The winner of the annual Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year will receive a bottle of bubbly on her birthday for the rest of her life.

This year's nominees include a strong line-up of entrepreneurs. Emma Harrison founded and chairs A4e, which teaches basic skills to unemployed people, as well as running her own micro-brewery.

Edwina Dunn is the chief executive of marketing company Dunnhumby, which has a customer base including Tesco, Vodafone and eBay.

Hilary Devey is the founder and MD of transport firm Pall-Ex, now the UK's biggest pallet distribution network.

The final nominee is Vivienne Cox, who is in charge of BP's Gas, Power and Renewables sector.