GABI Burnside, entrepreneur acceleration manager at Ulster Bank, has been included in WeAreTheCity's latest list of female role models.
Now in its sixth year, the awards showcase the best of female talent working across 20 different industries and professions throughout the UK.
Gabi, who has been part of Ulster Bank's entrepreneurship team since 2018, was named as one of five rising stars in the banking and capital markets category, having beaten off stiff competition at the judging stage and then making it through to the final public vote.
The awards were judged by a panel of 40 independent judges who short-listed 200 candidates from over 1,000 entries to face the final stage of the competition which received over 35,00 public votes.
Gabi began her diverse career working in policy for a tech start-up, Ineqe, before her background in economics and corporate governance brought her to the NI Chamber of Commerce where she managed support programmes for SMEs and large businesses to trade internationally.
Now, as one of two acceleration managers with Ulster Bank's entrepreneurship team, Gabi is using her skills to provide coaching to around 80 entrepreneurs who are starting or scaling a business. To date, her mentees have raised nearly £5m in investment and funding and had turnovers of around £6.5m in this time.
Gabi said: "It's a great honour to have been recognised on this list with so many other talented female leaders who are excelling in their field and working hard to progress the role of women in the workplace.
"While it's slightly disappointing we can't celebrate together, I've enjoyed some virtual celebrations with my Ulster Bank colleagues and am looking forward to meeting all the winners when the time comes."
John Ferris, entrepreneur development manager with Ulster Bank, said: "We congratulate Gabi on being recognised as a Rising Star and as the only Northern Ireland candidate to have made the Top 100. The award is a fitting testament to her hard work and we're extremely proud of all that she has achieved."
