Christine Griffiths, who has developed Bristol-based Aeolus Power (Wind-Energy) from its launch in her spare room five years ago into a multi-million pound business, is today hoping to win the prestigious Businesswoman of the Year Award 2012.
Christine, pictured, started Aeolus with husband Peter as a result of the lack of support and information available to them when they installed a wind turbine at their farmhouse home.
Today the firm, based at Pilning, supplies and installs wind turbines ranging in size from 50kW to 100kW to farmers, landowners
, businesses and communities across the UK – installations have been made in Scotland, Cornwall, Wales and Lincolnshire.
Christine has built up a vast knowledge of how best to harness wind power and has spoken on the subject at a wide variety of venues around the South West and Wales. She has lobbied the Government on sustainability policies and trekked 120km through the foot hills of the Himalayas.
She said she runs her business with integrity, openness and a huge dose of enthusiasm.
“There are only a handful of women involved with wind energy and if I could provide inspiration for the millions of women who would like to start their own business, in whatever capacity, that would be wonderful,” she said ahead of today’s ceremony.
The five other shortlisted businesswomen were Andrea Miles, director of Mirrors for Training, Emma Elston, co-founder of UK Container Maintenance, Sarah Cressall, managing director of The Creation Station, Vivienne Hudson-Findlay, managing director of Hotelshop UK, and Sheree Cook, director at Cube Environmental.
The judges were seeking a woman who has made a significant contribution to the financial success and performance of an organisation either as a senior executive or as an entrepreneur setting up her own business. The judging criteria reflect the different skills, abilities and influence of these two types of businesswomen.
The Businesswoman of the Year Award, now in its 30th year, celebrates personal achievement and success outside London in the areas of female enterprise and personal achievement.
The winner is being announced at a glittering ceremony in Birmingham today.
Previous winners include Suzie Norton, former chief executive of Screen WM, Karren Brady, one of Sir Alan Sugar's trusted aides on The Apprentice and vice-chairman at West Ham United, Sarah Tremellen, founder and chief executive of Bravissimo, and Perween Warsi, founder of S&A Foods.
