Maria Sarkar Recognized for Services to Manufacturing with an MBE

MBE – Member of the Order of the British Empire

An MBE is a special honor given to recognize outstanding achievements and service to the United Kingdom. The awards are made twice a year in the UK – at New Year and on the monarch’s official birthday. The list of nominees is put together by a committee and forwarded for approval first by the Prime Minister, and then by His Majesty the King.

Maria Sarkar

VP & Co-Founder, DriveWorks

“I am absolutely thrilled and so very proud to receive this MBE.

The fact that the award is for services in and around manufacturing is very significant. It is less common for women to work in a CAD / 3D technology environment, so I have enjoyed the challenge of demonstrating the power of combining great technology with great communication.

The opportunity to visit manufacturing sites in many countries around the world has given me a valuable perspective on so many different industries, technologies and practices. At DriveWorks we are sensitive to cultural differences and understand the power of great relationships. We have built a strong Channel Management strategy to sell and support our technology

I will continue my commitment to giving back to our community as a business leader and being a Department for Business & Trade (DBT) Export Champion, through STEM, networking, and learning initiatives. “

Maria Sarkar and her DriveWorks Co-Founder, Glen Smith, launched DriveWorks in 2001. DriveWorks started as a design automation software tool to automate SOLIDWORKS. Today there are more DriveWorks software products, DriveWorksXpress, DriveWorks Solo, and DriveWorks Pro. DriveWorks technology has evolved as a result of market research, listening to users, and understanding the challenges of the evolving world of manufacturing. DriveWorks software is used by manufacturers worldwide for design automation, 3D product configuration, business process automation, and as a CPQ, sales configurator solution.

DriveWorks the company is built on innovative technology, high standards, market insight, and a vibrant mix of talent. The company has strong values at its core – as a result of Maria & Glen’s inspiring leadership, their joint passion for nurturing people, and their commitment to innovation. They are both role models who have built a strong team. Their first employee from 2001 is still working in the business today, along with a growing team of over 60 talented individuals across three countries.

In 2019, DriveWorks received Double Queen’s Awards for both Innovation and International Trade. The Awards are the most prestigious awards for UK businesses, with companies from across the UK recognized for their contribution in four categories: international trade, innovation, sustainable development, and promoting opportunity.

“Maria is a self confessed geek. Her ability to take complex technical issues, and explain them to engineers and business leaders alike, always amazes me. She has taken a deeply technical product to market, not just in the UK, but in 54 different cultures around the world, and managed to adapt that message as markets have evolved and the world has changed.

I’m very proud to lead DriveWorks, the company that we both started together all those years ago. Maria actively promotes technology as a great career path for young people. She initiated our intern and graduate training programs. and hopes she has inspired other women to look at technology and the manufacturing sector as a positive career choice. She has spoken at industry events and worked closely with several northern universities. She has been very active on the Cheshire & Warrington Digital Skills Board, The Pledge, the Cheshire Commonwealth Association and as an Export Champion and through Made Smarter.

Well done Maria Sarkar MBE, we are all very proud of you and this honour is very much deserved”