Scottish finalists in Lloyds Bank National Business Awards revealed

Six businesses from across Scotland have scooped seven shortlist nominations for this year’s Lloyds Bank National Business Awards.

Brie Read of tights brand Snag is a finalist in the Inflexion Entrepreneur of the Year category. Picture: Greg Macvean.

The group ranges from fledgling entrepreneurs to established enterprises, from Edinburgh, Blairgowrie, Livingston and Bladnoch. They include the 200-year-old Bladnoch Distillery that pivoted online during lockdown to sell whisky overseas, and TVSquared, which helps businesses measure returns from ­TV advertising and has become a global operation. Both are nominated in the Exporter of the Year Award category.

Brie Read, who launched inclusive tights brand Snag, is a finalist in the Inflexion Entrepreneur of the Year category, and healthy pet food business Bella & Duke is up for The Castle Corporate Finance Scale-Up Award.

TVSquared, led by Calum Smeaton, is nominated in the Exporter of the Year Award category. Picture: contributed.

Also in the running for the latter is cyber security consultant Adarma, which is also a contender for the Small to Medium Sized Business of the Year Award. Additionally, Leigh Fell, chief executive of Caritas Neuro Solutions, which says it is the only contract clinical research organisation in the world specialising in neurology and mental health. She is a finalist in the New Entrepreneur of the Year Award category.

The Scotsman is a media partner of the awards, with previous winners including fitness star Joe Wicks, Timpson chief executive James Timpson, DPD UK, Hotel Chocolat, dementia newspaper Daily Sparkle and fashion firm Missguided.

National Business Awards director Sarah Austin said the awards “recognise the very best of British business from all over the UK,” adding: “Scotland is renowned as a hotbed of entrepreneurship and a successful incubator for talent across multiple sectors. This is reflected perfectly in the businesses that have made it on to this year’s shortlist, which range from young entrepreneur Leigh Fell to a 200-year-old whisky distillery.”

Paul Gordon, MD, SME and mid corporates, commercial banking, at Lloyds Banking Group, commented: “The National Business Awards are a great opportunity for us to celebrate success and to see the businesses who have performed well get the external recognition they so readily deserve.”

Purpose

This year’s winners will be unveiled on 10 November, including the Pivot for Purpose Award, a brand new trophy celebrating the achievements of UK organisations to support communities and key workers during the lockdown. The Pivot for Purpose award is free to enter and is open for submissions until 18 September.

Broadcaster and Lloyds Bank National Business Awards advisory board member Declan Curr, said: "Many companies acted responsibly and generously to protect their colleagues, customers and their wider communities during the coronavirus crisis. This award is a thank-you to all those businesses that did the right thing. Good behaviour creates great businesses, and this should be celebrated and rewarded."

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