Angela Rayner, Dame Tessy de Nassau Honored at Creative Women Forum's 10th Anniversary

The 10th anniversary edition of the Creative Women Forum celebrated a group of international innovators, leaders and changemakers from across business, philanthropy, diplomacy, fashion, the arts and public service. Held from 3rd –5th June 2026, the Forum welcomed delegates from more than 60 countries and recognised the achievements of women making a significant impact within their industries and communities around the world.

A highlight of was the Creative Women Awards ceremony, supported by GENERATION by Kiera and Spencer Chaplin. The awards honoured outstanding achievements across leadership, innovation, sustainability, culture and social impact and the recipients embodied the Forum's mission to champion women driving meaningful change.

The Creative Excellence Award 2026 was presented to entrepreneur and social impact advocate Kate Roberts by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Nisha Pahuja. For her work in culture, HRH Princess Noura bint Saud bin Naif Al Saud was the recipient of Creative Visionary Award 2026. Additional awards recognised hospitality leader Farah Shammas, film executive Dea Laurence, entertainment specialist Denise Parkinson and The Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP for their contributions to sustainability, entertainment and leadership.

Other notable winners included Model Dame Tessy Antony de Nassau, awarded the Creative Impact Award; HRH Prince Gabriel de Nassau, recipient of the Young Leader Award; Kiera Chaplin, honoured with the Creative Philanthropist Award; Diplomat Ana Irene Delgado, who received the Creative Diplomacy Award; Fashion entrepreneur Tania Fares, recipient of the Fashion Influence Award; and Art curator and gallery founder Zaahirah Muthy, awarded the Art Excellence Award. For the forum, Muthy curated an art exhibition, SDGs through Arts, which featured work from 17 female artists and a silent auction to support Sister Circle Charity.

The Forum also recognised leaders driving impact across sustainability and cultural leadership, with Lexi Bowes-Lyon receiving the Climate Impact Leadership Award and H.E. María Eugenia Herrera honoured with the Cultural Leadership Award.

The Creative Women Forum was founded by Olga Balakleets, an internationally acclaimed concert pianist, cultural entrepreneur and philanthropist. Alongside her international career in the arts, she established the platform to create opportunities for women in business allowing creative industries to connect, collaborate and share expertise on a global stage. This year, the forum welcomed an impressive international line-up of speakers including non-profit executive Dame Tessy de Nassau; fashion businesswoman Karen Millen OBE; venture capitalist Ida Beerhalter; strategist Nisaa Jetha; art entrepreneur Marine Tanguy; HRH Princess Noura Al Saud; politician Baroness Uddin; Founder of Grit Academy Viola Edward; Chair of Creative Women Platform Board Islee Oliva Salinas; The Rt Hon Baroness Hayman of Ullock; Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Biosecurity, Borders and Animals); Member of the House of Lords; Rt Hon Anna Turley MP; Minister and Chair of the Labour Party; TV personality, Jo Wood; Founder & CEO, The Perfumer's Story Azzi Glasser; Co-Founder, Agent Provocateur Parfums, Assia Webste; Co-Founder, Stephen Webster Ltd; Marine Tanguy, CEO, MTArt Agency; Yvonne Harrison, CEO, Women in Football; Norah Casey, CEO, Harmonia, Travel Writer, Broadcaster & Presenter; Pratibha Prahlad, Award-winning Dancer and Cultural Ambassador; Ayumi Moore Aoki, Founder and CEO of Women in Tech @Global.

Founder, Olga Balakleets comments, 'It is with great pride and honour that we conclude the milestone 10th anniversary forum of the Creative Women Forum in London, having welcomed nearly 500 international female leaders and visionaries from around the world. Over the three days of the forum, deep conversations, insightful dialogues, and thought-provoking discussions have taken place, leading to important resolutions and new collaborations. These outcomes will enable even more female leaders to contribute creatively to addressing the world's most pressing challenges.'

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