Emma Harrison (businesswoman)
{{Short description|English entrepreneur (born 1963)}}
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| birth_name = Emma Cridland{{cite web | url=http://www.brad.ac.uk/alumni/media/alumni/documents/braduate-issue01.pdf | title=Profile: Emma Harrison BEng Mechanical Engineering – 1987 | work=The Braduate | publisher=University of Bradford | year=2006 | access-date=22 February 2012 | quote=That determined young lady is Emma Harrison (née Cridland).}}
| birth_date = 1964{{Cite web|url=https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVWS-TBQZ|title=FamilySearch.org|accessdate=26 June 2023}}{{cite web | url=http://www.shu.ac.uk/university/overview/hallampeople/honorary/emma-harrison.html | title=Emma Harrison {{!}} Honorary Awards | publisher=Sheffield Hallam University | year=2008 | access-date=22 February 2012 | quote=Honorary Doctorate – 2008 Emma grew up in Sheffield and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from Bradford. In 1987, at the age of 23, she took over her father's Sheffield-based training agency ITA, which provided training and employment opportunities for workers made redundant in the declining steel industry.}}{{specify|date=February 2012}}
| birth_place = Colchester, Essex, England
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| alma_mater = University of Bradford
| known_for = Former chairman, A4e
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Emma Louise Harrison CBE (née Cridland),[http://www.bbc.co.uk/southyorkshire/content/articles/2008/10/02/emma_harrison_feature.shtml profile – Emma Harrison] BBC South Yorkshire (born 13 August 1963) was a key shareholder of A4e (Action for employment) and the company's chairperson until 24 February 2012. Harrison's father, Roy Cridland, founded the company A4e before appointing Harrison as a director of the business in 1991 when the company was worth £125,000.{{Cite web|title=Emma Harrison: stitching together a business behemoth|url=https://moneyweek.com/31151/emma-harrison-stitching-together-a-business-behemoth|access-date=2021-05-02|website=MoneyWeek|language=en}}
Biography
She is a graduate engineer (BEng) of the University of Bradford.
She was appointed as a voluntary troubled families 'Family Champion' by Prime Minister David Cameron in 2010,{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9275000/9275026.stm | work=BBC News | title=Britain's new 'family champion' | date=10 December 2010}} despite civil servants recommending propriety and ethics checks on her.{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/feb/28/emma-harrison-appointment-scrutiny-a4e | title=Emma Harrison appointment comes under fresh scrutiny | work=The Guardian | access-date=29 February 2012 | date=28 February 2012 | location=London | first=Rajeev | last=Syal}} Harrison resigned from the post on 23 February 2012, following allegations of fraud at A4e and controversy over her £8.6m personal dividend payment.{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9101766/David-Camerons-back-to-work-tsar-Emma-Harrison-quits-amid-fraud-allegations.html | location=London | work=The Daily Telegraph | first1=Mark | last1=Hughes | first2=Rowena | last2=Mason | title=David Cameron's 'back to work' tsar Emma Harrison quits amid fraud allegations | date=23 February 2012}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/david-cameron-s-back-to-work-tsar-quits-7439846.html|title=David Cameron's 'back to work' tsar quits|date=24 February 2012|website=The Independent|accessdate=26 June 2023}} On 29 February 2012, David Cameron announced he had launched an inquiry into her appointment, saying he had not been aware of fraud allegations at A4e when he appointed her.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}
Payments from A4e
In February 2012, it was revealed that Harrison was paid an £8.6 million dividend on her shares in 2011, in addition to her £365,000 annual salary. The payment was criticised by former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and current Chair of the Public Accounts Committee Margaret Hodge as "ripping off the State".{{cite web | url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/night-copy/a4e-is-another-example-of-fat-cats-743563| title=A4e is another example of Fat Cats getting richer at the poor's expense | work=Daily Mirror | access-date=26 February 2012 | date=26 February 2012 }}
On 25 February it emerged that in addition to her £365,000 annual salary and £8.6m shares dividend, A4e also paid Harrison and her partner around £1.7m over two years for leasing properties, including their 20-bedroom stately home, to her own firm.{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/feb/25/a4e-welfare-emma-harrison-properties | title=Welfare boss Emma Harrison made a pile renting out her stately home to A4E | work=The Guardian | access-date=25 February 2012 | date=25 February 2012 | location=London | first1=Daniel | last1=Boffey | first2=Toby | last2=Helm}}
Resignation from A4e
On 24 February 2012, Harrison announced her resignation as Chairman of A4e, stating, "I do not want the continuing media focus on me to be any distraction for A4e..."{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17161210 | work=BBC News | title=Emma Harrison quits as chairman of A4e welfare-to-work firm | date=24 February 2012}} In March 2015 six former employees were jailed for forging files in a scam that cost the taxpayer almost £300,000. Another four ex-members of staff received suspended prison sentences for what Judge Angela Morris said were "deceitful and unscrupulous" practices. They had falsified employer details, time sheets and job-seeker signatures to inflate the numbers they said they had helped into work.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}
Media
Emma Harrison has appeared in Channel 4's Make me a Million and Series 1 of The Secret Millionaire.[http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-secret-millionaire/episode-guide/series-1/episode-1 The Secret Millionaire – Emma Harrison] Channel 4{{cite news | url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/features/when_millionaire_emma_found_herself_scrubbing_pub_floors_in_dagenham_1_2415808 | title=When millionaire Emma found herself scrubbing pub floors in Dagenham | work=Yorkshire Post | date=2 January 2007 | access-date=22 February 2012 | author=Bond, Chris}} While behind the bar in a working men's club in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham for the show, she heard racist language that made her feel "physically sick" and she left after two and a half hours.
Awards
Harrison was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours.{{London Gazette|issue=59282|date=31 December 2009|page=7|supp=y }}
She has received honorary doctorates from the University of Derby (2007),{{cite web | url=http://www.derby.ac.uk/news/high-achievers-honoured-by-university-of-derby-buxton | title=High Achievers Honoured By University of Derby Buxton | publisher=University of Derby | date=27 November 2007 | access-date=22 February 2012 | author=Butt, Simon}} Sheffield Hallam University (2008), and the University of Bradford (2008).{{Cite web|url=http://www.brad.ac.uk/admin/pr/pressreleases/2009/hon-grads-dec.php|title = Honorary Graduates Dec 08 | Uni of Bradford}}
Charity work
Emma Harrison is a trustee of the Eden Project (registered charity no. 1093070) {{cite web |url=http://www.edenproject.com/whats-it-all-about/behind-the-scenes/about-us/whos-who |title=Who's who, charity, profiles - Eden Project, Cornwall |access-date=29 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121122093140/http://www.edenproject.com/whats-it-all-about/behind-the-scenes/about-us/whos-who |archive-date=22 November 2012 }}
Family
She is married to Jim Harrison, founder and chairman of Thornbridge Brewery,{{cite web | url=http://www.brad.ac.uk/acad/management/external/content.php?section=news&page=alumnilecture06 | title=Alumni Lecture | publisher=University of Bradford | year=2006 | access-date=22 February 2012}} They have four children and have homes in London{{citation needed|date=February 2012}} and at Thornbridge Hall, Derbyshire.
References
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Category:Alumni of the University of Bradford
Category:English chief executives
Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire