o For full biographies visit our interactive of the listo Read our No1`s views on the need for more women at the topo See how our panel of experts made its selection1: Debbie Jevans, CEO, England Rugby 2015Our leading lady of British sport, Jevans is the first female chief executive to organise a Rugby World Cup, and the first woman to be appointed director of sport for an Olympic Games when she led the double triumph of an Olympic and Paralympic Games at London 2012. There, managing 20,000 staff and a budget in excess of £160m, Jevans cemented a name for herself as an extraordinary individual in sport, having already played a key part in winning the bid for London in 2005. With so few women seated alongside her at sport`s top tables, Jevans has been unequivocal in speaking out against gender imbalance in sport - most recently calling for quotas to be considered, despite a lifelong aversion to the concept. Formerly a professional tennis player - she once beat Judy Murray - Jevans is also a member of the All England Lawn Tennis Club`s committee of management and championships committee, as well as a Sport England board member, and sits on the UK Sport major events panel.2: Liz Nicholl, CEO, UK SportResponsible for an annual budget of £125m, Nicholl primarily oversees the development of Olympic and Paralympic sports at a performance level. Team GB won 65 Olympic and 120 Paralympic medals at London 2012, and Nicholl is now the driving force behind the attempt to become the first nation to win more medals in the next Olympic and Paralympic cycle after hosting a Games. A former netball international, Nicholl was England Netball`s chief executive for 16 years before taking on her role at UK Sport, where she also leads on the bidding for and hosting of major events. Nicholl has been vocal on the lack of women in sports boardrooms, backing a Women`s Sport and Fitness Foundation target of 25% by 2017, and suggesting that sanctions may be put in place for governing bodies who fail to make the grade.3: Jessica Ennis-Hill, Athlete`The face of London 2012` overcame extraordinary levels of pressure to win Olympic gold - her image became synonymous with the Games, appearing everywhere from TV and billboards to a painting of her the size of 15 tennis courts positioned in a field under the Heathrow flight path. As a result, Ennis-Hill`s profile hit stratospheric levels, picking up 1.3m Twitter followers, and her estimated earnings were several million pounds. When news broke before the Games that a senior figure at UK Athletics had described the tightly honed Ennis-Hill as `fat`, there was national outrage, prompting a sustained focus on female body image, sexism, eating disorders and bullying in sport and launching Ennis-Hill as a figurehead for a growing female movement in sport. When the 28-year-old announced her pregnancy in January she again made national news. Even in a year when she isn`t competing, Ennis-Hill categorically remains Britain`s most influential sportswoman.4: Barbara Slater, Director of sport, BBCOverseeing 450 staff and an output consumed by more than 40% of the UK population, Slater is the most senior woman working in British sports media today. The former Great Britain gymnast, who made history as the first ever female director of sport at the BBC, was a natural choice, having worked within the BBC Sport department since 1984, specialising in outside broadcasts across golf, racing and tennis. A champion of women`s sport, Slater famously cut Zoo and Nuts editors from the judging panel for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year shortlist, following the 2011 furore when women were entirely absent from the final 10.5: Tanni Grey-Thompson, Retired athlete; crossbench peerShe was first renowned as Britain`s greatest Paralympian for 11 gold medals, four silvers and one bronze across five Games, and Grey-Thompson`s influence in sport`s corridors of power has grown since she retired from competition. Appointed to the House of Lords as a crossbench peer in 2010, she is co-chair for the all-party parliamentary group on women`s sport and a prominent figure in political discussions around gender and disability. Internationally her reputation is far-reaching. In 2012 Grey-Thompson was asked by cycling`s world governing body, the UCI, to sit on the three-person independent commission investigating the Lance Armstrong doping case.6: Clare Balding, BroadcasterDubbed the `Grande Dame of British TV` after the nation fell in love with her inimitable coverage of London 2012 - from that Bert le Clos interview, to her role in inventing the Mobot - she is one of the most popular figures in British sport. An LGBT icon and vocal campaigner on sexism - last year Balding refused to host coverage of the Open golf at Muirfield because the club does not admit women - she is said to have influenced BT Sport`s commitment to women`s sport as part of her contract negotiations with the broadcaster. She