The winners of the Yorkshire FD of the Year Awards 2006 were announced at the prestigious awards dinner last week at Rudding Park in Harrogate.
It was the fifth annual Yorkshire FD of the Year Awards, which is sponsored by Barclays Bank, Ernst & Young, financial recruitment specialist Sewell Moorhouse, and the international law firm Hammonds.
The awards, now established as the leading competition of its kind in Yorkshire, seek to recognise the key contribution and exceptional performance of the region's top Finance Directors in the rapidly changing world of business.
At the event Yorkshire businesswoman Judith Donovan CBE, who has been Chair of the Yorkshire Tourist Board since April 2005, gave a presentation on what it is like to do business in Yorkshire. She gave her views on where she sees businesses in the region heading in the future and how important FDs are to the continuing success of businesses in Yorkshire.
This year there were three award categories for the Yorkshire FD of the Year Awards 2006: Special Award for Outstanding Achievement of the Year, Award for Best Finance Director of a Plc and Award for Best Finance Director of a Ltd company.
Special Award for Outstanding Achievement of the Year - Andy Finneran of Richmond Foods won this award for his role in Richmond Food’s £182 million public to private deal and immediate merger with German Ice Cream maker Roncadin under a new vehicle led by the Richmond management that was backed by the US private equity firm Oaktree Capital Management.
Yorkshire Finance Director of the Year 2006 – Plc - Mike Killoran of Persimmon plc was successful thanks to his leading role in the 643 million pound Westbury acquisition and the innovative financing structures which he introduced to the Group.
Yorkshire Finance Director of the Year 2006 - Ltd company - Steve Leadbeater of Young’s Bluecrest Limited won the award for his work during a most challenging and successful year for the group which saw them absorb Findus, one of the biggest names in frozen food. Steve impressed the judges as a thoroughly ‘modern’ Financial Director.
Pictured left to right: Andy Finneran of Richmond Foods, Steve Leadbeater of Young's Bluecrest Limited, Judith Donovan CBE and Mike Killoran of Persimmon plc
YORKSHIRE FINANCE DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR 2006
WINNERS ANNOUNCED