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Andrew Smith, partner at Shakespeares explained:“Our young professionals are extremely talented, with the drive and determination to take forward the sector in the region.
“We are delighted to sponsor this category and celebrate the very best of our young professionals.”
Business Services Professional of the Year 2014
Marie Bawden, Castel Froma
“I was very proud, and a little surprised, to win Business Services Professional of the Year,” said Marie Bawden of Castel Froma.
Castel Froma offers long-term and respite care plus rehabilitation for neurological conditions from its two care centres. “The previous year had been challenging and I believe this award recognised our performance and achievements in those difficult circumstances.”
She continued: “Winning the award has really boosted my confidence. I am more determined than ever to uncompromisingly strive for excellence.
“Anyone thinking of taking part should not hesitate!”
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.”
Coventry and Warwickshire’s future business leaders can now accelerate their personal development through Coventry & Warwickshire First’s new Mentoring Scheme.
With the leading professional and financial services firms amongst its members, Coventry & Warwickshire First recognises the importance of developing the next generation of the sub-region’s business leaders. The Mentoring Scheme does exactly that, putting the focus firmly on the real learning needs of the mentee at a specific and personal level.
The initiative is being led by chair of Coventry & Warwickshire First’s Young Professionals Carl Malcolm (Dafferns) and board members, Andrew Smith (Shakespeares) and Martyn Howard (Drake Howard Property).
Carl Malcolm explained the value of the new Mentoring Scheme. “For a number of years I have been mentored by Andrew Smith and have really benefited from his input and perspective. Our meetings have given me the opportunity to test out ideas, explore issues and get valuable feedback.
“Our intention is that mentors and mentees will find the mentoring relationship rewarding and so we have designed it with input from both.”
Martyn Howard continued: “The two-way mentoring relationship i benefits the mentor at the same time as providing guidance and encouragement to the mentee. It is refreshing to hear and learn from the perspectives a talented young professional and I certainly left some of our sessions with new and unexpected insights.”
The Scheme has been structured so mentees are matched with mentors employed in a different professional discipline and according to information provided in a short questionnaire. This approach means mentors can offer a new perspective and an insight into another professional discipline while mentees can discuss issues openly and frankly without any constraints consequent on the mentor being a competitor.
To find out more about the Mentoring Scheme, whether a potential mentor or mentee, email Coventry & Warwickshire First.
The advantages of being involved in a mentoring relationship include:
Increased confidence;
A sounding board to test ideas;
Being able to draw on a fellow professional’s experience;
Access to support, encouragement and guidance;
A channel for constructive criticism and help in sizing up situations;
Discovery of new perspectives; and
Opportunities for enhanced career visibility through expanded networks of professional contacts.
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.
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
Recognising the professional and financial services community’s unique position as advisors to the region’s businesses, Coventry & Warwickshire First is launching a new initiative in 2015: Driving Economic Growth in Coventry & Warwickshire.
The advisory community has an extremely influential role to play helping businesses identify and exploit opportunities for growth and navigate commercial and regulatory challenges. As a result the sub-region’s professional and financial services firms are a true driver of economic growth in the sub-region.
“The strength of the professional and financial services sector is an indicator as well as facilitator of the success of local businesses,” explained Martin Gibbs, Senior Partner at Dafferns LLP and Chair of Coventry & Warwickshire First. “The purpose of this initiative is to define and evidence the issues our members face and use the insights to advocate on their behalf. For example, anecdotally we know that access to skills is a recurring issue. With evidence we can work with local colleges to make sure their students emerge with the skills our members are looking for.
“Creating such an environment to help our members grow will increase the expertise local businesses can drawn upon and in turn drive economic growth in Coventry & Warwickshire.”
Driving Economic Growth in Coventry & Warwickshire combines qualitative and quantitative research. Members will first be surveyed, quantitative data on their size, number of employees, levels of optimism and barriers to growth being gathered. A series of themed invitation-only dinners will provide richer, qualitative data. In the autumn 2015 a report will be published, providing a platform for advocating on behalf of the membership.