Yorkshire Post Excellence in Business Awards: Optimism in the air

The chairman of Marks & Spencer was honoured for his achievements over a 40-year career in the retail industry with a Special Award at the fifth annual event. Listen to highlights in our BusinessTalk programmme

He told the audience: "I'm an optimist. I'm a glass half-full guy. I think the economy will continue to grow next year. We have got fantastic innovation in this country. We have got fantastic educational establishments. We have fantastic people. In Yorkshire in particular, we have a very strong and long-standing work ethic."

His award crowned an evening of celebration of business excellence among companies big and small from all corners of the region. Sir Stuart said: "We have seen some fantastic examples here this evening of innovation and entrepreneurship and the ability of people, and one or two examples of people who come to the UK, the UK has given them a home and they've made a fantastic business.

"We are a very welcoming country, a very entrepreneurial country with a hard-work ethic and I think we should keep our glasses half-full, keep confident and we will get through 2011 with growth because I don't believe we will go into double- dip recession.

"By the time we get to 2012, we have got the Olympics coming, the Queen's diamond jubilee, and we have the sunny uplands to look forward to so I'm greatly optimistic for my company, greatly optimistic for the UK and I wish everyone in Yorkshire bon voyage with their businesses. It's okay; keep going guys."

Chancellor George Osborne, the keynote speaker, used the event to announce that the Government will provide funding for infrastructure improvements for Yorkshire's transport system, including 150m for work to the M62 motorway and 14m for a new southern entrance to Leeds train station.

"There will be other capital projects within this region, " he said, referring to tomorrow's comprehensive spending review. "I want to make sure we're investing in Yorkshire's future."

Mr Osborne told the audience at the Queens Hotel in Leeds that "the belief we cannot go on building an economy on excessive debt" is at the heart of his strategy to help businesses grow.

He said: "We need an economy that exports and invests long term. We need a private sector recovery. We need a Government that supports this by living within its means."

In the year to April, the country borrowed 155bn to meet its spending commitments, which is twice the annual economy of Yorkshire and the Humber, he added.

Mr Osborne said the country is paying 120m a day in debt interest and delaying cuts would lead to "economic calamity".

The Chancellor said the key ingredients of his growth strategy are "providing economic stability by dealing with the deficit, reducing business taxes so you can compete and expand, reducing regulation and for the future cutting the regulators, and investing in the country's key economic infrastructure".

He added: "I know that things have been hard for many, many businesses over the past few years. But I also know we should be optimistic about the future, provided that we say, loud and clear to the rest of the world, that Britain is open for business and that Yorkshire is open for business, too."

The event's master of ceremonies, Jon Culshaw, entertained the audience with impressions of England manager Fabio Capello, ex-Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Mr Osborne himself.

Ian Ward, chief executive of Leeds Building Society for the last 15 years, won the Individual Award.

He told the audience: "Yorkshire prudence has been a hallmark of our success."

He said: "It is important that there's choice in financial services. We need to see strong banks and it's good to see banks are getting stronger again.

"But the mortgage and savings market does need competition. It needs strong building societies like Leeds. Between us, we are providing a genuine alternative to banks."

Terry Hodgkinson, chairman of Yorkshire Forward, the outgoing regional development agency, presented the award to Young Business of the Year.

He said: "There are so many stories of how inspirational businesses started in Yorkshire."

The winners

Young entrepreneur of the year, sponsored by O2:

Sean O'Connor of Clean Energy Capital

SME Manufacturer of the Year, sponsored by the Manufacturing Advisory Service:

James Heal

Innovation of the Year, sponsored by Drax:

Mamas & Papas

Exporter of the Year, sponsored by thebigword:

Pace

Young Business, presented by Yorkshire Forward:

Image Analysis

Companies with a turnover up to 10m, sponsored by Yorkshire Bank:

Evenort

Companies with a turnover between 10m-50m, sponsored by Pricewater houseCoopers:

Seabrook Crisps

Companies with a turnover above 50m, sponsored by DLA Piper:

Croda

Best company to work for, sponsored by the Bradford University School of Management:

Gratterpalm

The Yorkshire Post Individual Award for Excellence:

Ian Ward

Special Award:

Sir Stuart Rose