Jaguar Land Rover Chief Financial Officer Kenneth Gregor scooped a Lifetime Achievement Award at the West Midlands Finance Awards.

The gala ceremony – hosted in partnership by specialist recruitment consultancy Robert Walters, the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and ICAEW – saw a total of 11 individuals and businesses honoured.

Jaguar Land Rover Chief Financial Officer Kenneth Gregor wins Lifetime Achievement Award at the West Midlands Finance Awards
Jaguar Land Rover Chief Financial Officer Kenneth Gregor wins Lifetime Achievement Award at the West Midlands Finance Awards

Rentokil Initial won the Business of the Year (large) category while Connect Advertising & Marketing won the Business of the Year (SME) gong.

The awards were celebrated by more than 500 guests at the ICC on December 4.

Habiba Khatoon, Associate Director of Robert Walters Birmingham, said: “It’s been hugely encouraging to see such passion and enthusiasm from all of the entrants.

Connect Advertising & Marketing LLP won Business of the Year (SME) at the West Midlands Finance Awards
Connect Advertising & Marketing LLP won Business of the Year (SME) at the West Midlands Finance Awards

“We’re delighted to have the opportunity to celebrate the outstanding work done by finance professionals in the region and promote the contribution they make to the economic and business landscape of the West Midlands.”

Paul Faulkner, Chief Executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: “It’s been excellent to see such a strong turnout for the awards and we would like to thank everyone who attended.

Rentokil Initial winners of Business of the Year (large) at the West Midlands Finance Awards
Rentokil Initial winners of Business of the Year (large) at the West Midlands Finance Awards

“The standard of entries was exceptionally high this year and it made choosing the winners extremely challenging.

“We’d like to congratulate this year’s winners and thank everyone who entered as well as our sponsors for their generous support.”

Tom Madden, Midlands Regional Director of ICAEW, said: “With the Midlands becoming a growing hub for finance activity in the UK, it’s fantastic to have an opportunity to highlight the exceptional achievements of the professionals in region who have been instrumental to this growth.”

West Midland Finance Awards
West Midland Finance Awards

The full list of winners:

Lifetime Achievement Award

Kenneth Gregor, Chief Financial Officer at Jaguar Land Rover

Business of the Year (SME)

Connect Advertising & Marketing

Business of the Year (Large)

Rentokil Initial

Shared Service Centre of the Year

Winner: Tarmac

Highly Commended: Veolia

Mentor of the Year

Winner: Sharon Walton, GVA

Highly Commended: Majeed Iqbal, Deutsche Bank

Finance Director of the Year

Neil Smith, Gateley Plc

Finance Team of the Year (Above 20 people)

Winner: London Midland

Highly Commended: Interserve

Finance Team of the Year (20 or below people)

Volvo Financial Services

Training Body of the Year

University of Birmingham

Rising Star of the Year (Qualified)

Winner: Richard Guest, BT Fleet

Rising Star (Non-qualified/part-qualified)

Winner: Mike Carter, Halfords

Highly Commended: Olivia Hodgkiss, Interserve