Inspiring Women - 21 May 2008 - THE SPEAKERS

THE HOST

Satnam Rana

BBC Midlands Today Presenter and Reporter


Satnam Rana is part of the presentation team at BBC Midlands Today. She is a regular presenter on the breakfast slot and a reporter.

She joined Midlands Today as a trainee journalist in 2002, but then she has always been a motivated individual.  As a youngster she would bombard TV programmes with letters and ideas for their shows.  At the age of 10 Satnam founded and edited her school newspaper!

After graduating in 1999, Satnam spent just under two years working at Five Live as a researcher.  Satnam has branched out into other areas since joining Midlands Today.  She has worked as producer, director and presenter on regional news and current affairs programme Inside Out in the West Midlands.  She says “to be able to start an investigation from scratch and see it through to the end is great.  It’s even better when you have an important public message to convey as well.  After all, that’s why I am a journalist in the first place – to inform, educate and share news with others.”

She also has a regular weekly radio show on BBC WM called Midlands Masala and more recently Satnam has also been stepping in to present on the digital radio station BBC Asian Network on the morning Phone In programme from 9am.

THE SPEAKERS

Margot Katz

Author & Business Consultant


Margot is one of Britain's most successful business gurus and has worked across five continents with some of the world's leading companies, BT, Chevron, CISCO, Coca Cola, Coutts, Royal Bank of Scotland and Toyota.

Until 1997, she served as a director on the UK board of Ivax, a global pharmaceuticals company, where she played a pivotal role in its exponential growth under a visionary and entrepreneurial leader.

She moved into consultancy in 2000, as head of consulting for DDI (UK) where she specialised in strategic leadership.

She now works independently across Europe and beyond to Singapore, Delhi, Jakarta, New York, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong, Cape Town and Dubai, bringing a wealth of knowledge and comprehensive leadership experience to the table.

With her clients, she shares her unique brand of energy and insight; drive and fun; clarity and practicality.  Margot’s book, "Tarzan & Jane: how to thrive in the new corporate jungle" is published by Profile Books.  


"Margot Katz gave executives from companies ranging from Merill Lynch and Coutts to ITV and BSkyB pithy advice about getting and staying ahead in the corporate world."   

The Times, May 2005

Sonita Alleyne

Chief Executive and Founding Director, Somethin' Else


Sonita is founding Director of Somethin’ Else and is responsible for the overall business strategy of the company.  

Somethin’ Else is one of the UK’s leading cross platform production companies.  Formed in 1991 the company is a respected producer of high quality content in all formats with particular expertise in music and youth and is the UK’s largest independent producer of radio programming and podcasts for the BBC, commercial and international radio.

Somethin’ Else is a leader in creating branded content across all platforms and has worked with brands such as Disney, Mastercard, Sure, Stella Artois and Woolworths to create TV, radio, online and mobile content.  Somethin’ Else’s talent division represents some of the most exciting TV and radio talent in the UK.

Prior to Somethin' Else, Sonita began her broadcasting career as a reporter and presenter for Radio 4 and GLR and over the years has become more and more involved with the industry.  

She served for five years as non-executive director at the Department of Culture Media and Sport.  She is currently a member of the DCMS Olympics 2008-2012 Culture and Creativity Advisory Group and sits on the Department's Better Regulation Task Group.  

Sonita is non-executive director of The Local Radio Company plc. She was elected Woman of the Year in 1996 and was awarded an OBE in 2003 for services to broadcasting.

Christina Vaughan

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Image Source


Christina is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Image Source, the world’s leading independent producer of royalty free stock photography, with offices in London, New York, Los Angeles and Cologne, Germany.

Vaughan set up the business in 1999 and it has grown today to gross sales of just under $40 million dollars world wide, trading through a network of over 200 photo agencies in over 80 countries.  Image Source focuses on high production value, contemporary creative images and the collection spans over 100,000 images.  The company employs just under 100 people full time as well as many more artists and photographers on a freelance basis.  

The company holds the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the International Trade Category. Image Source has been shortlisted by The Sunday Times Best Employers Guide 2008 as One to Watch and is in The Guardian’s 2008 book of Britain’s Top Employers.  The company has been twice nominated for the Fast Growth Business Award for International Business of the Year and is also accredited with ISO 9001.

During her career, Christina has worked in several sectors of the stock photography industry, in senior creative and business development roles in the United States, Germany and France as well as in the UK.

Christina has extensive experience as a panellist and industry commentator and has played an active role in leadership and direction on several industry trade bodies including PACA, ASPP and BAPLA.  She is currently serving as the Vice President of PACA.