Outstanding individuals across categories including marketing, sales, people development and manufacturing celebrated their respective achievements this week at an event held at 30 Euston Square, London. Emma King came top of Autocar’s Purchasing category and went on to beat eight other category winners from the list of 100 of the most talented rising stars in the car industry.
King started her career as a commercial vehicle buyer for Ford in 2007 and has risen through the ranks to lead the firm’s electric vehicle charge in purchasing and manage a team across the US, the EU and China. She has been an instrumental part of teams driving key technological changes in the industry. Her most recent role has involved heading up the procurement of global battery cells, coming at a crucial time for Ford as it restructures its business and prepares for the rapid growth in electrified vehicles.
“Emma’s impressive rise at Ford is the perfect showcase for everything we are celebrating here” said Autocar editor Mark Tisshaw, speaking at the event on Wednesday. “The car industry is always experimenting, pushing boundaries and looking into new technologies, and Emma’s role perfectly highlights how exciting it is to be part of. The ambition and success of all our top 100 rising stars demonstrate the breadth of exciting career opportunities within modern automotive.”
Ms King added: “The work I do with Ford is a really exciting area to be involved in. Investing heavily in an electric future means our work is at the forefront of the migration to new technologies and services. It is a huge privilege to have been chosen as this year’s winner of Autocar’s Great British Women in the Car Industry – Rising Stars, and I would like to convey my sincere thanks to the entire team at Autocar and the SMMT for this honour. I am deeply thankful to have been considered alongside such accomplished and varied female talent and hope that we can, in turn, inspire future generations.”
Chair of the judging panel and managing director of Autocar and Haymarket Automotive, Rachael Prasher, said: “It is always exciting for us to recognise the leading women in our industry, but this year’s event feels particularly special. Not only are we looking at the strength of the UK’s automotive industry at the moment, but we are celebrating the names to look out for, carrying the industry into the future. Our list of 100 rising stars is only a snapshot of the great work women are doing to make a name for themselves in the automotive industry, and the essential role that women will continue to have in developing the UK’s automotive landscape in the years to come.”
Run in partnership with the SMMT, Autocar’s Great British Women in the Car Industry – Rising Stars is supported by headline sponsors CDK Global, Nissan and Toyota, and support partners Peugeot and Volkswagen Group.
“There has never been a more exciting time to join the motor sector, with developments in electrification, digitalisation and AI resulting in a seismic shift in innovation” said SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes. “We are delighted to continue to support this fantastic initiative, which rightly celebrates success while working to encourage more women into the industry. With such a widening range of exciting roles, it is more important than ever to attract talent from across all backgrounds, abilities and genders. The calibre of nominees this year was exceptional and once again highlights the women excelling in our sector and the crucial role they play now and in the future. This can only inspire more women to join our industry, helping shape the future mobility of the UK.”
This year’s event featured a panel debate with some of the industry’s biggest names chaired by Prasher, along with keynote speeches from Aston Martin’s president of the Americas, Laura Schwab, and Peugeot ambassador and former Fed Cup captain Judy Murray.
The full list of category winners is below:
Overall Winner
Emma King, Ford
Sales
Zoe Lawson, Marshall Motor Group
Marketing
Olivia Kaye, Renault UK
PR & Communications
Camilla Scanes, Audi
Purchasing
Emma King, Ford
Operations
Laura Brunker, McLaren Automotive
People Development
Nev Hart, Jardine Motors Group
Manufacturing
Buki Okoro, Ford
Vehicle Development
Hilary Andrew, Aston Martin
Aftersales and Workshop
Charlotte Dafe, Jardine Motors Group
Additional categories
New Mobility and Digital Solutions
Apprentice
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