Veterans Celebrate Second Careers At Glitzy Awards Ceremony

An event billed as the world’s largest celebration of military veterans in business has been celebrated at a glitzy awards ceremony in Scotland.

The first ever Scottish Ex-Forces In Business Awards took place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow hotel.

Winners, nominees, their friends and families joined the congregation in celebration of veterans and their success in second careers.

Charlie Wallace, Scottish Veterans Commissioner, who attended the awards on December 3, offered his congratulations:

“Many congratulations to all those who were shortlisted for an award. As the Scottish Veterans Commissioner, I am struck by how these awards do so much to remind our society of the fantastic talent that exists amongst our veterans community."

The awards have been created to help provide visibility of role models for veterans in second careers, and to help highlight the military skills and values veterans bring that enable businesses to succeed. 

The night was hosted by Invictus athlete and BBC Presenter JJ Chalmers, with a crowd of 500 people attending the glittering ceremony including business leaders, veterans, top employers and current serving officers.

The Military Wives Choir and the Royal Scots Association Pipe Band provided the evening’s entertainment.

In total, there were 250 nominations for the awards and the judging panel was made up of twenty prominent veterans and reservists, including the Scottish Veterans Commissioner Charlie Wallace, Executive Director of IoD Scotland David Watt and President of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce Tim Allan. 

One of the winners was Gavin Neate, a former Police Dog Handler in the Royal Airforce, who took home the Entrepreneur of the Year title for founding a company that provides assistance technology for people with disabilities. 

Ex-Navy officer Graham Allison was given the accolade of Outstanding Achiever of the Year for leading Amazon's mammoth fulfillment centre in Dunfermline. Advocate of the Year went to Louise MacDonald, for her work on getting more veterans at Wood despite having no military background herself. 

The awards are dedicated to to giving a platform for showcasing the business achievements of the ex-military, and recognising the support from employers to current and former members of the Armed Forces.

2019 Winners

• Advocate of the Year - Louise MacDonald, Wood
• Engineering Excellence Award - Ian Smith, Gray and Adams
• Entrepreneur of Year - Gavin Neate, Neatebox
• Innovator of the Year - Chris Newlands, Spelfie and Tripsology 
• Inspiration of the Year - Jamieson Rogers, GlaxoSmithKline 
• Lifetime Achievement Award - David Dent, Parexel International
• Military Values in Business Award - Simon Watkins, University of St Andrews
• New Service Leaver of the Year - Bryan Flannagan, City of Glasgow College
• Outstanding Achiever of the Year - Graham Allison, Amazon 
• Reservist of the Year - Amanda Scott, FDM Group 
• Rising Star of the Year - Gillian Dowds, Fujitsu
• Role Model of the Year - Darren Taylor, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy
• Service Leaver of the Year - Emma Chesney, Pasquill
• Team Leader of the Year - Jemima Estabrook, FDM Group

Cover image left to right - Colonel Sandy Fitzpatrick MBE, Deputy Commander, 51st Infantry Brigade & HQ Scotland, Louise MacDonald, Wood (winner of the Advocate of the Year award) and JJ Chalmers, BBC presenter & Invictus Games gold medallist