<p>Press Release – Ambassador Theatre Group</p><p>Friday 9th June 2006</p><p>ROSEMARY SQUIRE WINS MAJOR CBI FIRST WOMEN AWARD</p><p>Rosemary Squire, co-founder and Executive Director of Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) and President of the Society of London Theatre, has won this year’s prestigious CBI Real Business First Women Award in the Tourism and Leisure category.</p><p>The Awards ceremony, hosted by Sir Digby Jones, Director-General of the CBI, was held at the London Hilton on Park Lane. Rosemary was presented with her Award by Nicola Horlick, Chief Executive of Bramdean Asset Management.</p><p>The Awards, in association with Lloyds TSB Corporate, recognise women who are trailblazers and pioneers in business – genuine ‘glass ceiling’ breakers. They also recognise women whose achievements or ‘firsts’ and individual actions have helped, or are helping, to remove barriers and open up opportunities for others to follow. </p><p>Judges comment: “ Rosemary has made breakthroughs in a male-dominated world and has delivered great commercial performance. She has run the business in such a way that makes it accessible to women behind her. For example, she has focused on flexible work patterns in a business characterised by long and anti-social working hours. Her leadership of the company and also of London’s theatre industry has been achieved while bringing up her family. She appears to have got her own balance right but is also acutely aware of her responsibility as a role model.”</p><p>Accepting the award, Rosemary Squire said: “The theatre industry is a major contributor to the UK economy and I am delighted this has been recognised by the CBI. I am very proud that ATG is the fastest growing live entertainment company in the UK and that more than half of our staff are women, including those on a senior management level. I hope that the First Women Awards will encourage more women to realise that professional success can be balanced with the demands of family.”</p><p>Rosemary has three children – Jenny, Daniel and Kate – and is married to Howard Panter, co-founder and Managing Director of ATG.</p><p>ENDS Notes for editors: Rosemary is co-founder and Executive Director of ATG. She has spearheaded the company’s exponential growth and in the past six years ATG has increased its theatre holdings by 167%.</p><p>From its beginnings in 1992 when it owned one theatre, ATG has increased its portfolio to a total of 11 West End theatres and 13 regional venues. The expansion strategy enables the company to produce shows, tour them in the regions and bring them into the West End, all within its own theatres. ATG is the largest West End theatre owner and the second largest operator in the regions. Under Rosemary’s management, ATG venues now reach more than 1.7 million theatre-going households, nearly 10% of the UK population.</p><p>She is also only the second woman president in the Society of London Theatre‘s 97-year history. Rosemary is using her presidency to move London theatre up the political agenda, to improve the West End theatre-going environment and to secure vital funding for capital improvements to protect the long-term future of London’s historic theatres.</p><p>For further information, please contact John Chittenden, Group Press Officer, ATG on 020 8545 7919 or email [email protected]</p>