IoD Scotland has today revealed five Fife and Tayside business leaders are finalists in national awards at the 2021 Director of the Year Awards.
They have been shortlisted across seven of the twelve categories which include categories for exceptional directors at International and Family businesses as well as the Young Director of the Year award.
The Fife and Tayside business leaders shortlisted for awards include:
- Neale Campbell, Liquid Gas Equipment Ltd (t/a Babcock LGE)
- Michael Longstaffe, Smith Anderson Group Limited
- Simon Parsons, Scottish Water
- Kirsty Thomson, Circle Scotland CIC
- Shelley Booth, Shelley Booth. The Feel Look Be Formula
Kirsty Thomson has also been nominated for two other awards:
- IoD Scotland Director of the Year – Agility & Resilience Sponsored by Insights
- IoD Scotland Director of the Year – Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Sponsored by Scottish Government
"It is an honour to have been recognised in three of the awards for Director of the Year. I am excited to have been shortlisted for the new category for agility and resilience and after a tough 18 months that everyone has been through, these have been important values to uphold. The team at The Circle have supported me immensely and I thank our board member, Campbell Archibald for the nomination." Kirsty Thomson, CEO & Founder The Circle.
The awards, headline sponsored by Badenoch + Clark, celebrate individuals’ business accomplishments in 2021 and the winners will be crowned at a live online ceremony on Thursday 9 December.
Michael Longstaffe, CEO of Smith Anderson Group Limited has been highlighted as a particularly strong candidate having been shortlisted for three national Director awards as well as the Fife and Tayside’s regional category.
The awards will pay tribute to the focus and drive of leaders over the last 12 months, at a time where strong leadership has been vital to ensuring the successful economic and social recovery of Scotland. To honour this, the IoD has introduced a new award for 2021; The Agility and Resilience Director of the Year. This title will be awarded to the leader whose efforts to tackle the continuous challenges of 2020 went ‘above and beyond’. Two leaders from the region have been shortlisted for the award, Shelley Booth, Director of Shelley Booth. The Feel Look Be Formula and Kirsty Thomson, Founder and CEO of Circle Scotland CIC.
Louise Macdonald OBE, National Director of the Institute of Directors in Scotland, said: “As we emerge from the pandemic, many organisations are re-evaluating and refocusing their objectives, which is a process that heavily relies on the insight and leadership of directors. During the most challenging times the truly inspirational leaders shine through even more brightly among their peers, and our Director of the Year Awards are a way to celebrate that talent and strength of Scottish business leaders
“We were keen to acknowledge the work of directors in steering their organisations through the pandemic with our ‘Agility and Resilience’ award. Some leaders have shown outstanding strength and determination during these tumultuous times, and I’m so proud to be able to celebrate and recognise every one of their efforts later in the year at our ceremony to announce the winners.”
