PEOPLE - DISTINCTIONS

Melissa Bailey, named by magazine Management Today as one of its 2008 ‘35 women under 35’.

Leicester graduate is listed among country's leading managers

Former Business Economics student recognized in Management Today's list of leading executives.

Issued on 27 August 2008

A University of Leicester economist has been identified as one the country’s leading executives under the age of 35.

Melissa Bailey, 33, has been listed by the leading magazine Management Today as one of its 2008 ‘35 women under 35’. The prestigious list recognizes the leadership qualities of young women.

Melissa, who hails from Birmingham and now lives in Farnham, Surrey, graduated from Leicester in 1996 with a BA in Business Economics. She is IBM’s youngest-ever senior certified IT architect and on its management team and she is CTO for the industrial and communications sectors for the UK, Ireland and South Africa. She teaches an IT Architecture module as part of a team covering seven universities and is on the engineering and technical strategic panel of the British Computer Society.

While at Leicester Melissa studied politics, philosophy and economics before specialising in Business Economics. She also spent some of her spare time as a volunteer working as a classroom assistant at a local junior school.

Commenting on her distinction, Melissa said: “I was really surprised to hear the news that I had made the list. I met some of the other women at the announcement party and was very impressed with their drive, energy and enthusiasm. I know some people question the validity of have a 'female' list but I hope it inspires other young women to believe that they can be even more successful."

You can view the full list at:

http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/news/829294

Notes to Editors: image of Melissa attached/available from pressoffice@le.ac.uk