Dianne Thompson awarded Gold Medal for outstanding strategic vision and leadership

Tuesday 12 September 2006 – Dianne Thompson, Chief Executive of National Lottery operator Camelot, has been awarded the Chartered Management Institute’s Gold Medal for her strategic direction and leadership in delivering the longest period of growth in the history of the National Lottery. The award, the highest honour bestowed by the Chartered Management Institute, acknowledges Dianne’s role in building one of the most successful lotteries in the world, driving a programme of innovation across the business, and maximising returns to good causes across the UK.

Ms Thompson will be presented with her Gold Medal award at the Institute’s National Convention, taking place in Leeds in October this year. Dianne is only the second woman to win the award and joins a prestigious list of Gold Medal recipients since the introduction of the award twenty-five years ago. Previous winners have included Sir Terry Leahy, Sir John Bond, Dame Steve Shirley, Lord MacLaurin and Sir John Harvey-Jones.  

The Gold Medal Award recognises Dianne’s achievements as Chief Executive of UK National Lottery operator, Camelot. After taking over as Chief Executive more than five years ago, Dianne has driven a high-performance culture which has ensured sustained growth of The National Lottery – with this year witnessing the largest sales increase in eight years – allowing it to further grow returns to the good causes.

The Gold Medal is presented annually to an individual who is active in management in the private, public or voluntary sectors.  The award recognises those who have demonstrated outstanding achievement through their vision and ability to deliver success for their organisation.  Gold Medal recipients have demonstrated and promoted best practice through their leadership.

Jo Causon, director, marketing and corporate affairs at the Chartered Management Institute said: “The increasing need to create a positive environment and respond to change challenges all those in leadership positions.  Success is often defined by how far the goals of an organisation are met and leaders who communicate a clear vision are more likely to motivate and drive performance levels.  These are just some of the qualities that Dianne brings to Camelot and the results she has achieved to date are evidence of her abilities.”

Sir Peter Middleton, Chairman, Camelot Group plc said: “I’m sure everyone at Camelot will join me in congratulating Dianne on this richly-deserved award. Her tireless energy and enthusiasm – and the dedication of the wider team – have been instrumental in achieving the longest period of growth in the lottery’s history and raising more than £18.6 billion for the Good Causes.”

Dianne Thompson said: “I am honoured to accept this award on behalf of everyone at Camelot. Rest assured that neither I, nor anyone in this business, will be resting on our laurels: we are currently working hard to write a bid for the next lottery licence which will capture the public imagination and deliver the best return for the Good Causes.”

Dianne joined Camelot in 1997 as Commercial Operations Director, taking over as Chief Executive when Camelot was awarded the second licence to operate the lottery.  Since then, Dianne has developed and driven Camelot’s strategy for growth, which has succeeded in delivering year-on-year sales increases in 2003/4, 2004/5 and 2005/6. Dianne sits on the Press Complaints Commission, and is a member of the CBI President’s Committee. In February 2006 she was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of Domino’s Pizza UK & IRL plc. She received a CBE for services to business in the 2006 New Year Honours.

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Further information:

Chartered Management Institute:

Mike Petrook/Gemma Bird

Tel: 020 7497 0496; outside office hours: 07931 302 877

Email: press.office@managers.org.uk

Website: http://www.managers.org.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS

As the champion of management, the Chartered Management Institute shapes and supports the managers of tomorrow, helping them deliver results in a dynamic world. The Institute helps set and raise standards in management, encouraging development to improve performance. Moreover, with in-depth research and regular policy surveys of its 71,000 individual members and 450 corporate members, the Institute has a deep understanding of the key issues.  The Chartered Management Institute came into being on 1 April 2002, as a result of the Institute of Management being granted a Royal Charter.

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The Institute Gold Medal: Previous Winners                                                             

(Introduced 1980)

Date                Name                                 Appointment at time

2005                 Sir Terry Leahy                   Chief Executive, Tesco plc

2004                 Sir John Bond                     Group Chairman, HSBC

2003                 Martin Narey                       Commissioner for Correctional Services

and Permanent Secretary for Human Resources, Home Office

2002                 Sir Peter Davis                        Group Chief Executive, Sainsbury plc

2001                 Sir Richard Sykes                 Chairman, GlaxoSmithKline plc

2000                 Sir John Browne                   Chief Executive, BP Amoco plc

1999                 Sir Brian Pitman                   Chairman, Lloyds TSB Group plc

1998                 Sir Tom Farmer                    Chairman & Chief Executive, Kwit-Fit

                                                                  Holdings plc

1997                 Lord MacLaurin                     Chairman, Tesco plc

1996                 Sir Peter Bonfield CBE           Chief Executive, British

                                                                  Telecommunications plc

1995                 Ivor Vaughan CBE                Chairman & Chief Executive, Rearsby

                                                                  Automotive Ltd

1994                 Sir Ron Dearing                    Chairman, School Curriculum & Assessment

                                                                  Authority

1993                 Sir Allen Sheppard                Chairman, Grand Metropolitan plc

1992                Sir Colin Marshall                  Deputy Chairman & Chief Executive, British

                                                                        Airways plc

1991                 Dame Steve Shirley DBE       Founder Director, FI Group plc

1990                 Sir Peter Thompson              President, NFC plc

1988                 Sir Robert Scholey                Chairman, British Steel Plc

1987                 Sir Trevor Holdsworth           Chairman, GKN plc

1986                 Sir Christopher Hogg             Chairman, Courtaulds plc

1985                 Sir John Harvey-Jones           Chairman, Imperial Chemical Industries plc

1984                 Sir Owen Green                    Chairman, BTR plc

1983                 Lord Sieff                             Chairman, Marks & Spencer plc

1982                 Sir Austin Bide                      Chairman, Glaxo Holdings plc & BL plc

1981                 Sir Arnold Hall                      Chairman, Hawker Siddeley Co

1980                 Sir Terence Beckett              Managing Director, Ford Motor Co