Eleanor Laing MP, Shadow Minister for Women and Equality, was delighted to be asked to present the award for best use of technology in small business at the prestigious BlackBerry Women & Technology Awards.
Eleanor presented the Award to Shirin Dehgan, CEO of Arieso, a Newbury based company that provides network design services for a wide range of telecoms operators.
Speaking before she presented the award Eleanor said:
"This award represents a sector that is vital for the economic health of our nation.
"It won’t come as a surprise to any of you that small and medium-sized enterprises account for more than half of both employment and turnover in Britain today.
"I am sure that you will all agree that it is vital that we champion and appreciate the value of enterprise – and that is precisely what this award does.
"Research In Motion itself began as a small enterprise when Mike Lazaridis took the bold step to leave University in order to pursue what was then just a concept. A brilliantly successful concept - which is why we are all here this evening.
"Every woman who has been nominated is a shining example of innovation and enterprise – and also of the courage and ambition which are vital to the survival and progress of small business in the UK.
"Not only is it right that women should have equal opportunities, equal job satisfaction and equal pay – it is also an economic imperative – because if we don’t maximize women's skills we simply won’t succeed as a 21st Century economy.
"The Technology industry is better than most at producing successful women – probably because it depends not on physical strength but on intellect – and women have plenty of that!
"But the technology industry does need more women leaders – and this evening I believe we are seeing the leaders of the future.
"I congratulate them not only on their achievements but on being the essential role models we so desperately need for the women of tomorrow."
Eleanor Laing has also tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament congratulating those nominated on their success.