- The Institute of Directors (IoD) Scotland has announced the 39 leaders shortlisted for its national 2023 Director of the Year Awards.
- This years’ ceremony – held on 8 June in Edinburgh – will be the first ‘in person’ since 2019.
IoD Scotland has today revealed the finalists for its 2023 Director of the Year Awards, including Poonam Gupta, CEO at PG Paper Company Ltd, Carolyn Currie, Chief Executive at Women’s Enterprise Scotland and Kirsteen Campbell, Chief Executive at Scottish SPCA.
The annual awards, sponsored by Turcan Connell, Zero Waste Scotland, Wheatley Group, SCVO, Scottish Government, Insights, and Prosperity, will celebrate leadership during a challenging year, and offer some recognition for those navigating businesses and organisations through a quickly changing landscape.
Those shortlisted from the region for national awards including international, large business, and third sector director of the year include:
- Poonam Gupta, CEO at PG Paper Company Ltd (International, and Large Business)
- Carolyn Currie, Chief Executive at Women’s Enterprise Scotland (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion)
- Esther Black, Director of Corporate Operations at Crown Estate Scotland (Public Sector)
- Nick Ravenhall, Managing Director at Holyrood Distillery (Agility & Resilience, Small-Business, and Innovation)
- Kirsteen Campbell, Chief Executive at Scottish SPCA (Third Sector)
- Grant Moir, CEO at Cairngorms National Park Authority (Public Sector)
Over 100 submissions were received from leaders across Scotland, with 39 directors shortlisted across 12 key categories. Each finalist will also be entered into one of seven corresponding regional categories, with the hope of being recognised as Director of the Year in their region.
The winners will be crowned at the prestigious ceremony on 8 June at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC), and will be the first Director of the Year awards with new nations director Catherine McWilliam at the helm.
Catherine McWilliam, Nations Director at the Institute of Directors Scotland, said: “The IoD’s Director of the Year Awards are renowned for attracting high calibre entries from across Scotland’s director community, so it is an honour to be able to recognise and celebrate their immense achievements with this year’s in person ceremony.
“I am regularly struck by the resilience and commitment shown by our members and directors across the country as they strive to ensure stability and confidence within their organisations. While it sometimes feels like par for the course, this leadership is invaluable, and exactly what these awards set out to recognise.”
Tickets for the ceremony are available here.
The full list of individuals shortlisted for the IoD Scotland 2023 Director of the Year Awards are:
| Award Category | Shortlist | Based in |
| IoD Scotland Director of the Year – International | Fiona Logan – Insights Learning & Development Dr Ken Sutherland – Canon Medical Research Poonam Gupta – PG Paper | Dundee Edinburgh Glasgow |
| IoD Scotland Director of the Year – Agility & Resilience Sponsored by Insights | James Gillespie – Kibble Education and Care Centre Laura Davidson – Tag Digital Ltd Nick Ravenhall – Holyrood Distillery Josie Saunders – Ceteris | Glasgow Glasgow Edinburgh Alloa |
| IoD Scotland Director of the Year – Family Business Sponsored by Turcan Connell | Lucy Harrier – Prepress Projects Ltd Neale Bisset – PMC Property Management Rebecca Bell – Spectrum Service Solutions | Perth Aberdeen Glasgow |
| IoD Scotland Director of the Year – Third Sector Sponsored by SCVO | Jacqueline Stone – St Columba’s Hospice Care Jonathan Christie – The Carbrach Trust Kirsteen Campbell – SSPCA Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine – Edinburgh Dog & Cat Home | Edinburgh Aberdeen Fife Edinburgh |
| IoD Scotland Director of the Year – Public Sector | Esther Black – Crown Estate Scotland Grant Moir – Cairngorms National Park Authority Shona MacLennan – Bòrd na Gàidhlig Stuart Black – HIE | Edinburgh Highlands Highlands Highlands |
| IoD Scotland Director of the Year – Young | Neale Bisset – PMC Property Management Romy Berits – CANTEEN | Aberdeen Edinburgh |
| IoD Scotland Director of the Year – Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Sponsored by Wheatley Group | Carolyn Currie – Women’s Enterprise Scotland David Dent MBE – Parexel Edward Obi – HR Plus Limited Jai Aenugu – TechForce | Glasgow Carluke Aberdeen Aberdeen |
IoD Scotland Director of the Year – Innovation Sponsored by Scottish Government | Duncan Wallace – PlacesWork Nick Ravenhall – Holyrood Distillery | Edinburgh Edinburgh |
| IoD Scotland Director of the Year – Sustainability Sponsored by Zero Waste Scotland | Duncan Wallace – PlacesWork Jeremy Leggett – Highlands Rewilding Ltd Michael Golding – Visit Inverness Lochness Richard and Ed Nimmons – Carbon Capture Scotland | Edinburgh Highlands Highlands Perth (business in South Scotland) |
| IoD Scotland Director of the Year – Non-Executive | Bill Skelly – Team Police Ltd Bob Keiller – Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce Dr B Arturo Langa – NHS National Services Scotland Tracey Rob Perera – Institute of Chartered Accountants for Scotland (ICAS) | Edinburgh Aberdeen Edinburgh Edinburgh |
| IoD Scotland Director of the Year – Small-Medium Business | Lucy Harrier – Prepress Projects Ltd Nick Ravenhall – Holyrood Distillery Robin Stevenson – Hamilton Waste & Recycling Ltd Sara Speirs – Spectrum Service Solutions Ltd | Perth Edinburgh Edinburgh Glasgow (Paisley) |
| IoD Scotland Director of the Year – Large Business | Jackie Kipps – Insights Learning & Development Poonam Gupta – PG Paper | Dundee Glasgow |
| Regional Directors of the Year Finalists | |
| Edinburgh & Lothians Sponsored by Prosperity | Bridie Ashrowan – EVOC Esther Black – Crown Estate Scotland Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine – Edinburgh Dog & Cat Home Nick Ravenhall – Holyrood Distillery |
| Central Scotland | Josie Saunders – Ceteris Marc Crothall – Scottish Tourism Alliance |
| Glasgow & West of Scotland | David Dent MBE – Parexel Evelyn McDonald – Scottish EDGE James Gillespie – Kibble Education and Care Centre Sara Speirs – Spectrum Service Solutions Ltd |
| Highlands & Islands | Grant Moir – Cairngorms National Park Authority Stuart Black – HIE Michael Golding – Visit Inverness Loch Ness |
| Fife & Tayside | Fiona Logan – Insights Learning & Development Jackie Kipps – Insights Learning & Development Kirsteen Campbell – SSPCA Richard and Ed Nimmons – Carbon Capture Scotland |
| South of Scotland | Jane Morrison-Ross – South of Scotland Enterprise Romano Petrucci – Stranraer Development Trust |
| Aberdeen & Grampian | Dr Abhishek AGARWAL – Grampian Housing Association Neale Bisset – PMC Property Management Bob Keiller – Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce Tracy Clark – ITC Hydraulic Services Ltd |
