Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

Penny Ferguson scoops SHE magazine’s ‘Businesswoman of the Year’ award

Chief Executive Officer and founder of Penny Ferguson Limited named as winner at inaugural ‘Inspiring Women Awards’

Burghclere, Berkshire, 8 May 2008: Penny Ferguson – founder and Chief Executive Officer of specialist leadership development company Penny Ferguson Limited – has scooped the award for “Businesswomen” in SHE magazine’s Inspiring Women Awards 2008. Designed to recognise and honour the UK’s most deserving women, over the last few months SHE magazine invited its 176,000 readers to make their nominations for five award categories; Humanitarian, Survivor, Champion, Innovator and Businesswoman; for the woman who has shown unprecedented entrepreneurial spirit in her bid to achieve success in business or industry.

Following personal tragedy and abuse, Penny developed a way of thinking which, not only transformed her own life, but also had a big impact on people at the top of British industry and changed the way many big organisations are run. Beginning from nothing at her kitchen table 14 years ago, Penny built up her company to become the highly successful business it is today with a turnover of £1.7million. PFL’s client list includes Centrica, Cisco, NSPCC, NHS, HM Prison Service, Home Retail Group, Caterpillar, Staples, Thorntons, Wickes, STA Travel, TNT and EU Skills.

The judges were touched by Penny’s personal story of amazing spirit and courage behind the company’s inception. Abandoned by her mother at the age of 18 months, surviving three unhappy marriages and left to raise six children alone (one of whom tragically died); at the age of 50, Penny found her life had collapsed around her and was totally devastated. In short, Penny turned her life around completely by changing her thinking and created the Personal Leadership Programme with this new approach at its core. The PLP enables people to take control of their lives and become the best they can be – whether that’s at home or at work. To date, the Programme has welcomed over 18,500 delegates – from CEOs of major blue chip corporations to single mothers, charities and teachers.

Penny Ferguson commented: “I am beyond thrilled to have been nominated and to have won this fantastic award. I regard it as a real achievement not only for me personally, but especially for the whole team at PFL – I could not have done it without them. It is dedication and hard work that has got the Company to where it is today and so this award is just as much for them as it is for me. She continued: “I’d also like to say, that without fantastic clients to work with, I would not have grown and become the person I am today. Without the support and trust of those early clients, I certainly couldn’t have achieved all I have to date. When I look back, I used to think that at 65 I would be winding down – but now, I feel as though I am at the brink of the most exciting time of my life.”

“Penny’s incredible story and hard work really captured the imagination of the judging panel,” commented Sian Rees, Editor of SHE magazine. “Every month we feature inspiring women on the pages of SHE magazine, but we’ve been totally amazed by the superhuman efforts, passion and determination shown by our winners. The courage and resolve of our five winners, in the face of such great adversity, is a massive tribute to them. These women truly deserve our recognition, admiration and applause”

The June issue of SHE magazine featuring the SHE Inspiring Women 2008 Awards is out now.
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About Penny Ferguson Ltd.
Founded in 1994, Penny Ferguson Limited provides personal leadership development that not only leads to outstanding personal success, but also amazing and measurable improvements in performance at work. Our objective is to bring about positive, real and sustainable change in peoples lives and in the way their organisations function.
For over a decade, we have been working with the leaders of the UK’s top organisations. To date, our Personal Leadership Programme has been been experienced by 18,500 people worldwide. PFL’s client list includes TNT, BUPA, Caterpillar, Alshaya, National Black Police Association and various Police Forces with the UK, HM Prison Service, NHS, Intel, Staples and Sage (UK) Ltd. The company has a team of programme leaders throughout the UK and around the world.
www.pennyferguson.com

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