Team Photo and Award LogoBidding and tender specialists, AM Bid Services, received news last week of their nomination for two national awards at the prestigious Amazon Growing Business Awards.

The company has been shortlisted to the final four for the Young Company of the Year and Micro Business of the Year awards, and has been invited to a Judging Day with a range of high profile judges, sponsors and other finalists in London.

The Young Company of the Year award acknowledges new businesses who are rejuvenating the UK’s economy. This award recognises first-class new companies that are changing/challenging their industry and are on track to be significant players in the future.

The Micro Business of the Year award recognises outstanding companies with small but perfectly formed teams of ten or fewer staff, who the judges deem to be of exceptional quality.

Following the Judging Day, the winners of the 2017 Amazon Growing Business Awards will be announced at a Gala Dinner in London on 29th November.

David Gray, Bid Development Director at AM Bid Services, said:
“We’re delighted to make the final four for both of these highly coveted awards. I’m especially proud of the fact that we are one of only four companies across the UK nominated for two awards. Being formally recognised in both categories is testament to the hard work and application of the whole AM Bid Services team.

“I’m looking forward to meeting the judges, sponsors and our fellow nominees at the Judging Day, and of course to the announcement of the winners at the awards ceremony in November!”

Further information about AM Bid Services can be found at: www.ambidservices.co.uk

Fraser awardCongratulations go to Richard Irvin’s Inverness apprentice Fraser Imrie on his win at the BESA Scotland Training Awards 2017. Not only did Fraser scoop the Service and Maintenance Apprentice of the Year award he won the prestigious Scottish Apprentice of the Year Award!

The awards were held at The Scottish Parliament on June 1st and are sponsored by Colin Beattie MSP highlight the success and commitment of apprentices from across Scotland acknowledging their hard work and achievements.
Willie MacLean, CEO attended the awards alongside Mark Buchan Business Unit Director and Claire Gray HR Advisor, to cheer on Fraser and celebrate apprentice excellence in the Building Engineering Services sector.

Willie MacLean said: ‘Fraser had already won apprentice of the year awards for the past two years from his study centre, Glasgow Kelvin College, and everyone at Richard Irvin was hoping that he would continue the winning streak by lifting the BESA Service and Maintenance award. Winning the Scottish Apprentice of the Year award was the icing on the cake!

‘We are all extremely proud of Fraser and his achievements so far, his work ethic and positive attitude are without a doubt the reasons for his success.

‘Congratulations Fraser, a richly deserved win!’

Fraser works out of the company’s Inverness office and is in the third year of a four-year apprenticeship.

Richard Irvin is currently recruiting six new apprentices to join the team with two based in Aberdeen, one in Glasgow and one in Inverness. For further information on the programme or other vacancies Richard Irvin has to offer take a look at the website www.richard-irvin.com/careers

Hamish PatrickThe winners of the IFLR European Awards have been announced, and a deal on which Shepherd and Wedderburn’s leading Banking and Finance team acted has come out on top.

The Towd Point Mortgage Funding 2016-Granite 1 deal was named the structured finance and securitisation deal of the year at the awards, which recognise the most innovative deals, teams, firms, and in-house deal makers from the past year.

Towd Point is a residential mortgage-backed securitisation under which £6.1 billion of bonds issued are backed by a pool of over 80,000 mortgages from the legacy book of Northern Rock acquired by Cerberus from the UK Government. It represents the largest transaction of its kind since the global financial crisis .

In addition to acting as Scottish counsel to the arrangers of the Towd Point deal, the firm acted on two other deals that were nominated at the awards: it acted for Close Brothers in their inaugural public securitisation which was one of the landmark transactions of the year in the UK Auto ABS sector; and it acted for MyDentist on the first sterling high yield bond deal following the Brexit vote.

Hamish Patrick, partner in Shepherd and Wedderburn’s Banking and Finance Team, said:

“We are pleased to be involved in a number of the biggest and most innovative deals in the market. Shepherd and Wedderburn is privileged to have so many great clients trust us with their complex transactions. We have one of the most cutting edge and hardworking teams in the banking and finance sector, and it is great to be acknowledged as such by the IFLR.”

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A Glasgow man has won a five-star holiday to Dubai after entering a ScotRail competition earlier this year as part of its launch of the Smartcard Benefits scheme.

University of Strathclyde employee, Aidan Johnston (38) from Giffnock, was among the thousands of ScotRail Smartcard holders who entered the prize draw.

He will be jetting off with a friend from Glasgow to Dubai, where they’ll spend seven nights in a five-star hotel this June, courtesy of the ScotRail Alliance.

Aidan, a ScotRail Smartcard season ticket holder, said: “I’ve never been to Dubai but can see why so many people love the place – it seems to have everything. I’m really looking forward to soaking up the sun and just relaxing for seven days.

“I hate using paper tickets for anything and don’t like queuing so a Smartcard is perfect for me. It’s really easy to use and every month I just log in online to renew my Season Ticket.”

Cathy Craig, the ScotRail Alliance’s commercial director, said: “We launched the Smartcard Benefits scheme and this prize draw as we wanted to reward our most loyal customers, our season ticket holders, and raise awareness of the advantages of using a ScotRail Smartcard.

“Thanks to Barrhead Travel, who are a key partner in our Smartcard Benefits scheme, we’re able to send one lucky winner on the holiday of a lifetime.

“We hope Aidan has a tremendous time on this wonderful holiday and enjoys every minute of it.”

Smart ticketing technology is available across the ScotRail Alliance’s network with every route enabled for Single, Return and Season Tickets. Other products coming soon include the popular Flexipass.

Tickets for other travel providers – such as Glasgow Subway – can also be uploaded onto Smartcards, with bus companies and ferry operators scheduled to start providing integrated travel options soon.

With the support of leading brand partners, Smartcard holders who have registered through their MyScotRail account, can claim rewards from discounts on coffee and travel, to car hire and clothing.

Pictured above: ScotRail Alliance commercial director Cathy Craig and competition winner Aidan Johnston (both centre) in Glasgow Queen Street station, with ScotRail Alliance representatives.