CVS’s Mark Walker was crowned Best Finance Director of a private company with turnover under £50m at the inaugural North West Finance Director Awards held at the end of 2011.

Honouring some of the most talented executives in the region, the prestigious awards ceremony held at the Hilton Hotel , Manchester was hosted by David Parkin, founder of TheBusinessDesk.com and attended by more than 200 people.

The awards recognised the key contribution and exceptional performance of the region’s top Finance Directors and their ability to adapt to changing market conditions.

Mark is responsible for managing all aspects of CVS’s financial affairs, advising the Board and ensuring the effective financial performance of the business. He has played a central role in underpinning CVS’s national expansion programme including facilitating the opening of a new Bristol office in July (alongside its existing offices in Manchester and London). He has been instrumental in increasing the company’s client base, turnover and profitability in line with an impressive growth strategy.

Commenting on the win, Mark said: “The Finance Director’s role is often unsung but it sits at the heart of any successful business. At CVS, we are all about delivering results. That’s our commitment to our clients and it’s the same culture we apply to our own business too. My role is to work with our Board to help CVS’s growth, profitability, efficiency and service offering to clients. I’m delighted to win this award which is testament to the strength of the whole CVS operation.”

The Awards were sponsored by Barclays Corporate, Ernst & Young, Sewell Recruitment Group and Squire Sanders Hammonds. Andy Lees, corporate director at Barclays Corporate said: “What a fantastic evening and an incredible turnout. It was refreshing to be able to step away from the continuing economic challenges that we are facing on a daily basis to focus on something positive, it is heartening to hear so many success stories from our regional FDs. All the winners have demonstrated not only a depth of knowledge, enthusiasm and the strategic vision to help drive their company forward, but have also had a real impact on the success of their business in a tough climate.”