Barton crowned Director of Year at IoD awards
PETER Barton, the founder of a specialist lighting business in Cumbria, has been crowned Director of the Year by the Insitute of Directors.
Barton, who also won the Cumbria award, is managing director of Forge Europa, which is based in Ulverston and designs and manufactures energy- saving LED lights.
Dedicating his awards to his family and staff, Barton said: “I hope this enhances the reputation of engineers and technology businesses, because we need a lot more of them.”
Claire Black of Manchester-based Trendsetter Home Furnishings – a bedding supplier to major retailers including John Lewis and BHS – also scopped two awards, Manchester Young Director of the Year and the prestigious title of North West Young Director.
She said: “We’re a textile firm – one of the foundations of the Mancheser business community, and this award is for the people in our business, who have kept us going through the trials and tribulations we have been through.”
The awards ceremony at the Hilton Hotel attracted 300 business leaders from across the region was hosted by BBC Radio 5Live’s Nicky Campbell.
Campbell, who is moving to Salford next month along with the rest of his colleagues, blasted critics of the move North, which he said was a “wonderful initiative” and woudl re-invigorate the BBC.
He said he’d been “acutely embarrassed” by the attitudes of some, adding: “You’d think we were moving to Mogadishu.”
Tony Attard, chair of IoD in the North West, said: “The calibre of nominations was incredibly high and as my first year in the role of chair, I was extremely impressed with the range of expertise across the region.
“Our judging process is thorough and we are looking for directors who drive through excellence in business practice and cultivate a high performance culture in their business’s these prerequisites ensure our winners are well deserved of this recognition.
“As always the competition was tough this year, so I congratulate all the shortlisted businesses on getting through.”
Darrell Matthews, regional director of the IoD in the North West, added:
“The shortlisted directors have all faced different challenges during their business life, but their sharp focus, determination and entrepreneurial spirit has seen them through to success.”
The full list of winners is:
North West Director: Peter Barton, Forge Europa
North West Young Director: Claire Black, Trendsetter Home Furnishings
Cheshire Director : Sat Dhaiwal, A-Plant
Cumbria Director: Peter Barton, Forge Europa
Lancashire Director: Ian Perry, Harvest Housing Group
Lancashire Young: Majid Hussain, Accrol Paper
Liverpool Director: Mark Bigley, Secured Mail
Liverpool Young: Rob Maxwell, AZTEC (Liverpool)
Manchester Director: Peter Schofield, Tertrosyl Group
Manchester Young: Claire Black, Trendsetter Home Furnishings
International: Mark Campey, Counterline
North West Award for Chartered Director: Paul Kennedy, CEL Group.
Chair’s Special Award: Colin Mustoe, Senator International
Weightmans Award for Innovation: Mark Dale, MACUK
