Business leaders across Wales are being invited to enter the IoD Wales Director of the Year Awards 2018.

The awards, now in their eighth year, have become an established highlight on the Welsh business calendar and celebrate business achievements and inspirational leaders across Wales while bringing all sectors of the business community together, irrespective of size, geography and longevity.

Those who enter or who are nominated have a choice of ten categories to enter and will benefit from the invaluable and profile-raising positive press coverage opportunities and recognition from from peers of business achievement, which comes with entry.
Being shortlisted for a Director of the Year Award also influences potential investors and stakeholders, increases business growth
and boosts staff morale while attracting new, high-quality staff.

Attended by business leaders, entrepreneurs, government and media representatives, the annual Director of the Year Awards are an opportunity to network with fellow business leaders. Previous awards have recognised directors from diverse regional businesses including: Acorn Executive Search, Cardiff Airport, DevOpGuys, Pobl Group, Principality Building Society, Drugaid Cymru, Contract Services Group, Tiny Rebel, Gofal Enterprises, RockIT Ltd, Connect Assist, RMS, Sony UK Technologies, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and GoCompare.

Winners from the Welsh regional awards, which are once again sponsored by Cardiff Business School, where IoD Wales’ office is now located; are forwarded for the IoD National awards which culminate in an Awards Lunch in London in the autumn.

Last year, Welsh winners Patrick Nash of Connect Assist; Chris Macnamara from The Brogue Trader; Scott Liddle from Acorn; James Smith from DevOpsGuys and Rob Dance from RockIT, represented Wales at the UK finals.

The deadline for nominations for this year’s awards is February 28^th and March 30^th for entries, with winners announced at the awards lunch on Friday, May 11th at Cardiff’s SSE SWALEC.

Robert Lloyd Griffiths, Director of Institute of Directors in Wales said: “Our annual Wales Director of the Year Awards has grown to represent the pinnacle of leadership and business excellence. The awards highlight the significant contribution business leaders can make to society and the economic prosperity in our region.

“We live in a world where there is much uncertainty and where challenges arise on a daily basis but I am always impressed by the tenacity, enthusiasm and sheer dogged determination of Directors and senior executives in organisations of all sizes and in all sectors; these awards offer a terrific way of highlighting and acknowledging talent, best practice and achievement across Wales.

“My thanks go to our principal sponsor – Cardiff Business School and to all our category sponsors.”

Categories include:

Director of the Year – Family Business – sponsored by RMS
Director of the Year – Early Stage Business – sponsored by Darwin Gray
Director of the Year – Inclusivity – sponsored by Legal & General
Director of the Year – Public/Third Sector – sponsored by Academi Wales
Director of the Year – Corporate Responsibility – sponsored by Welsh Government
Director of the Year – Innovation – sponsored by ACCA Cymru Wales
Emerging Director of the Year
Non-Exec Director of the Year
Global Director of the Year
Chairman’s Award

Professor Martin Kitchener, Dean of Cardiff Business School said: “We are very proud to continue our support for the IoD Wales Director of the Year Awards and to participate in a celebration of Welsh business and leadership.

“Recent winners and nominees have demonstrated outstanding skill, creativity, innovation and ambition. They are a credit to the industry and continue to deliver excellent results in a challenging business environment.

“As a School we are committed to a bold and progressive public value strategy to deliver social and economic improvement. In addition to maintaining our economic impact (contributing £200 million to the local economy) we are working to address the many grand challenges facing society in the 21^st century, directing our research and resources to helping find solutions to intractable social issues such as inequality, poverty and access to decent work. The overarching ambition of our strategy is to provoke positive and long-term change to business practice and society for the benefit of communities locally, nationally and internationally.

“It is an exciting direction of travel and one which helps guide our teaching, research and self-governance. This has contributed to considerable success in 2017, including a top 100 placement in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University rankings by subject and Small Business Charter recognition.

“We look forward to further success this year and the opportunity to engage with Wales’ pioneering business leaders at the 2018 IoD Wales awards.”

ITV Wales is media partner for the prestigious event and Effective Communication is PR partner.

Huw Rossiter, Public Affairs Manager at ITV Cymru Wales said: “ITV Cymru Wales is delighted to once again be media partner to the IoD Director of the Year Awards. Business coverage is an important part of our news mix and we look forward to another successful event celebrating the very best in Welsh business.”

HOW TO ENTER: www.iodawards.com/wales