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Created on Thursday, 1 December 2011

Last night I went to Management Today's Most Admired Companies Awards. The awards have been running for many years and employ a different methodology to many – rather than a panel of judges, companies are peer reviewed. I very much enjoyed the evening for many reasons – not least because I met some fabulous people including the delightful Kevin Costello who runs Haymarket Media as well as Dame Barbara Stocking from Oxfam to whom I have long wanted to say hello.

A few things struck me as I watched some amazing companies get recognised. There was not one pure play technology company in the list – this is as much a reflection on the UK as anything else but it makes me feel sad that the UK has not produced a company that gets into the listings. Perhaps less surprising was the dearth of women collecting awards – only a couple came to the podium one from John Lewis who I bumped into outside and we both laughed as she told me she had to sow the buttons back on her outfit in the office before she arrived. I would not have been so able! There is still such a long way to go in representing women in the FTSE100 and beyond. Another blog another time I think.

Howard Davies gave the after dinner speech and was engaging and funny – two of his remarks stood out from the rest – that however dire the economic circumstances, it is always worth celebrating good businesses and reminding ourselves we have some great companies – the overall winner Berkeley Group for example or M&S (I was delighted our CEO won most admired leader) or Rolls Royce or Paddy Power… And secondly, how, in his opinion, companies in the UK who did not appreciate the changing nature of the world economy – especially the shift to India and the East were companies that were in trouble. It’s not an option to ignore the new opportunities and you do so at your peril. It’s not a new thesis but it was succinctly and well put.