Ann Budge
Ann Budge (born 21 February 1948) is a Scottish businesswoman and company director.[1]
Career
Graduating with a psychology degree, Budge (her married surname) became the first woman appointed to a senior position in Scottish & Newcastle after starting her career there as a trainee programmer. After leaving F International - now Xansa - Budge set up business working from home, and teaming up with Allison Newell in 1985, launched Newell & Budge, which specialised in making bespoke software and IT systems. It was sold to the French IT company Sopra Group, for a reported £30 million, and Budge became a Chief Executive.[2][3]
Recognition
Budge was awarded "Entrepreneur of the Year" by the Entrepreneurial Exchange in 2005 [4] and was then inducted into the Entrepreneurial Exchange Hall of Fame in November 2013.[5][6] She is listed as a role model by the Women's Engineering Society.[7]
Ann is an Honorary Graduate of Heriot-Watt University and Edinburgh Napier University.[8]
Football
Budge was disclosed as being the sole director of BIDCO 1874, a consortium trying to buy Edinburgh-based football club Hearts out of administration, in early 2014.[9] A majority shareholding in the club, which was previously owned by Lithuanian businesses run by Vladimir Romanov, was sold to BIDCO 1874 in May 2014.[10] Budge made several changes at the club immediately after taking control, including the appointment of Craig Levein as Director of Football and Robbie Neilson as Head Coach.[11][12]
In November 2016, Budge was awarded the 'fcbusiness SPFL CEO of the Year' award at the Football Business Awards.[13]
References
- ↑ companiesintheuk.co.uk, Ms Ann Cochrane Cook Wallace Budge.
- ↑ heraldscotland, Is this the original IT girl? by Paul Rogerson, 18 June 2005
- ↑ "Proposed merger with Newell & Budge in the United Kingdom". Sopra Group. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ↑ "Entrepreneurial Exchange Entrepreneur of the Year". The Entrepreneurial Exchange. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ↑ "Entrepreneurial Exchange Hall of Fame 2013 – Ann Budge". The Entrepreneurial Exchange. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ↑ "The Entrepreneurial Exchange Hall of Fame". The Entrepreneurial Exchange. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ↑ "Women's Engineering Society Role Models". Women's Engineering Society. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ↑ "Edinburgh Napier University Alumni & Development". Edinburgh Napier University. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ↑ McLauchlin, Brian (13 February 2014). "Ann Budge revealed as Foundation of Hearts' cash backer". BBC Sport. BBC.
- ↑ McLauchlin, Brian (9 May 2014). "Hearts: Ann Budge to start at Tynecastle on Monday". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
- ↑ McLauchlin, Brian (12 May 2014). "Craig Levein lands Hearts role as boss Gary Locke exits". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
- ↑ "Hearts: Managerial changes were required, says Craig Levein". BBC Sport. BBC. 13 May 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
- ↑ "Portsmouth's Mark Catlin Wins CEO Of The Year". fcbusiness Magazine. Retrieved 2016-11-07.