East Coast Rail chief executive Karen Boswell is among high-profile business leaders from Yorkshire to be shortlisted for the national IoD Director of the Year Award.
Ms Boswell, who steered the rail company to profitability and is now gearing up East Coast Rail for re-privatisation next year, has been shortlisted in the large company category for the October finals in London.
Yorkshire’s SME sector has been boosted with Gav Winter, managing director of the Test People, shortlisted in the small and medium category while Julia Gash, founder and managing director of Bag it Don’t Bin it, has also been recognised for her achievements as one of the UK’s brightest entrepreneurs.
Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire and the man who fronted the successful “Le Grand Depart” in Yorkshire, is shortlisted in the public and third sector category. Andrew Seaton, managing director of Resolve IT Solutions, is among contenders for the young director award.
Winners of the seven categories will be revealed at a celebratory lunch on October 24 at the Lancaster London hotel.
Natalie Sykes, regional director for the Institute of Directors, said Yorkshire directors had a “phenomenal record” of achievement at the national Director of the Year Awards with both Graham Honeyman, of Sheffield Forgemasters, and Batley-born Lawrence Tomlinson, of LNT Group, being named overall Directors of the Year on previous occasions.