presents a vast array of sport across the major channels.7: Jennie Price, CEO, Sport EnglandPrice manages more than £1bn of Eexchequer and lottery funding across 46 governing bodies and a network of schools and grassroots community facilities, all catering for the 15.5m people who play sport every week in this country. Over the past two years, she has warned governing bodies that funding will be cut if they don`t hit their targets as the government has refocused Sport England`s strategy to concentrate on reversing a decline in the number of 16- to 25-year-olds playing sport and narrowing the participation gap between genders. The no-nonsense Price made the final shortlist for the top job at the Lawn Tennis Association last year, having criticised its failure to increase participation.8: Maria Miller, MP, sec of state for culture, media & sportOne of the most senior women in the government, Miller has been vocal on sexism and inequality in sport, and made the lack of women`s sports coverage a priority. She is highly critical of the sports media for their perceived male bias and governing bodies for the lack of board representation for ethnic minorities and women. The minister for women and equalities also boycotted golf`s Open last year over Muirfield`s bar on female members.9: Heather Rabbatts, nonexecutive director, the FAThe FA`s first female board member in its 150-year history, Rabbatts demonstrated the power of diversity in the workplace by criticising Greg Dyke`s exclusively white and male FA commission last year. The barrister, a rare example of someone with an ethnic background making it to a senior position in football, also chairs the FA`s inclusion advisory board, launched in the wake of the John Terry and Luis Suárez cases. Has held posts from the BBC to the Bank of England.10: Karren Brady, vice-chair, West HamAppointed managing director of Birmingham City in 1993, the then 23-year-old was asked for her `vital statistics` at her first press conference but quickly proved herself, rescuing the club from administration. In 2009, City were sold for £82m. Appointed vice-chair at West Ham United in 2010, she won the battle to move the club to the Olympic Stadium. A strong voice on equality, Brady sits on the culture, media and sport committee inquiry into women and sport.11: Ellie Simmonds, swimmerOne of the most recognisable faces in British Paralympic sport, Simmonds shot to fame as a 13-year-old after her success at the Beijing Games. The youngest person appointed MBE aged 18, the four-times Paralympic champion with 13 world records to her name is also thought to be the most commercially successful British female Paralympian.12: Alison Kervin, sports editor, Mail on Sunday Made the first female sports editor on a national newspaper last year, Kervin was also the first woman to referee a rugby match at Twickenham. A former Rugby World editor and chief sports feature writer at the Times, Kervin holds coaching qualifications in 10 sports and sits on a number of judging panels, from the Baftas to various sports awards.13: Sue Campbell, House of Lords crossbencherA key name in sports administration for over 20 years, Campbell chaired UK Sport through its most successful period from 2003-13, as well as serving 11 years as chief executive to the organisation now known as Sportscoach UK. The peer also helped to establish the Youth Sport Trust charity, which seeks to change young peoples` lives through sport.14: Clare Connor, head of women`s cricket, ECBThe former England captain has revolutionised women`s cricket in this country - from an amateur sport played by fewer than 100 clubs when she took over in 2007, to the recent news that the national team will be full-time professionals, boasting an exemplary setup for other sports to follow. Held in high regard, Connor has been tipped to take the top job at the ECB one day and is a Sport England board member.15: HRH Princess Royal, British representative to the IOCFamous in sporting terms for winning a European eventing title and becoming the first Royal family member to compete at an Olympic Games, Princess Anne is also one of 110 IOC members with voting powers on host cities (although she abstains where conflicts arise). Her daughter, Zara Phillips, has won the eventing world title and Olympic silver at London 2012.16: Judy Murray, Captain, British Federation Cup teamNot just a `tennis mum`, Murray is so highly thought of in the sport that she was offered the top job at the LTA last year - but turned it down. Murray will still be consulted on the future of British tennis, though, following her success in coaching sons Andy and Jamie in their early years. She is also mentor to Laura Robson and Heather Watson.17: Gabby Logan, BroadcasterThe first woman to host a live football match on terrestrial television, Logan has worked on TV`s premier football shows, from Match of the Day to Final Score in a career spanning two decades. Confident