Directors in the Swindon area are being invited to enter the top regional awards scheme recognising excellence and enterprise in the boardroom.
The annual Institute of Directors’ Director of the Year Awards seek to champion outstanding leaders and entrepreneurs in both the public and private sectors. 
Award nominations are open to anyone working at director level in any type of business or organisation – they do not have to be an IoD member.
This year the South West region is teaming up with London and the South, meaning there will be even keener competition for the awards.
The 13 categories are Large Business, Small-to-Medium Business (SME), Family Business, Start-Up, Public/Third Sector, International, Innovation, Young, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability and Non-Executive.
There is also a special category – Agility & Resilience – that recognises individuals who responded proactively and positively to the pandemic.
Winners in 2019 – the last time the awards were staged – included Charmaine Vincent, CEO of Bristol-based public and third sector recruitment experts Baltimore Consulting, who went on to win the national award in the SME category, and James Freeman, former MD of First West of England, who was highly commended at the national awards in the Large Company category. 
IoD South West chair Muir Macdonald, pictured, said: “We didn’t run the awards in the South West last year because of the pandemic, so we are hoping for a really great response to the 2021 awards.
“After such a tough 18 months for many of us, this is a time now to celebrate the hard work and innovation that has gone into keeping afloat during the pandemic and beyond.
“We have seen so many great examples of innovation, agility and resilience in the region that we want it to be recognised and celebrated.
“I think we all know someone who has risen to the challenge – or perhaps you want to nominate yourself.”
Sponsors of this year’s awards include Bristol-headquartered UK law firm Burges Salmon, independent financial services provider Smith & Williamson, which has an office in Bristol, and chartered accountants and financial advisers Kreston Reeves.
Swindon Business News and its sister titles Bath Business News and Bristol Business News are again media partner for the awards.
The deadline for entries is September 13 and the winners will be announced at an event on November 11. For more details and to apply click here
