MICHELLE Osman, managing director of and a partner in Alton-based nut business Minerva Global, won the Athena Award at the 2019 NatWest Everywoman Awards.

This prize is awarded to the most inspirational woman running a business trading for six to nine years.

Michelle used her language skills to work in France, Germany and Switzerland as a nut trader.

She managed Cadbury’s global nut buying needs before founding Minerva and partnering with California’s largest almond growers to create a business which includes the largest almond tree nursery in the world, producing three to five million trees per year.