THE Scottish-founded Female Leaders in Construction (FLIC) network has been shortlisted for a national award less than two years after launching.
FLIC was set up to support women in senior leadership roles across the built environment and address the under-representation of women at senior levels.
The network is a finalist in the Women’s Network of the Year category at the Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering Awards 2026.
Since launch, FLIC has more than doubled its membership, with more than 120 senior women now on its active database spanning construction, housebuilding, architecture, planning, engineering, social housing and consultancy.
FLIC was co-founded by Liana Canavan and Julie Moulsdale. Liana is founder and director at The Firefly Consultancy, providing sales and marketing support for the housebuilding sector, while Julie is founder and MD at specialist built environment communications consultancy, Perceptive Communicators.
Liana Canavan said, “To be recognised on a UK-wide stage is a tremendous achievement for everyone involved in FLIC and a reflection of the appetite for change across our industry. When we launched in 2024, we identified a significant gap in support for women who had already reached senior leadership positions.
“While there are many excellent initiatives supporting early-career talent, there was very little specifically focused on helping experienced women continue progressing, building influence and supporting one another. There is still a lot of work to be done to make changes in the industry but this shortlist recognises the momentum we have built together and demonstrates that Scotland is leading the way in championing senior female talent.”
FLIC’s mission is based on evidence showing that gender-balanced leadership teams deliver stronger business performance, while creating more visible role models for future generations.
Julie Moulsdale added, “We are incredibly proud that a Scottish-founded network is being recognised alongside organisations from across the UK. This shortlist is validation of the impact our members, supporters and advisory board have helped create in a relatively short period of time.
“Construction remains heavily male dominated, particularly at senior levels. By supporting and championing experienced women already working within the sector, we’re helping unlock talent that can strengthen businesses, improve decision-making and ultimately contribute to a more productive and innovative industry. Our members regularly tell us how valuable it is to have access to a trusted peer network of women facing similar leadership challenges. This recognition belongs to all of them.”
Winners will be announced at a ceremony in London on 16 September.
