Business leaders across the region are being invited to enter the 2013 London and South East Director of the Year awards run by the Institute of Directors (IoD).
Open to members and non-members of the IoD, the awards will be welcoming entries from business leaders from the whole of London and the South East of England, bringing together company directors from a variety of backgrounds and recognising their qualities as business leaders.
Five directors from the county were finalists last year: Stephen Grix, Principal and Chief Executive of MidKent College; Lisa Clayton, Managing Director of Sittingbourne-based Avenue Lettings; Guy Whitehead, Group CEO of Sevenoaks-based Armourcoat; Jim Gardner, Chief Executive of the Kent Union at the University of Kent; and Jonathan Neame, Chief Executive of Shepherd Neame.
Previous winners from the county have included Jonathan Neame and Sonja Wood, director of Ashford-based EcoSan Services.
Last year’s competition attracted a high number of quality entries from across the region and culminated in the Gala Awards Dinner at the Landmark Hotel in London at which the finalists’ achievements were publicly celebrated.
What is the IoD?
The IoD represents some 20,000 business leaders in London and the south east of England. The Institute of Directors (IoD) is the world’s most experienced and long-standing organisation advocating director professionalism. It provides a professional network that reaches into every corner of the business community.
Membership spans the spectrum of international business leadership, from the largest public companies to the smallest private firms.
Awards categories
Director of the Year (large company)
This category is open to directors from FTSE and other large listed companies.
Director of the Year (small and medium company)
This awards category is open to directors of companies with 250 or fewer employees.
Young Director of the Year
To enter this award, directors must be under the age of 42 and must be able to point to outstanding achievements during the past 12 months
Global Director of the Year
This award is open to all directors in UK-based companies with overseas sales. The entrant must be able to show that a minimum of 25% of the company’s turnover comes from overseas sales and must be successful in exporting, and committed to continued growth in the international business arena.
Public/Third Sector Director of the Year
This award is open to all directors in the public sector as well as those working in the third sector and other charitable or not-for-profit organisations.
Family Business Director of the Year
Entrants for this award will be directors in second generation or more family businesses and will have responded to the specific challenges that face directors in such well established firms.
Chairman’s Award for Leadership in Corporate Responsibility
This award is to recognise those directors who are able to demonstrate that, through their direct actions and leadership, their business has made a positive impact on the local community, wider society and/or the environment.
It is easy to submit your online nomination now. Go to: www.iod.com/south/awards for full details and to open up the nomination form. Self-nominations from both members and non-members are encouraged.
The deadline for nominations is January 31, 2014.
The awards ceremony
The Gala awards dinner will take place in June next year in the prestigious surroundings of the Nash Room at the Institute of Directors in Pall Mall, London. Beginning with a drinks reception and a three-course meal, guests are then introduced to each of the finalists before the awards commence.
Rodger Broad, Director of the IoD South, said: “These awards are a wonderful way to raise the profile of your organisation and boost the morale of your staff, as success really does breed success.
“Many previous entrants who were not lucky enough to win have said entering was still worthwhile as it helped them to take a step back and take a fresh look at their operations.
“The Gala awards dinner is also a great event at which to network with other high quality businesses from across London and the South, as well as rewarding staff with a fantastic night out.”