Newbury business: Gardner Leader director up for top prize at Institute of Directors Awards

Derek Rodgers of Gardner Leader has been shortlisted for the Institute of Directors (IoD)’s prestigious Director of the Year Awards in London, the South and South West.

Mr Rodgers has been nominated in the SME £5m-£50m category, where he will be up against Jason Danciger (London), Richard Hopkins (Sussex) and Danny Brooks MBE (London).

The awards celebrate leadership talent among directors ranging from young entrepreneurs to experienced chief executives, with finalists representing the spectrum of business across the regions.

The IoD will unveil a short film showcasing the finalists and announcing the winners at 5pm today (Thursday). It will feature a speech from IoD chief economist Kitty Ussher.

IoD South regional chairman Faisal Khan said: “We are delighted to announce our shortlist following a very challenging time for all directors.

“I’d like to thank our sponsors and judges for their hard work in selecting the finalists amid an exceptional standard of entries.

“The awards, including our new agility and resilience category, showcase the outstanding achievements of leaders across London, the South and South West.

“These are the individuals who will be at forefront of our economic recovery.”