Norwich business adviser wins top national award

Kate Wilde of Engage with Business Ltd has won a Special Award for ‘Innovative Use of Advisory Skills’ in the Institute of Business Advisers’ (IBA) Adviser of the Year awards. Kate, from Hellesdon, Norwich, discovered that she had won this coveted award on October 12th at a black tie dinner on the eve of the IBA’s national conference at the Holiday Inn, Leeds Garforth, sponsored by Towergate Professional Risks.

Business advisers from across the country were judged on case studies concerning their work with clients plus their personal ability, experience and commitment, passion and empathy with clients, and their preparedness to “go the extra mile” to help others develop and grow their own businesses. The judges represented a wide range of business organisations, including Small Business Service at DTI and the National Federation of Enterprise Agencies.

Kate, who started working as a Business Adviser in July 2000 said: “I’m delighted to have won this prestigious award. It’s always rewarding when you are recognised by fellow business people as doing a good job, and it was fantastic to meet up with my friends across the IBA, as the annual conference is one of the few times that we all get together and discuss our own experiences of national business issues”, she concluded.
Mike Horner, Chief Executive of the IBA, added: “The standard of entries was very high this year, which demonstrates the calibre of business advisers we attract to the IBA”.

Kate is a member of the East of England branch of the IBA, which covers Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.