Merlin Entertainments' Group Talent & Development Coordinator, Mel Aston, has been recognised as one of 50 young women most likely to succeed, at the 2015 WeAreTheCity Rising Stars Awards.
The Awards, sponsored by RBS, showcase the breadth of rising female talent in the UK. The ceremony, held at the House of Commons, was attended by over 150 professional women including Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice, Minister Equalities and Family Justice, Caroline Dinenage.
Speaking at the awards, Dinenage said it was important to continue to identify female talent and to help them to fulfil their true talent in the workplace: “Businesses are now realising that they can’t miss out on the talent offered from half of the population.”
Aston, described by her colleagues in Group HR as persuasive, credible and exceptionally passionate was judged to be ‘hungry to take on more responsibility and play an increasingly broader role across the team’.
She has played a key role in the Women@Merlin programme, which progresses development of female talent within the company and led to Merlin being awarded the Women 1st Diversity award 2014.
"We are very proud of Mel, " commented Tea Colaianni, Group HR Director Merlin Entertainments. "She deserves this recognition not least because she is a shining example of our own diversity programme within Merlin, which seeks to identify and develop women within the company and our sector. We are confident that gender is not a barrier to progress within Merlin – and more importantly that as we continue our impressive global growth we will recruit and maintain the best talent and skills in the marketplace!"
