senior retailers secure industry recognition for the contribution Mike Goring has made to nurturing female retailing talent

Women within the highest echelons of retail have backed an award presented to Mike Goring, Managing Director of BHS. At the Specsavers everywoman in Retail Awards held at The Savoy last night, Mike was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award to recognise his role in enabling women to reach the senior ranks of the heavily male-dominated retail sector.

The Specsavers everywoman in Retail Awards were established to help readdress the gender balance in management roles within retail by highlighting inspirational role models and their accomplishments. They draw attention to retailers who have shattered glass ceilings through hard work and determination to succeed. Alongside seven awards presented to female retailers who have demonstrated innovation, leadership or entrepreneurship, everywoman this year created its Lifetime Achievement Award to recognise an individual who has made a major contribution to developing female retailing talent.

Claire Beasley, Managing Director of court & spark consulting represents nine senior retail industry executives who recommended Mike Goring to everywoman. She comments: “A number of women holding senior roles in retail today honed their skills whilst working for Mike, and all have credited him with providing them with the opportunity to seize greater responsibility and develop their careers. That’s not to say that Mike is biased towards promoting women over men, and to do so would do a dis-service to the credibility of women who have developed their career on their own merit. However, Mike did break the mould and give women the chance to prove themselves in the retail industry for the first time, providing them with the opportunity to go head to head with their male colleagues and be judged by their skill in retail and not by their gender.”

“The award also enables us to say thank you to Mike for the support he has continued to provide many women as they have developed their careers and moved on to new roles. Although the retail industry is now much more diverse, women reaching the top rung of the ladder can still find it a lonely place and many women have benefitted from being able to turn to Mike as an informal mentor for words of encouragement and advice – even when they have moved on to work for one of Mike’s retail competitors!”

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