London Stock Exchange Group Plc : Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, joins 50 leading business women to open London Stock Exchange, celebrating the WIE50 and International Women's Day

8 March 2012

Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, joins 50 leading business women to open London Stock Exchange, celebrating the WIE50 and International Women's Day

- 50 top business women were joined by Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister to open trading on London Stock Exchange
- Event held in partnership with first ever London Women Inspiration and Enterprise Symposium (WIE)
- Veuve Clicquot announces shortlist for Business Woman of the Year awards at today's LSEG hosted 'Power Breakfast'

Today, 50 of the UK and Europe's leading business women were joined by the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, in a Market Open Ceremony celebrating International Women's Day. The ceremony was part of the Women Inspiration and Enterprise 'Power Breakfast' event sponsored by Barclays Wealth and held at London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) headquarters in Paternoster Square.

Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg said:

"Today is a unique opening of the London Stock Exchange celebrating some of our country's most inspiring and successful women. It's an honour to stand alongside them on International Women's Day and pay tribute to their huge contribution in business, politics, charities and the arts."

Baroness Cohen, Non Executive Director, London Stock Exchange Group said:

"London Stock Exchange is today honoured to be hosting such an inspirational and accomplished group of business women.

"We are delighted to welcome Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister, to open trading on London Stock Exchange, celebrating International Women's Day and all that is great about UK entrepreneurism, enterprise and leadership.

"Partnering with WIE for the first London based symposium, we hope that this event will highlight the pivotal and successful role women play in business and finance throughout the UK, Europe and across the world"

June Sarpong, Co-founder of WIE Symposium said:

"We are thrilled to be working with London Stock Exchange, the perfect place to host the 50 inspiring and dynamic business women and entrepreneurs that WIE are honouring today. Our Power Breakfast will be the launch event for our first ever WIE London symposium, creating a unique network of exceptional women that can help inspire and support the next generation of leaders."

London Stock Exchange today played host to 50 business women and entrepreneurs, being honoured by WIE in recognition of their achievements, at the first ever LSEG hosted WIE Power Breakfast, sponsored by Barclays Wealth. The Breakfast starts a day of celebrations being run by WIE, including a full day symposium and an evening event, where inspirational women from the arts, politics, business, entertainment and the third sector will share their ideas, successes, insight and expertise. The WIE symposium aims to bring together women from across the globe to promote enterprise in business and social change.

Veuve Clicquot also announced this morning at the London Stock Exchange-hosted WIE Power Breakfast its three shortlisted finalists for the 40th Anniversary of its Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award 2012. The three finalists are: Helena Morrissey CBE, CEO of Newton Investment Management, Ruth Rogers MBE, co-founder of the River Café and designer, Anya Hindmarch.

This is the first time a WIE symposium has been held in London and follows two successful New York WIE symposiums. WIE is the brainchild of founders June Sarpong and Dee Poku.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Lauren Crawley-Moore  
Press Office [phone]
[e-mail]

Notes to editors:

LSEG hosted WIE Power Breakfast honourees:

