Partner Philip Costigan explained: “We work alongside many exceptional finance professionals in Coventry & Warwickshire. Sponsoring the category gives us the opportunity to recognise their achievements and celebrate their talent.”
“We have a strong commercial property team at Wright Hassall and so we understand the breadth and depth of property talent within Coventry and Warwickshire,” said Nick Abell, senior partner and Head of Property at Wright Hassall.
“We are delighted to have this opportunity to recognise the leading property professionals in the region, whom we work with on a daily basis, and who clearly demonstrate that you do not need to go outside of Warwickshire to receive City quality property advice.”
“Winning was a complete surprise,’ said Paul Saunders, partner at Shakespeares LLP and winner of Legal Professional of the Year 2014.
“The competition was strong and the judges certainly gave us a grilling. I think I won because of the sea change at Shakespeares in the delivery of legal services and client care. We have invested heavily in this area, concentrating our resources on making sure we deliver excellence to our clients and, in doing so, add real value to their businesses.
“Perhaps unexpectedly, winning has meant I can serve my clients better. They often want us to introduce them to new contacts and opportunities and the higher profile gives us greater visibility of the potential.”
Encouraging others to enter FirstPro 2015 Paul said: “Lawyers rarely shout about their achievements. FirstPro gives us an opportunity to change this and celebrate the legal talent in the region.”
Sackie Somal, Inward Investment Manager at Warwickshire County Council, was the winner of Property Professional of the Year 2014. “It was a real honour to win,” Sackie said. “To be recognised by my peers is very satisfying, particularly given it’s a tough industry that is currently coping with tough economic circumstances.
“For me this award is a reflection of the new investments me and my team have brought into the county and I include all our partners and stakeholders in that team. We work hard towards the common goal of supporting the local economy and by doing so creating growth and securing local jobs for local people. This award recognises the real impact we have had by working together as a coherent unit.”
Sackie’s message to anyone thinking of entering or nominating a colleague is do it! “It’s a great opportunity to show your appreciation of the contribution of a friend or colleague and it’s certainly a fun night out!”
This time last year Martin Vickery of Coventry City Council was named Young Professional of the Year and FirstPro 2014. Here he explains why you should enter!
“If you’re not sure about entering, just do it; if you think someone deserves to be recognised fill in the form and nominate them now,” says Martin Vickery of Coventry City Council.
“Never doubt yourself or your ability,” continued Martin. “As well as being able to take a moment to reflect on your achievements taking part means you meet great, like-minded people and build really useful networks amongst the region’s best and brightest.”
Speaking about his win Martin said: “Hearing my name read as the winner was a fantastic feeling. I’m passionate about Coventry and being recognised by my peers in this way, within my own city, was really rewarding.
“The personal recognition was of course incredible but it’s important to remember it’s also a reflection on the wider team I work with in the Council.
“The judges really put us through our paces and I felt the Young Professional category was particularly strong last year, with all the candidates delivering brilliant work. So I was incredibly proud they selected me as the winner.”
Martin is leading a programme that is fundamentally changing the face of Coventry. It incorporates everything from road and junction improvements, regeneration, job creation, economic growth and organizational change.
Hear why from Martin Lindsey, SFB Wealth Management Director and Financial Professional of the Year, 2014
“If anyone is wondering whether or not to enter themselves or nominate someone else my advice is definitely do it! There’s nothing to lose; you get good feedback from the judging panel, the evening itself is good fun and you might emerge the winner!
“It was fantastic to be named Financial Professional of the Year, especially in the context of such strong competition.
“I put my success down to the growth SFB Wealth Management has seen over the past few years. We’re a close-knit team and our loyal clients have been the bedrock of our success. This win reiterates why and how we are different to our competitors.”
The sponsorship packages for FirstPro 2015 have now been announced.
Coventry & Warwickshire First: Professional of the Year 2015
In April 2015 Coventry & Warwickshire First will be holding the region’s premier professional services awards night. The event will highlight and showcase the strength of the local sector while paying tribute to those who have been judged to be exceptional.
Entry is by nomination. Winners will receive a special trophy and license to use the title, “Coventry & Warwickshire First (category name) Professional Of The Year 2015 ”.
The five categories are:
Business Services Professional
Financial Professional
Property Professional
Legal Professional
Young Professional
An overall winner, FirstPro 2015, will be selected from the winners of each category.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Exclusive Overall Sponsor £5,000
The exclusive sponsor obtains prime publicity on all public relations announcements and material associated with the awards, including launch material, nomination forms and award ceremony tickets
Your company logo prominently displayed for the whole year on the Coventry & Warwickshire First website
Your company logo prominently displayed at the awards ceremony
Table of 10 at the awards ceremony
Company logo printed on the souvenir menu/programme
Opportunity to give an opening address the awards ceremony
Opportunity to present the FirstPro 2015 prize at the awards ceremony
Invitation to a drinks reception with Coventry & Warwickshire First board members, judges and other sponsors
Invitation to a drinks reception in the week after the gala dinner with Coventry and Warwickshire First board members, judges, sponsors and winners
Media Publicity with the overall winner
First refusal of option to sponsor the awards next year
Category Sponsors £2,500
Company logo displayed on the category section of the awards pages of the Coventry & Warwickshire First website
Your company to be mentioned whenever your sponsored category is mentioned in press releases (subject to newspaper’s editorial control)
Company logo on application forms
Table for 10 at the awards ceremony
Opportunity to present the category winner’s prize at the awards at the ceremony
Your company’s logo displayed at the awards ceremony
Company logo printed on the souvenir menu/programme
Invitation to a drinks reception with Coventry & Warwickshire First board members, the judges and other sponsors
Invitation to a drinks reception in the week after the gala dinner with Coventry & Warwickshire First board members, judges, sponsors and winners
Opportunity for post awards publicity with category winner (not arranged by Coventry & Warwickshire First)
First refusal of option to sponsor the awards next year
Awards ceremony pre dinner drinks reception sponsor £1,500
Your company named the invitation letter to the awards ceremony
Company logo displayed at the reception and the award ceremony
Company logo printed on the souvenir menu/programme
Souvenir menu/programme sponsor £500
Your company logo printed on the souvenir menu/programme
Your company logo displayed at the awards ceremony
The search for the leading professional in Coventry and Warwickshire is now underway with the launch of Coventry & Warwickshire First’s FirstPro 2015.
Coventry and Warwickshire has a strong, vibrant professional services community serving local businesses, large and small. In a glitzy awards ceremony to be held in April at the Ricoh Arena, the very best of the region’s professional talent will be recognised, with the overall winner named FirstPro 2015.
Nominations are now open for the following categories
Financial Professional
Legal Professional
Property Professional
Business Services Professional
Young Professional
“Using their expertise and insight our members help their clients grow their businesses and achieve their objectives,” said Martin Gibbs, Senior Partner of Dafferns LLP and Chair of Coventry & Warwickshire First. “Spanning employment law to advice on deals and transactions of all shapes and sizes, financial services, property consultancy and communication strategy, our members have the skills and expertise to support the economic development of our region. FirstPro is a great opportunity to celebrate this talent!”
The deadline for nominations is 13 March.
The FirstPro organising committee will then prepare the shortlist of nominees, each member of which then being interviewed by the judging panel at the end of March.
