COMPANY founding director Clare Hayward has received an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Clare is one of the founding directors of award-winning, Wilmslow-headquartered international consultancy Cirrus.

Her royal honour has been awarded in recognition of her services to the community and her work as a global business leader and entrepreneur.

Clare is deputy lieutenant for Cheshire and serves on the board of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

She said: “Receiving an MBE is a huge honour. I have been privileged to work with a range of wonderful people in business and in the community, and have always been hugely enthusiastic about building regional and international growth through creating connections and encouraging collaboration.

“Developing people’s skills and capabilities is critical to our long-term success and wellbeing, and I’m delighted to be involved in projects that are focused on doing exactly that.

“I’ve been a part of many wonderful initiatives which have had a lasting impact on other people’s lives. This award also recognises many of the people and teams I’ve been proud to partner with.”

In the community, Clare chairs the Employer Skills and Education Board for the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

In May Clare announced the LEP had been selected by the UK government as one of only three new Local Digital Skills Partnerships.

Clare also acts as vice-president of East Cheshire Hospice, where she helped introduce the innovative Hospice @ Home service, empowering patients with choice and control over quality end-of-life care.

She is also a supporter of Rising Stars, which helps young girls to achieve their full potential in the workplace.

As a business leader and entrepreneur Clare has chaired and facilitated senior management teams and groups of leaders internationally with the aim of training leaders to enable their organisations through her work at Cirrus.

Previously, Clare founded and grew Academee into a successful leadership learning business which was acquired by global management consultancy Oliver Wyman, where she became a global head of market development.

Previous roles include a seat on Manchester Metropolitan University’s MBA advisory board, serving as an independent board member of the Peaks and Plains Housing Trust, and as a chairman of school governors.

Clare also founded and chaired Make It Macclesfield, a community interest company focused on the town’s economic prosperity.