across a range of sports, including rugby and athletics, she is also a strong voice on sexism in the football industry.18: Jan Paterson, CEO, British Olympic FoundationA long-standing member of the Team GB setup having been deputy at London 2012 to the chef de mission, Andy Hunt, Paterson began her career with the team over 20 years ago. She now takes on the main role with Team England for this year`s Glasgow Commonwealth Games, in addition to her work as a British Olympic Association director.19: Penny Briscoe, director of sport, British P`lympic AssocBritain`s first female chef de mission at a Games in leading the British Paralympic team and one of very few women doing so in the international Paralympic movement. Briscoe is one of the most experienced figures in Paralympic sport, and as performance director one of the key players behind Britain`s summer Games success over the past four cycles.20: Nicola Adams, BoxerKnown as `Babyface`, Adams proved a game-changer for women`s boxing in this country. Not only did she make history as the first woman to win an Olympic boxing title, she also topped the 2012 Pink List of influential British LGBT figures. Her infectiously cheery demeanour has won her and her sport acceptance from the British public.21 Kelly Holmes, retired athlete; campaignerFamous for her double gold winning performances at Athens 2004 Holmes has focused on charity work since retiring, nurturing young female track athletes and raising awareness on the Female Athlete Triad, a body disorder affecting female distance athletes. She is the president of Commonwealth Games England.22 Casey Stoney, footballerThe England captain and Arsenal defender is the first woman ever to be appointed to the PFA Management Committee. An inspirational figure in women`s football, having led the Great Britain team at London 2012, Stoney publicly came out in February and said she would boycott the World Cups in Russia and Qatar in protest of their anti-gay laws. Stoney is also a BBC pundit on women`s football and has appeared on Sky doing co-commentary on men`s football.23 Paula Dunn, Paralympic head coach, UK AthleticsThe first woman to be appointed to a head-coach role in athletics, Dunn is also the first head coach from an ethnic minority in her sport. A former 100m European bronze and Commonwealth silver medallist, Dunn impressed as No2 during the Paralympics at London 2012 to gain the top role and equalled GB`s best ever medal tally of 11 golds at last year`s IPC World Championships. Oversees a £250m programme to recruit new Paralympic names for Rio 2016.24 Helen Grant, minister for sport, tourism & equalitiesA former judo champion with a background in family law, Grant became the first black female Conservative MP when elected in 2010. A strong voice on women and equality - Grant has said that her legal work in domestic violence has informed her ministerial work - she has campaigned for women`s sport to receive greater recognition at the elite end, and for sport to be made more accessible to women and girls at a grassroots level.25 Christine Ohuruogu athleteArguably GB`s most successful female athlete of all time having won 400m Olympic gold and silver, and two individual world titles, Ohuruogu has also been a critical voice on the issue of Olympic legacy for London.Having grown up in the borough of Newham, just minutes away from the Olympic Stadium, s he has undertaken her own legacy project visiting every school in the borough to inspire the next generation of kids.26 Kelly Simmons, director of national game and women`s football, FAIn December 2012 Simmons was appointed director of the national game - which covers children`s, grassroots and semi-professional football - and women`s football by the FA, and is responsible for the FA`s five-year programme for women`s football, Game Changer. She has worked at the FA for nearly 25 years, having joined the organisation in 1990. She is a member of the Uefa Grassroots Panel and of Fifa`s Women`s Committee, and received an MBE in 2002 for services to football.27 Rebecca Adlington, retired swimmerThe first British swimmer in more than a century to win two Olympic gold medals, Adlington retired from the sport last year. Her public meltdown in the Celebrity Jungle in 2013, where she confessed her body image insecurities, gave the issue national focus with a subsequent survey finding that 67% of elite GB sportswomen feared their looks were valued over their sporting achievements. Adlington has also launched SwimStars aimed at schoolchildren. `I want my biggest legacy to be no child in Britain leaving primary school unable to swim 25 metres,` she said.28 Sarah Storey, cyclistHas five Paralympic gold medals in the pool and a further six on the cycling track, and has collected a total of 22 of all colours, bringing her alongside Tanni Grey Thompson as Britain`s most renowned modern Paralympian. She had her first child, Louisa, last year but returned to