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BMW Group UK Recognises Ten Women At Autocar Great Women: Rising Stars 2025 Awards
Sophie Rowe has been honoured in the Events category for her work on BMW's Golf programme. She is among ten women from BMW Group UK recognised in the Autocar Great Women: Rising Stars awards. This event celebrates emerging female talent in the automotive industry. The awards, now in their ninth year, highlight exceptional contributions across various roles and organisations.
The 2025 winners were announced at a special event on 30 April at HORIBA MIRA, Warwickshire. Industry speakers and expert judges acknowledged excellence across nine categories, including a group for apprentice talent. Sophie Rowe, who joined BMW in 2016, was named the overall winner in the Events category.
Rowe's career includes significant events like the London 2012 Olympics and Rugby World Cup. Since becoming Golf Events Manager in 2023, she revitalised BMW’s Golf Cup programme. Her efforts resulted in 96% participation across BMW’s UK retailer network and valuable brand placements at the PGA Championship.
Judges commended Rowe for her strategic thinking and stakeholder management skills. "I’m delighted to be recognised," she said about her award. Despite being on maternity leave, she expressed gratitude to her managers and looks forward to returning to work.
In addition to Rowe, nine other women from BMW Group UK were recognised as Rising Stars across Marketing, Operations, Sales, Talent, and Apprentice categories. Each was selected for their outstanding performance and leadership potential within their respective fields.
Nikki Verrall has excelled as a Product Manager for large cars since joining BMW in 2014. Her leadership has shaped the introduction of models like the new BMW M5 and iX in the UK market. Her manager praised her initiative in revamping product previews.
Emily Booth progressed from intern to managing product life cycles for two premium brands by age 27. She managed vehicle launches and advocated for policy changes with Irish authorities on PHEV taxation policies.
Emily Barrow's management of BMW UK's brand presence earned praise from Autocar’s panel. Since joining BMW in 2017, she has overseen projects like EV charging partnerships with National Parks UK and ConnectedDrive services.
Operations and Sales Excellence
Vicki Bovington leads a team of 90 at BMW Financial Services after a 21-year career there. Her responsibilities include process management and quality assurance. She established the UK as a leader in robotic process automation within BMW Group.
Stacey Bridge stands out with an 18-year career at BMW, currently serving as Group Retention Development Manager. She maintained over 50% customer retention for three years and created a digital customer landscape that future-proofed company approaches.
Apprentice Talent Recognition
Miri Watson is halfway through a four-year chartered manager degree at Oxford Brookes University while working at Alphabet GB. Bethan Godfrey supported numerous model launches during her first year at BMW while studying for a business degree.
The BMW Group continues its global success with brands like MINI and Rolls-Royce under its umbrella. In 2024 alone, it sold over 2.45 million vehicles worldwide with revenues reaching €142.4 billion.
Sustainability remains central to BMW's strategy, covering all aspects from supply chain to product lifecycle end. The company employs over 159,000 people globally as of December 2024.
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