SEVEN outstanding businesswomen were honoured at the inaugural Celebrating Women Awards, run by Scottish Women in Business (SWIB) to celebrate its 25th birthday.

The ceremony at Oran Mor in Glasgow was hosted by broadcaster Alison Walker and sponsored by law firm Turcan Connell.

Five winners were chosen from a shortlist of 15 finalists.

The Communicator Award went to Vash Naidoo from Compliance Scotland and Vash Naidoo Coaching, and the Collaborator Award went to recruitment firm Search Consultancy’s MD Simone Lockhart.

The Connector Award was presented to Ann-Maree Morrison from Stirling’s Labels4Kids, and the Innovator Award was given to Perth and Kinross-based sisters Olivia Robertson and Claire Cooper from The Home Straight and Elli Assisted Living Technology Ltd.

The Young Star Award went to Jenny McCreary, of Glasgow-based Sew Confident, which delivers workshops all over Scotland.

Two additional awards were presented this year — the Celebrity Spotlight Award was given to Shirley Spear, from the world renowned Three Chimneys restaurant and five star rooms in Skye. This was a public vote that ran exclusively on social media and Spears was one of 20 high profile successful businesswomen in Scotland.

The Spirit of SWIB Award, which was nominated and judged by the present and past presidents of Scottish women in business, was awarded to Liz Taylor, from Taylormade Marketing, for best demonstrating SWIB’s core values of communicate, connect, collaborate, and her dedication to Scottish Women in Business.

SWIB president Laura McKinnon said: “SWIB set out to create a platform that would highlight Scotland’s many talented women in business and we felt this would be the perfect way to commemorate SWIB’s 25th anniversary.

“We received a high volume of applications and of a very high calibre. Excellent judges, terrific sponsors and a very quick sell-out success. I am so thrilled.

“It has been enlightening with so many inspiring stories from women in business, and has made me appreciate what a wealth of talent we have in Scotland.”