competition in December and plans to compete in Rio in 2016.29 Nicky Roche, CEO, Tour de France 2014Was director of sport at the DCMS, before becoming director of operations at the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and sits on the prime minister`s advisory panel on Rio 2016. Last year she was appointed chief executive of TdF 2014 Ltd, the organising committee of this year`s Tour de France grand départ in Yorkshire, and to the board of British Showjumping.30 Katherine Grainger, rowerWon an emotional gold in the double sculls in 2012 after ending three previous Olympics with silvers. Took off 2013 while she wrote her autobiography and completed a PhD in criminal law, and also helped to launch the charity Scottish Women in Sport, which aims to raise the profile of women`s sport. Has yet to commit to the 2016 Games, but will run the London Marathon next month.31 Laura Trott, cyclistDouble Olympic champion, the most high-profile British female cyclist since Victoria Pendleton`s retirement. Unlike Pendleton she has refused to pose for men`s magazines - `I want to inspire young girls to get on their bikes,` she has said, `I just believe there is a certain way of doing that.` Has called for a gradual introduction of a women`s Tour de France.32 Claire Williams, deputy team principal, Williams F1ne of the most powerful women in motor sport. `There`s no reason why women cannot come into Formula One,` she says. `I`m at the top, this proves you can do it.`33 Paula Radcliffe, athleteInjury-plagued marathon world record-holder and mother of two who has not competed since a foot operation in 2012 but recently spoke of her desire to run again, perhaps at the 2015 London Marathon. Has campaigned vociferously throughout her career against the use of drugs in sport. Turned 40 last December.34 Tricia Thompson director of cycling, BSkyBAs director of cycling at BSkyB Thompson shares credit for the success enjoyed in recent years by , and also of grassroots efforts such as Sky Ride. Has supported British Cycling in their campaign to get a million more women cycling by 2020, transforming the sport through creating family-friendly events, promoting guided rides and supporting Olympic and Paralympic heroes.35 Tessa Jowell, MPDescribed by Lord Coe as `the political driving force behind our bid to host the London Olympics and Paralympics and an inseparable part of their ultimate success`, Jowell first convinced Tony Blair`s Labour government to back the London Olympic bid, and later served as Olympics minister, shadow Olympics minister, and deputy mayor of the Olympic village. Jowell will stand down as an MP at the next election.36 Chrissie Wellington retired triathlete; equality campaignerWellington retired in 2012 as four-time ironman world champion, having won all 13 professional races she competed in, saying her `passion for new experiences and new challenges is burning the most brightly`. Since then Wellington, who before becoming a professional athlete advised the government on environmental and development policy, has campaigned for equality in sport, and specifically for a women`s Tour de France.37 Sophie Goldschmidt, chief commercial officer, RFUAppointed chief commercial officer of the RFU and on to the organisation`s board in 2010, having previously worked for the NBA as senior vice president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and before that for the WTA as vice president of marketing and sponsorship. She has said that modern sport is `providing more and more fantastic opportunities for women`.38 Louise Martin, vice-chair, Glasgow 2014Martin competed in the 100m and 200m backstroke finals at the 1962 Commonwealth Games and has remained associated with the event, having been instrumental in creating the Commonwealth Youth Games and in Glasgow`s successful bid to host the 2014 event. She is currently chair of Sportscotland, vice chair of the 2014 Commonwealth Games organising committee and sits on the board of UK Sport.39 Kirsten Rausing, horse breederWidely considered the most powerful woman in racing, the fourth richest woman in Britain (Rausing`s grandfather founded Tetra Pak) is also a director of the British Bloodstock Agency, a Jockey Club member, and a former director of the National Stud. Rausing took charge of her grandfather`s stud farm in Sweden in 1967, at the age of 15. She has since run farms in Ireland and now in Newmarket, where she has been based since 1980.40 Margaret Byrne, CEO, Sunderland FCJoined Sunderland`s staff in 2007 as company secretary, became their legal director and was promoted to chief executive in 2011, at the age of 31. At the time Niall Quinn described her as `a true driving force at the club`. She sits on the FA Council, Premier League Legal Advisory Group, the Football Regulatory Authority and the FA`s International Committee.41 Karen Wilmington, director, Soccer SaturdayThe most senior woman working in Sky`s football department, Wilmington