Fred. Olsen is celebrating the first graduates from its new Women’s Leadership Network course, with a graduation ceremony held at the Woburn Hotel, Bedfordshire.

Twelve managers from across a range of Fred. Olsen companies in the UK – Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, Fred. Olsen Travel, Fred. Olsen Renewables, Natural Power and SeaRoc – were selected to take part in a six-day residential course with the aim of learning and developing the skills necessary to become effective leaders and ‘change managers’ in their respective businesses and teams.

This is the first time that Fred. Olsen has undertaken such leadership training, and was designed bespoke by London-based management development consultancy, StudyFlex, working with Susanna Frost, human resources director of Fred. Olsen Ltd, who came up with the initial concept and vision for the Fred. Olsen Women’s Leadership Network.

The six-day course – held over three two-day modules in Woburn – was led by StudyFlex’s nanaging director, Rachel Lambert and focused on areas such as personal development, organisational culture, the role and qualities of leadership, effective teams, and managing and affecting change.

As well as taking part in the pioneering course, many of the group are studying towards a Level 5 Award in Leadership and Management with the Chartered Management Institute, which has been fully-funded by Fred. Olsen and supported by StudyFlex.

Susanna Frost said:“This was our first leadership programme designed to enable women to build on their strengths and further develop their own leadership style.

“Creating a network such as this has been both rewarding and challenging and I feel immensely proud of our first group.”

Nick Emery, chief executive officer of Fred. Olsen said:“At Fred. Olsen, we put our people at the heart of our business, and it is a very proud moment to be celebrating the achievements of such a talented and dedicated group of women from across our various companies.

“We know that, in order to succeed in an ever-competitive marketplace, we need to have the best staff in our business, reflecting the full diversity of the global environments in which we operate. We will continue our investment in growing and developing our ‘leaders of the future’ at Fred. Olsen, so that they are equipped with the right skills and attributes to be able to take us forward and drive the necessary change across the business in the coming years.”