Winner: Stephen Ingram, BHP Ingram Forrest

Stephen Ingram’s success in this award reflected the important role he has played in the world of South Yorkshire finance over the last 25 years. Ingram founded one of the region’s leading corporate finance houses more than 20 years ago and many of today’s stars have benefitted from his advice.

Sponsored by: Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance

Winner: Chris Sellars, Hart Shaw Corporate Finance

Shortlisted: David Forrest, BHP Ingram Forrest; Andrew Coates, Strategic Corporate Finance; Neil Thompson, Halliwells; Kevan Shaw, Castle Square Corporate Finance

South Yorkshire’s dealmaking community’s big hitters battled for this award, but Chris Sellars muscled his way to the top, courtesy of his involvement in several of the region’s most talked about deals.

Sponsored by: DLA Piper

Winner: Victoria Gribben, Strategic Corporate Finance

Shortlisted: John Davis, Venture Finance; Greg Barker, Strategic Corporate Finance

In an award praising the next generation, Victoria Gribben was named as the best dealmaker under the age of 30. Young gun Gribben added work on the buyout of Fletcher Shaw to her already impressive CV.

Sponsored by: Sheffield City Council

Winner: David Hunt, Lloyds Banking Group

Shortlisted: Alastair Watson, HSBC; John Franklin, The Co-operative Bank; Steve Ward, The Royal Bank of Scotland; Steve Tweedle, Yorkshire Bank

This field featured names that had appeared in other categories, but the judges picked David Hunt as winner, highlighting how, unlike many in the sector, he had continued investing in companies throughout the downturn.

Winner: Neil Thompson, Halliwells

Shortlisted: James Bullock, Irwin Mitchell; Paul Trudgill, Keeble Hawson; Richard May, DLA Piper; Ben Hendry, Nabarro

Neil Thompson won this award in a successful night for Halliwells. Thompson left DLA Piper to build a new corporate department and the accolades his team have received suggest it was a gamble that paid off.

Sponsored by: HR Media

Winner: David Forrest, BHP Ingram Forrest

Shortlisted: Ian Marwood, Grant Thornton; Kevan Shaw, Castle Square Corporate Finance; Chris Sellars, Hart Shaw Corporate Finance; Andrew Coates, Strategic Corporate Finance

David Forrest was picked as a winner from this award’s competitive field and his work included the disposals of GHP and Al-Met, as well as the acquisition of Hallam Beauty.

Sponsored by: Halliwells

Winner: Garnett Dickinson acquisition of Acorn Web Offset

Shortlisted: Babington Business College management buy-in, Samurai International management buyout, Al-met disposal by ABS Industrial Resources, Fletcher Derwent Shaw management buyout

This category featured some cracking deals in what remains a tough mid-market, especially in terms of lending for smaller scale transactions. The team behind the Garnett Dickinson deal was praised for an acquisition which enables the Rotherham-based company to pursue deals previously out of its reach.

Sponsored by: Sewell Moorhouse

Winner: Hallam Beauty acquisition by Mibelle AG Cosmetics

Shortlisted: Vasanta acquisition by Endless, CSE-Global acquisition of Systems Integration & Automation, Davy Markham acquisition by Hindustan Dorr Oliver, GJP sale to RPM International

This award featured a varied field of notable transactions, but the disposal of personal care products company Hallam Beauty by the GRI Group, one of South Yorkshire’s largest companies, was a popular winner.

Sponsored by: VentureExec

Winner: Halliwells

Shortlisted: HSBC, BHP Ingram Forrest

In what was a difficult category to judge, one entry stood out and that was eventual winner Halliwells. The firm is looking ahead with an expansion of its services and a move to a new Sheffield office.

Sponsored by: Yorkshire Forward

Winner: HSBC

Shortlisted: The Co-operative Bank, Lloyds Banking Group, The Royal Bank of Scotland, Yorkshire Bank

HSBC emerged victorious from a strong field and was rewarded for deals including the acquisition of Acorn Web Offset by printer Garnett Dickinson and the £30m refinancing of Doncaster mining company ATH.

Sponsored by: Barber Harrison Platt

Winner: Halliwells

Shortlisted: Irwin Mitchell, Keeble Hawson, DLA Piper, Nabarro

South Yorkshire’s big guns all lined up for this award, but Halliwells was the overwhelming winner. Despite some turbulence following high-profile departures, Halliwells impressed the judges over the course of the year.

Sponsored by: Castle Square Corporate Finance

Winner: BHP Ingram Forrest

Shortlisted: Castle Square Corporate Finance, Hart Shaw Corporate Finance, PKF, Strategic Corporate Finance

From a shortlist which accounted for almost every transaction in the region over the past year, BHP Ingram Forrest emerged triumphant for its work on a dozen deals with a combined enterprise value in excess of £100m.

Sponsored by: Elevation Recruitment