Finalists announced for awards in Scottish 'Oscars of veteran employment'
The finalists for the sixth Scottish Forces in Business Awards have been announced, celebrating the incredible contributions of veterans from all branches of the military, as well as reservists, family members and forces-friendly employers.
The winners will be announced at the flagship annual event for business and military communities in Glasgow on 26 February.
Taking place in Scotland, England and the US, the Forces in Business Awards is the world's largest business celebration of the Armed Forces community and the leading showcase of employers that actively offer meaningful second careers for service leavers.
Known as the Oscars of veteran employment, the Forces in Business Awards has led the way in promoting the veteran talent pool to companies across all sectors since it first launched in 2018.
Through a grand showcase of veterans in second careers, it promotes the value gained by employers which source talent from the Armed Forces community.
In recent years, the awards have recognised the business achievements of more than 2,000 veterans and reservists at award ceremonies attended by thousands of employers, while also raising more than £350,000 for charity partner SSAFA.
Each year, SSAFA helps more than 73,000 people from the forces family get back on their feet by providing welfare, health and support services for the UK military's serving personnel, veterans and their families.
Shining a spotlight on Scotland's best
The vast breadth of talent in Scotland's Armed Forces community is strongly represented on the 2025 awards shortlist.
Spotlighting this exceptional but often overlooked talent pool is crucial not only to ensure those who serve their country have sufficient opportunity to succeed in their post-military careers but also to help companies deal with skills and productivity gaps.
The finalists of this year's awards, of which BFBS is media partner, were selected from hundreds of nominations.
The winners are decided by an independent judging panel made up of veterans and business leaders from major Scottish employers such as Addleshaw Goddard, Baillie Gifford, Consumer Scotland, JPMorgan, Edrington and SSE.
This year's winners will be revealed on 26 February at the glittering Scottish Forces in Business Awards gala ceremony in Glasgow, a firm fixture in Scotland's business calendar.
Scottish broadcasting legend Sally Magnusson returns to hosting duties and will present a special evening of guest speakers, award presenters and entertainment.
Lt Gen Sir Andrew Gregory, CEO at SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, said: "We send our warmest congratulations to the finalists for this year's Scottish Forces in Business Awards.
"SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, is proud to be the official charity partner of this fine event which showcases the veteran talent pool and celebrates ex-forces employment.
"As a former Chief of Defence People, I know just how important it is to have strong visibility both of forces-friendly employers and of veterans who have transitioned into meaningful second careers – these awards lead the way in amplifying that visibility."
Ben Rossi, founder of the Forces in Business Awards, said: "The strength and breadth of talent in the Armed Forces community is truly exceptional and we consider it an honour to provide the platform each year to showcase that talent on a grand, national stage.
"I would like to thank all of the finalists of this year's Scottish Forces in Business Awards shortlist – the individual role models for demonstrating the amazing value that veterans offer across all sectors of the Scottish economy after their service, and the employers for understanding that value and providing opportunity to the Armed Forces community.
"We now look forward to what is always a very special celebration in Glasgow on 26 February."
THE FINALISTS
Advocate of the Year (Organisation)
Babcock
FDM Group
Forces Employment Charity
Mott MacDonald
Officers' Association Scotland
Advocate of the Year (Individual)
Billy Ingram, BAE Systems
Chris Ackerman, Mott MacDonald
Craig Murney, NHS National Services Scotland
Douglas Hill, GE Aerospace
Janine Granger, Barclays
Jonney Gardner, Harbour Bar Gourdon
Margaret Evangelista, Home Office / FDM Group
Business Leader of the Year
David Barrington, Temus
Fiona Forrest-Anderson, Edinburgh Napier University
James McLaren, TrustFord Glasgow
Malcolm Sutherland, Caledonian Concepts
Rob Young, Wood Mackenzie
Innovator of the Year
Alexander Keenan, BAE Systems
Drew Gall, RDK Environmental
Jock Boyle, Viz-Ovalz
Precious Kweku Obeng, ScottishPower
Scott MacDonald, Flying Scotsman UAS
Shehzad Afzal, FilmedUP
Inspiration of the Year
Andrew Geelan, BAE Systems
Chris Ahern, Perth and Kinross Council
Craig Causer, Scottish Water
Gerry McGregor, Veterans Tribe Scotland
Mick O'Connor, Thales
Military Values in Business Award
Brian Howieson, University of Limassol
David O'Loughlin, DE&S
Paul Gilligan, BT
Paul Sowton, Capgemini / FDM Group
Stephanie Grieve, Scullion LAW
Timothy Bradshaw, Sandstone Communications
New Service Leaver of the Year
Gavin Pickin, Companies House / FDM Group
Helen Shropshall, Mott MacDonald
Hugo Morgan, BAE Systems
Jimmy Bellis, British Antarctic Survey
Liam Andrews, BAE Systems
Mark Whittle, Barclays
Outstanding Achiever of the Year
Andrew Lawrence, Nucleus Financial
Ian Drysdale, Carbon60
Li Stark, BAE Systems
Paul Edmondson, AECOM
Ross Higgins, Barclays
Scott Muir, Forces Employment Charity
Rising Star of the Year
Adam King, JP Morgan
Dane Clackworthy, CyberPrism
Laura David, Lochs and Rocks
Maxwell Phillips, BlackRock
Michael Goodfellow, BGEN
Stewart Simpson, Lloyds Banking Group
Role Model of the Year
Danielle Wood, Barclays
David Gillespie, Agile Solutions
Dawn Fletcher, Barclays
Gavin Rae, BAE Systems
Scott Findlay, Galliford Try
Steven Bell, SP Energy Networks
Service Leaver of the Year
Callum Buchan, Stork UK
Gerry Boyd, Mott MacDonald
Ian Palmer, LevertonHELM
James Nelson, NHS Lothian
Lisa Watt, BAE Systems
Simon Wilderspin, Diageo
Team Leader of the Year
Dan Greenwood, Mott MacDonald
Findlay Farquharson, HPR ROV
Gary Dunn, BT
Ross Samson, BAE Systems
Stewart Cuthbertson, Police Scotland / FDM Group
Tim Wigham, Exceed
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