BBC TV presenter Anjana 'honoured' to host The News Business Excellence Awards 2022

Anjana hosted the awards last year and will return to the Guildhall on April 29 to once again guide guests through the evening.

Born and bred in Portsmouth, she went to Portsmouth High School and then Havant College before studying Mandarin and History at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.

She spent time in China before deciding on a career in journalism. Her first work experience was on the sports desk of The News in 2002.

She went on to work at The Guardian and The Times before moving into broadcast journalism at Sky Sports News and then the BBC.

She moved back to Hampshire with her young family in 2016 to join South Today.

Anjana said: ‘I was born in St Mary’s Hospital and grew up on Hayling Island and in Havant, but Portsmouth was the place I spent most of my time as a teenager.

‘I’ve always felt at home in Portsmouth as I know it so well and it’s got so much to offer - the beaches, its naval heritage and lots of brilliant independent cafes and bars.

‘I’m a fan of public transport and I love the fact that you can get the train in and walk almost anywhere.’

Anjana added: ‘It’s also a city that supports its entrepreneurs, meaning they can thrive and are more likely to stay and help the city grow.

‘The university and the sixth form colleges run highly sought-after business courses to give young people the best chance of success.

‘There are jobs here too, meaning graduates want to stay here and put down roots.

‘The News Business Excellence Awards celebrate the success of individuals, start-ups, SMEs and big businesses.

‘It’s an inspiring event, celebrating people who put in so much time to make their businesses stand out.

‘It’s a really prestigious event for Portsmouth and I’m honoured to be asked to host the awards again.

‘I really enjoyed hosting in 2021 and I think 2022 will be even better.’

The Business Excellence Awards are in their 20th year and will see a total of 17 honours handed out at the black tie ceremony.

The awards, which are free to enter and recognise the best in business in the region, are now open for entries.

Our headline sponsor this year is the University of Portsmouth Business School.

Category sponsors already on board include Portsmouth City Council, BAE Systems, HSDC and Citrus IT Support.

Special guest speaker will be Paralympic gold medallist and University of Portsmouth graduate Lauren Steadman, who received an MBE in the New Year Honours.

Cross-section of businesses will be recognised by prestigious awards

The News is proud to stage the 2022 Business Excellence Awards.

The awards will recognise a cross-section of businesses and the vital role they play in the success of the region.

The prestigious awards ceremony will take place on April 29 at Portsmouth Guildhall and will be attended by more than 300 guests, as well as being live-streamed.

Category sponsorship packages are available at £2,750 plus VAT and include tickets. E-mail [email protected] for details.

Tickets are £80 plus VAT for the three-course black tie dinner and are available from www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/portsmouth-news-business-excellence-awards-2022-tickets-245714427467

For more information and to enter the awards, please go to portsmouthbusinessexcellence.co.uk or e-mail Linda Pritchard on [email protected].

THE AWARDS

Headline sponsor: University of Portsmouth Business School

C ATEGORIES

Small Business of the Year

Medium Business of the Year (sponsored by Citrus IT Support)

Large Business of the Year

Young Entrepreneur of the Year (sponsored by University of Portsmouth Business School)

Start-up Business of the Year

International Business of the Year

Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering Company of the Year

Employer of the Year (sponsored by HSDC)

Creative/Cultural/Visitor Business of the Year (sponsored by Portsmouth City Council)

Retail & Leisure Business of the Year

Training Programme of the Year

Company CSR Initiative of the Year (sponsored by BAE Systems)

Apprentice/Trainee of the Year

Entrepreneur of the Year

Sustainable Business of the Year

Lifetime Achievement Award (sponsored by University of Portsmouth Business School)

Overall Business of the Year