Woman of the Year Award

Winner: Victoria Sanders, Managing Director, Teletext Holidays

Victoria Sanders took over as managing director of Teletext Holidays in February 2009. Since then, she has turned the business from making a £5.5million loss to a £2.7million profit.

Under Victoria's leadership, the business has undergone a transformation. With the closure of the analogue television service, on which Teletext Holidays was most famous for advertising, she has overseen a multi-million pound re-launch of the business – including a remodelled website, internet-connected television, a revamped Freeview channel and innovative new apps for iPads and smartphones.

Victoria was also pivotal in a partnership deal with Tesco to create the very first Teletext Holidays shops, the success of which resulted in an agreement to open up to 10 more stores. As well as being a popular columnist for Travel Weekly, Victoria is also a judge for the TTG Travel and CIMTIG Travel Marketing Awards, and contributes regularly to industry panel debates and roundtables. She has made a number of appearances on BBC television, and speaks regularly on the radio.

As one of her nominators commented, “Victoria has been, and still is, one of the most inspiring people I have ever worked with in my 17 years in the travel industry.”

Also shortlisted for this award:

• Michelle Hanson, commercial director, Sodexo
• Jill McDonald, chief executive officer, McDonald's UK

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