OBE for Caroline Plumb

Caroline Plumb, 37, founder and Executive Chair of research and consulting firm FreshMinds, has been awarded an OBE in the Queen's 90th Birthday Honours list, for her services to Business and Charity.

Plumb (pictured) founded insight and innovation consultancy FreshMinds in 2000 with Charlie Osmond, immediately on graduating from Oxford University aged 21. Despite being advised not to by Richard Branson, the pair chose their own business over potentially lucrative starts in management consulting, and FreshMinds has been one of the success stories of the research world ever since, picking up two MRS Best Agency awards and propelling Plumb to a role as UK Government Business Ambassador. She is also a member of the Independent Advisory Panel for the Regional Growth Fund, has sat on the Board for the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship and has acted as an advisor to the Said Business School.

She says of the OBE, 'I'm so thrilled and honoured to be receiving this award but it wouldn't have been possible without all those who have supported me along the way. Many people talk about starting a business as 'going it alone' but in fact, I've found it to be quite the opposite. I've had the privilege of working with an amazing network of colleagues, clients and advisors and other supporters without which this wouldn't have been possible'.

Last month, Plumb relinquished the CEO role at FreshMinds to Catherine Crump, taking the role of Executive Chair and promising to remain 'strongly involved' in the business.

FreshMinds, which offers qual and quant techniques, business analysis and strategic consultancy, is online at www.freshminds.net . DRNO !

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.