Ann Cochrane Cook Wallace Budge [1] (born 21 February 1948) is a Scottish businesswoman and company director. [2]
Budge graduated with a psychology degree, and became the first woman appointed to a senior position in Scottish & Newcastle after starting her career there as a trainee programmer. After leaving F International – now Xansa – Budge set up business working from home, and teaming up with Allison Newell in 1985, launched Newell & Budge, which specialised in making bespoke software and IT systems. [3] It was sold to the French IT company Sopra Group for a reported £30 million, and Budge became a chief executive. [3] [4]
Budge was awarded "Entrepreneur of the Year" by the Entrepreneurial Exchange in 2005 [5] and was then inducted into the Entrepreneurial Exchange Hall of Fame in November 2013. [6] [7] She is listed as a role model by the Women's Engineering Society. [8]
She is an honorary graduate of Heriot-Watt University and Edinburgh Napier University. [9]
Budge was disclosed as being the sole director of BIDCO 1874, a consortium trying to buy Edinburgh-based football club Hearts out of administration, in early 2014. [10] A majority shareholding in the club, which was previously owned by Lithuanian businesses run by Vladimir Romanov, was sold to BIDCO 1874 in May 2014. [11] Budge made several changes at the club immediately after taking control, including the appointment of Craig Levein as director of football and Robbie Neilson as head coach. [12] [13]
In 2016, Budge was awarded the Scottish Professional Football League CEO of the Year award. [14] [15]
Ann Cochrane Cook Wallace Budge [1] (born 21 February 1948) is a Scottish businesswoman and company director. [2]
Budge graduated with a psychology degree, and became the first woman appointed to a senior position in Scottish & Newcastle after starting her career there as a trainee programmer. After leaving F International – now Xansa – Budge set up business working from home, and teaming up with Allison Newell in 1985, launched Newell & Budge, which specialised in making bespoke software and IT systems. [3] It was sold to the French IT company Sopra Group for a reported £30 million, and Budge became a chief executive. [3] [4]
Budge was awarded "Entrepreneur of the Year" by the Entrepreneurial Exchange in 2005 [5] and was then inducted into the Entrepreneurial Exchange Hall of Fame in November 2013. [6] [7] She is listed as a role model by the Women's Engineering Society. [8]
She is an honorary graduate of Heriot-Watt University and Edinburgh Napier University. [9]
Budge was disclosed as being the sole director of BIDCO 1874, a consortium trying to buy Edinburgh-based football club Hearts out of administration, in early 2014. [10] A majority shareholding in the club, which was previously owned by Lithuanian businesses run by Vladimir Romanov, was sold to BIDCO 1874 in May 2014. [11] Budge made several changes at the club immediately after taking control, including the appointment of Craig Levein as director of football and Robbie Neilson as head coach. [12] [13]
In 2016, Budge was awarded the Scottish Professional Football League CEO of the Year award. [14] [15]