has been with Sky Sports since its inception, having previously spent 12 years at BBC Sport. Head of studio output for Sky Sports News, she has overseen the recruitment and training of directors, production teams and presenters from day one, as well as leading on production for set changes, re-brands, the move to tapeless technology and rebuilding of all SSN facilities. Wilmington has been directing Soccer Saturday and Soccer Special, `the highlight of her week`, for almost 20 years.42 Beth Tweddle, retired gymnast; entrepreneurBritain`s most successful gymnast of all time, Tweddle was a pioneer in the sport - even having a move named after her - in becoming Olympic bronze medallist and three-time world champion. Since retiring from gymnastics after London 2012 Tweddle was elected on to the six-member FIG Athletes` Commission, set up Total Gymnastics, a company that provides gymnastics training in British schools and leisure centres, won Dancing On Ice in 2013, and began campaigning against internet trolls after being on the receiving end of sexist abuse earlier this year - an incident that made headlines.43 Sian Massey, football refereeA Premier League assistant referee since 2010, who has run the line at the Women`s Champions League final and the Women`s Euro final. Her second top-flight appearance saw her become the subject of sexist remarks made by Sky`s Richard Keys and Andy Gray in 2011 which led to both men leaving the station.44 Caroline McAteer, sports publicist Famous for rebuilding David Beckham`s image following his 1998 World Cup red card, McAteer is also credited with masterminding Freddie Ljungberg`s Calvin Klein underwear campaign. McAteer, who started out in the music industry and is nicknamed `the Rottweiler` for her no-nonsense approach, went on to found the Sports PR Company catering for a portfolio of sports stars from Theo Walcott and Didier Drogba, to Petr Cech and Chris Froome.45 Vicky Kloss, chief communications officer, Manchester CityOverseeing communications globally for Manchester City, plus newly acquired New York City FC and Melbourne Heart FC, Kloss - a former police detective - has spent 13 years at City, responsible for their PR during arguably the most eventful period in the club`s history. From one of the most talked about takeovers in football, to dealing with the absconding of the former owner Thaksin Shinawatra and the antics of Mario Balotelli, Kloss also highlighted some of the struggles women in football face after she was banned from the tunnel area `for being female` when City played Notts County in the FA Cup three years ago.46 Rachel Heyhoe-Flint, life peer; ECB board memberFormer England cricket captain (she also represented her country at hockey) and the first woman inducted into the ICC hall of fame. A former PE teacher and journalist, she set up a sports marketing business in 1971, sat on the board of Wolverhampton Wanderers - where she remains a vice-president - and in 2011 became a life peer. She has sat on the ECB board since 2010 as a representative of the women`s game.47 Kelly Smith, footballerWidely considered the most talented female footballer ever to wear an England shirt, the Arsenal striker and coach - named among Fifa`s top five players of the year on four occasions - was capped 115 times by England and recently recalled to the squad at the age of 35. Smith twice played in America`s pro leagues (1999-2005, 2009-12), overcoming alcohol addiction and serious injury to help Arsenal to success.48 Jacqui Oatley, broadcasterFreelance broadcaster and pioneer as the first woman to commentate on Match of the Day in 2007, an event that prompted frenzied national debate over whether women should be allowed to commentate on men`s football. Oatley is an FA-qualified coach, and now presents football for the BBC and ITV. She is on the board of Women in Football, an organisation dedicated to challenging discrimination across the industry and mentoring the next generation of women.49 Charlotte Edwards, cricketerThe 34-year-old captain of England`s Ashes-winning cricket team, 18 years after her international debut, with a Test average a sliver under 48. One of the players since signed-up by the ECB on contracts that make them the world`s first female cricket professionals - `A day I never thought I`d see in my time as a player,` she said.50 Helena Morrissey, CEO, Newton Investment ManagementBecame CEO of Newton Investment Management in 2001 as a 35-year-old mother of five (she has since had four more children, and is still in post). In 2010 she founded the 30% Club, to encourage companies to appoint that many female directors - the figure in TSE 250 companies has since risen from 8.5% to 15%. Her company was the first to sponsor the women`s boat race last year. A campaigner for gender equality, last September she joined the Women and Sport Advisory Board, set up by Maria Miller MP.theguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds