The shortlist for the inaugural Women Automotive Awards has been announced, recognising a stellar line-up of professionals for their achievements within the sector.

The awards will serve as a catalyst for driving positive change and advancing excellence within the automotive sector

The awards, hosted by Women Automotive Network, will take place at a cocktail reception at the Women Automotive Summit at Forum am Schlosspark, Ludwigsburg, Germany, on 20 September.

The shortlist includes representatives from well-established brands such as Dealer Synergy, Hyundai Mobis, Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes Benz Group, Nissan, Renault Trucks, Robert Bosch GmbH, SEAT Cars, Toyota Motor Europe, Volkswagen Group UK, Volvo and ZF Group.

The awards, which are judged by Women Automotive Network’s advisory board, run across six categories.

These include: Diversity Champion; the Brightest Star award; Most Inspiring Member; Empowerment – the Leg-Up Award; the Leadership award; and, finally, the Male Advocate award, which celebrates male colleagues who have actively championed gender equality and inclusion.

The awards will serve as a catalyst for driving positive change and advancing excellence within the automotive industry.

Women Automotive Network’s main goal is to strive for gender equality and inclusivity within the automotive industry, hosting a number of networking opportunities and offering a range of benefits through its membership to raise awareness and encourage open conversations.

Stephanie May, commercial director of the network, said: “We’re blown away by the number of applications we received for what’s lining up to be an action-packed celebration of the industry’s very best talent. Thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate their colleagues – we’ve had some fantastic candidates put forward and narrowing it down to the final shortlist was incredibly difficult.

“It’s clear that our industry is full of some truly remarkable people, and we can’t wait to the celebrate each and every one of them at the inaugural Women Automotive Awards.”

To register for the Women Automotive Summit on 20 September, visit here.