Winners 2026

Operations 2026

Diane Miller is responsible for Stellantis’s key Parts Distribution Centre in the UK after moving in 2025 from her previous role of overseeing the group’s production plant in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. Starting in 2022, that job involved not just managing the plant but also spending £100 million to bring the historic yet under-utilised facility into the modern era to make electric vans for Stellantis brands after years of building the Vauxhall Astra. Miller moved to the top position after serving as the plant’s general assembly manager and, before that, paint unit manager. She joined Vauxhall in 2014 from Aston Martin, where she had overseen paint operations. Prior to that, she worked at Ford, focusing on the painting process for Transit vans at the company’s now-defunct Southampton facility.

Operations 2026 nominees

Justine Pridding, Bentley Motors

Justine Pridding’s role is to advise the board, with particular emphasis on development and production, as well as the advancement of technology and critical concerns. She also provides legal support across the business, including management of company trademarks. She joined Bentley in 2008 as a legal advisor and was promoted to her current role in 2019. On top of that, Pridding is a sponsor of the company’s gender inclusivity network, BeInspired, which has a target of achieving 25% women in management by 2030.

Hayley Wright, Lotus Cars

Hayley Wright took up her current role in September 2023 and, based at the UK headquarters in Hethel, Norfolk, she will oversee the planned switch to an electric sports car line-up. Wright moved to Lotus in 2019 from Jaguar Land Rover, where she had risen to the position of head of production quality at the firm’s flagship Solihull plant. Starting in production quality assurance at Hethel, she moved to head of manufacturing systems – setting up the Lotus learning academy – before moving to launch director and then manufacturing systems director, adding business transformation director to her title in 2022.

Anna Mullan, Renault

Anna Mullan was promoted to chief of staff to Renault brand CEO Fabrice Cambolive in 2024, a role that has taken on greater importance after Cambolive added the title of chief growth officer in September 2025. In her job, Mullan runs Cambolive’s office and operations, providing support and guidance at all times across all disciplines. She secured the job after impressing in her role of overseeing Renault 5 pricing worldwide, following a move to Renault’s corporate HQ in 2023. She joined Renault UK in 2018 on a graduate scheme and spent five years in several roles including sales, marketing and aftersales.

Suzanne Woolley, Volvo Car UK

Suzanne Woolley became consumer operations director in 2024 after impressing as digital director, where she was responsible for developing and executing IT and digital strategies for the UK, one of Volvo's largest global markets. In January 2026, her role was expanded to put more focus on the premium experience offered by Volvo’s direct-to-consumer sales model. Woolley joined the car maker in 2020 from Sky, where she had been director of data products, delivery and strategy since 2018. Prior to that, she worked for BT’s EE mobile brand as head of customer retention and insight as part of a career in telecommunications that also included 11 years at Orange.

Carol Fairchild, CitNOW Group

Carol Fairchild is in charge of overseeing operations and improving efficiency at the media company, which is focused on providing digital services such as handover videos to dealerships. The firm now claims 20,000 subscriptions in 64 countries. Fairchild cut her teeth in automotive retail during 17 years at Arnold Clark, rising to group marketing and product development manager. She joined CitNOW in 2018 as commercial director before being promoted to group chief customer officer in 2022 and onto her current role in November 2023.

Andrea Debbane, JLR

Andrea Debbane joined JLR’s board in August 2024 as chief sustainability officer, tasked with shaping and leading the company's ambitious sustainability vision. She moved to the company in 2021 from supply chain management specialist Kuehne+Nagel, where she was head of global sustainability, following a short spell as CEO for Flocert, the global certifier for the Fairtrade label. Most of Debbane’s career has been spent at Airbus, which she joined in 2003 from Coca-Cola and rose to the rank of vice-president of responsibility and sustainability, before leaving in 2020.

Sukhi Clark, Motability Operations

Sukhi Clark is responsible for the arm of Motability’s commercial operation that investigates how to ensure the next generation of accessible vehicles is fit for purpose – a key role given the unique challenges of converting EVs. Clark joined from pioneering electric truck developer OX, where she had been technical director since 2023. Prior to that, she was responsible for engineering and manufacturing at bespoke concept and classics specialist Envisage. She moved there in 2020 from JLR, where she had held a variety of roles, including head of its Classic division. Clark started out as an electrical engineer with Jaguar in 1990, before moving to product planning.