Martha Lane Fox Founder, Last Minute.com
Gail Rebuck CEO, Random House
Baroness Scotland of Asthal Labour Peer
Shaa Wasmund CEO, Smarta.com
Kanya King CEO,Mobo's
Baroness McDonagh Chairwoman, Standard Life Foundation
Lynn de Rothschild CEO, E.L. Rothschild
Carol Stone CEO & Founder, The Stone Club
Karen Brady Chairwoman, West Ham Football Club
Sarah Walter Founder, Style Passport
Kirsty Wark Broadcaster & Founder, Wark Clements Productions
Judith Clegg Founder, Glasshouse
Julie Meyer Founder, Ariadne Capital
Julie Woods Moss Founder, Woods Moss
Jude Kelly OBE CEO, Southbank Centre
Natasha Faith Co-Founder, La Diosa
Helena Morrissey CEO, Newton Fund Management
Heather McGregor Mrs Money Penny:FT
Natalie Massenet Founder, Net-a-Porter
Sung joo Kim Founder & CEO MCM
Baroness Greenfield Academic & Scientist
Martina Milburn CEO The Prince's Trust
Kathleen Versland Director, Private Wealth Management Deutsche Bank-
Karima Serageldin Director, Ariadne Capital
Lynne Franks Founder, SEED and B.Hive
Jane Shepherdson CEO, Whistles
Michelle Mone Founder, Ultimo Bras
Katie Powell Founder, Mamajeanius
Sally Dewar Managing Director, JP Morgan
Dame Barbara Stocking  CEO, OXFAM
Baroness Sayeeda Warsi Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party and Minister without Portfolio
Amanda Berry CEO, BAFTA
Lucy Marcus  CEO, Marcus Ventures
Kelly Hoppen Founder, Kelly Hoppen Interior Design
Nicola Mendelsohn Founder, Kamarama
Vivian Hunt Director, McKinseys & Co
Farmida Bi Partner, Norton Rose LLP
Caroline Rush  Head of British Fashion Council
MT Rainey  Founder, Horses Mouth
Sian Westerman  Managing Director, Rothschild Bank
Kathleen Harris Partner, Arnold Porter
Jo Malone Founder, Jo Malone
India Gary Managing Director of Technology and Operations, JP Morgan
Claire Williams CEO, The Williams Team Formula One
Sasha Havlicek  CEO, Strategic Dialogue
Anya Hindmarch  Designer
Linda Papadopoulos Psychologist and TV personality
Alex Wek Model
Shana Campbell  Dress for Success
Jemima Khan Campaigner

About London Stock Exchange Group:

London Stock Exchange Group (LSE.L) sits at the heart of the world's financial community. The Group operates a broad range of international equity, bond and derivatives markets, including London Stock Exchange; Borsa Italiana; MTS, Europe's leading fixed income market; and Turquoise, offering UK and Russian derivatives trading, pan-European and US lit and dark equity trading. Through its markets, the Group offers international business unrivalled access to Europe's capital markets.

The Group is a leading developer of high performance trading platforms and capital markets software and also offers its customers around the world access and an extensive range of real-time and reference data products and market-leading post-trade services. The Group is also home to a world leading index provider FTSE, which creates and manages of over 200,000 equity, bond and alternative asset class indices.

Headquartered in London, United Kingdom with significant operations in Italy and Sri Lanka, the Group employs around 1,850 people.

Further information on London Stock Exchange Group can be found at www.londonstockexchangegroup.com

International Women's Day:

Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements. A global web of rich and diverse local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women's craft markets, theatrical performances, fashion parades and more.

WIE Founders:

June Sarpong has become one of the most recognisable faces of British television - as the female face of Channel 4's successful Sunday morning strand T4 for the first eight years, June has become part of TV history. Her ground breaking Tony Blair Channel 4 special, 'When Tony Met June' saw her being granted unprecedented access to the British PM. She has also interviewed and introduced some of the world's biggest names including: Nelson Mandela, HRH Prince of Wales, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Bono, George Clooney and 50 Cent. June is an ambassador for the Prince's Trust and also campaigns for the Make Poverty History movement - she was awarded an MBE on the Queens 2007 new years honours list for services to broadcasting and charity.

Dee Poku is a social entrepreneur, marketing consultant and philanthropic strategist. Poku is also the owner of Right Angle, a branding and marketing consultancy that develops and implements innovative campaigns for a cross section of high profile films, non-profits and consumer brands.  Her background includes senior marketing roles at Paramount Pictures and Focus Features where she oversaw the movie release campaigns for the likes of Al Gore's 'An Inconvenient Truth'; the Coen brothers' 'No Country For Old Men'; Sofia Coppola's 'Lost in Translation' and Ang Lee's 'Brokeback Mountain'. She is a member of the British Academy (BAFTA) and Women in Film.

Veuve Clicquot Awards:

Created in 1972 as a tribute to Madame Clicquot, the annual Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award champions the success of business women worldwide who share the same qualities as Madame Clicquot:  Her enterprising spirit, her courage and the determination necessary to accomplish her aims.  Highly prized and sought after, it is the first international award created specifically to recognise the contribution that women have made to business life and is now regarded as the "Oscar" for female entrepreneurs and business leaders.  In 2012, we will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Award's creation.