We are pleased to have secured an outstanding panel of judges for the 2026 Awards.

Awards' Judges

Helen Pitcher OBE

Chairman, SID, NED

Helen Pitcher OBE

Helen is an experienced Chair, Board member, Board facilitator and Coach. She works across the range of FTSE, Professional Service, Private Equity and Family firms, where she has led some of the biggest Board Evaluations. Helen is also a coach to many leading CEOs, Chair and NED's. She was awarded an OBE for services to Business in 2015.

In addition to her Advanced Boardroom Excellence role Helen holds the following high profile Board roles: Chair of Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC), a Non-Executive Director at pladis UK. SID at OneHealth Group where she Chairs the Remuneration and Nomination Committees. Helen is also on the Board of Balance in Business Limited (Diversity Initiative pro bono).

Helen was previously Chairman at the CCRC until recently, Chair of the Public Chairs’ Forum (PCF) until August 2024 and Chair of the Queens Counsel Selection Panel until February 2017, Chair pladis Advisory Board (United Biscuits, Godiva, Ülker Bisküvi) until April 2019. A Board member and Remuneration Chair for the CIPD until June 2019. Helen stepped down as President of INSEAD Directors Network Board (IDN) and Chair of INSEAD Directors Club Limited in October 2022. Helen stood down in July 2023 as a Non Executive Director at C & C Group Plc where she was the Chair of the Remuneration Committee and a member of the Nomination and ESG Committees and as INSEAD IAA ExCo and VP of Global Clubs. Helen stepped down as the President of KidsOut (a National Children's Charity) February 2024.

Helen holds an MA, LLB (Law), IDP-C (INSEAD International Director’s Programme – Advanced Corporate Governance Certificate).  She is the only Consultant in the UK Board Effectiveness arena to hold this INSEAD qualification.  She graduated from the INSEAD Strategy in the Age of Digital Disruption and Strategy for Accelerated Growth Programmes and the INSEAD Diversity Programme.  Helen is also an alumnus of the ground-breaking INSEAD Challenge of Leadership Programme.  She both attended and now features on the INSEAD Leading from the Chair programme.

Helen is a Fellow of the CIPD, RSA and a Member of the European Corporate Governance Institute.

Lee Chambers

Founder & CEO, Male Allies UK

Lee Chambers

Lee Chambers is the founder and CEO of Male Allies UK. After a diverse career, from corporate finance to building and exiting tech company, he is now focused on supporting organisations to engage men in inclusion and promote effective allyship. He has been featured on the Startups 100 Index, has received a Great British Entrepreneur Award, and sits on the board of CMI Women and the Manchester Metropolitan University Business School. In 2024, he received the Freedom of the City of London for services to equality in business.

He is a Kavli Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences in the USA, the first Black British scientist to be awarded in its 33-year history, received for his work on health inequalities. He is the 2023 UN Women Changemaker of the Year, is an EDI Fellow at the University of East London and is an ambassador for both Working Families and 50:50 Parliament. He is recognised as a global expert on gender equality, allyship and masculinity, having taken the stage at the Women’s Forum and the Bloomberg Global Equality Summit. He is the author of the bestselling book, Momentum: 13 Ways To Unlock Your Potential.

Stanislav Shekshnia

INSEAD Professor / Judge

Stanislav Shekshnia

Senior Affiliate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Family Enterprise at INSEAD. Co-director of Leading from the Chair and Scandinavian Executive Institute Executive Board and Advanced Board development programs. His research concentrates on leadership, leadership development and effective corporate governance at emerging markets and organizations.

Anna Sofat

Chair One Loud Voice

Anna Sofat

One Loud Voice is partnering with the Balance in Business Awards 2025. We are aligned in our vision and have no doubt that together we will be stronger, and our reach wider.

Our vision is to connect companies and people and shine the light on what they are doing that is making a difference, that is contributing for a business community in which equal opportunities for both men and women is a given. A future where workplaces everywhere thrive on true gender equality and celebrate diversity in every sense; where equality is a given, not a goal, for every woman and man.

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Looking for a job during the pandemic

Keith Kruger, KpK Associates, Expertise in assessing and developing Management Skills

Wednesday 29 July, 12pm (noon)

Once you register you will be sent a confirmation email.  Please check your email before trying to apply again!  Thank you. 

Once you register you will be sent a confirmation email.  Please check your email before trying to apply again!  Thank you.