The results of the annual Director of the Year Awards was announced at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on Thursday evening.
The CEO of Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home was among the winners of the awards sponsored by Turcan Connell, Zero Waste Scotland, Wheatley Group, SCVO, Scottish Government, Insights, Prosperity and transACT Technology Solutions.
Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine, CEO at Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home took the award for Director of the Year 2023 in the Third Sector. She won the award in part for her determination to implement a vision which recognised that when a pet is in crisis, there is often a person in crisis, including establishing outreach support programmes such as pet foodbanks. Judges also commented she not only showed excellent leadership within her own organisation but showed “leadership across the third sector in addressing key strategic issues.”
Catherine McWilliam, Nations Director at the Institute of Directors Scotland, said: “It has been a real privilege tonight to celebrate the leaders who are examples of the very best from Scotland’s boardrooms.
“Over the last few years, the Scottish business landscape has been tumultuous to say the least, and while we hope to see some stability ahead, there will always be challenges to face. An authentic, driven and focused leader is vital in navigating an organisation through difficult times, as well as motivating staff and driving strategic decisions.
“Our Director of the Year Awards are a fantastic way to recognise those who have demonstrated these attributes, and I hope this year’s winners offer inspiration and a source of pride for the business community across Scotland.”
Theresa Shearer FRSE, CEO at Enable, received the Director of the Year 2023 Chair’s Award for her life-long commitment to leadership pushing for human rights-driven public services securing significant policy change in Scotland and internationally. Other winners are set out in full below.
| Category Winners | |||||
| Category | Name | Position | Company | Result | Branch |
| Agility & Resilience | Laura Davidson | CEO | Tag Digital Ltd | Highly Commended | Glasgow |
| Agility & Resilience | Jim Gillespie | Chief Executive | The Kibble Group | Winner | Glasgow |
| Equality, Diversity & Inclusion | Carolyn Currie | Chief Executive | Women’s Enterprise Scotland | Winner | Glasgow |
| Family Business | Rebecca Bell | Operations Director | Spectrum Service Solutions Limited | Winner | Glasgow |
| Innovation | Duncan Wallace | Managing Director | PlacesWork | Winner | Edinburgh |
| International | Fiona Logan | Chief Executive Officer | Insights Learning & Development | Winner | Fife &Tayside |
| Large Business | Jackie Kipps | Finance & Corporate Services Director | Insights Learning & Development | Winner | Fife &Tayside |
| Non-Executive | Bob Keiller | Non-Exec Chair | Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce | Winner | Aberdeen |
| Non-Executive | Tracey Rob Perera | Non-Exec council member Chair of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board | Institute of Chartered Accountants for Scotland (ICAS) | Highly Commended | Edinburgh |
| Public Sector | Stuart Black | Chief Executive | Highlands and Islands Enterprise | Winner | Highlands |
| SME | Lucy Harrier | Managing Director | Prepress Projects Ltd | Winner | Fife &Tayside |
| Sustainability | Richard and Ed Nimmons | Directors | Carbon Capture Scotland | Highly Commended | Fife &Tayside |
| Sustainability | Michael Golding | CEO | Visit Inverness | Winner | Highlands |
| Third Sector | Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine | CEO | Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home | Winner | Edinburgh |
| Young | Neale Bisset | Co chairman | PMC Property Management & Lettings | Winner | Aberdeen |
| Young | Romy Berits | Founder | CANTEEN Lunches Ltd | Highly Commended | Edinburgh |
| Chair’s Award |
| Theresa Shearer FRSE, CEO at Enable |
| Regional Winners | |||
| Regional | Name | Title | Company |
| Aberdeen & Grampian | Bob Keiller | Non Exec Chair | Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce |
| Central Scotland | Josie Saunders | CEO | Ceteris Scotland Ltd |
| Edinburgh & Lothians | Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine | CEO | Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home |
| Fife & Tayside | Kirsteen Campbell | Chief Executive | Scottish SPCA |
| Glasgow & West of Scotland | Jim Gillespie | Chief Executive | The Kibble Group |
| Highlands & Islands | Stuart Black | Chief Executive | Highlands and Islands Enterprise |
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