Champion of entrepreneurship in the North East, Caroline Theobald CBE has received an Honorary Doctorate of Civil Law from Northumbria University, Newcastle.

Born and raised in London, her first major role in business was as News Editor of Printing World the leading technical print magazine based in Fleet Street.

After a stint as the late Robert Maxwell’s press officer, she then turned to the socially aware architectural movement of 1990s and co-founded Community Architecture Information Services (CAIS) Ltd.

In 1990 Caroline moved to the North East, and for the past three decades has made it her mission to mentor business leaders, build networks and forge national and international connections. And her efforts have contributed significantly to the success of North East enterprise.

She is the co-founder of dedicated business network group The Bridge Club set up to connect founders with funding, management advice and new markets and to stimulate enterprise thinking in schools, colleges and universities.

Read an in-depth interview with Caroline HERE

Caroline is a committed advocate of gender equality. When she moved from London to the North East, she was deeply concerned by the gender imbalance she observed within the regional business community.

Much later this encouraged her to become one of the founders of the Power of Women Campaign, a community interest company dedicated to enhancing the aspirations of young women in the Tees Valley and beyond. 

She said: "It’s a privilege to be involved with a university that reaches into under-resourced communities to unlock people’s hidden potential. That’s what excites me about the work I’ve done – making the connections that matter to help people get to be the best they can be. I’m humbled to have been honoured with this doctorate by an Institution that I so admire.”