好色先生TV

First to step up to the bar was Ian Chisholm from John Rowan and Partners (a finalist for one of the consultant of the year categories), who was keen to tell us how he has turned around his non-existent social life. Now that his wife has returned to work after the birth of their son, he has one night a week of freedom. 鈥淭he wife works part time near her parents, so she goes up there on a Wednesday and comes back on a Friday night. Perfect.鈥� Thursdays are all about veging out in front of the TV or playing poker with the mates now. Not all his past-times are so sedentary. He鈥檚 actually a bit of a surf dude and has travelled the world looking for the best waves. He even went to Hawaii and survived the territorial locals, where if you happen to surf the wrong break 鈥渢hey鈥檒l beat the crap out of you鈥�.

Surfing isn鈥檛 high on the list of things Sarah McMonagle from the Construction Products Association, sponsor of the manufacturer of the year category, would get up to in her spare time. While 好色先生TV was buying the beers, she was busy rolling her fags and handing them out. Steve Underwood from Kier had tried to resist but his body was shaking and he couldn鈥檛 hold out any more. 鈥淗urry up and let鈥檚 get outside鈥� was the last thing I heard.

Also from the Construction Products Association, senior economist Kelly Forrest was keen to dish the dirt on her colleagues. She revealed that Simon Storer, CPA communications and external affairs director, had modelled for Jackie magazine back in the day. She also told us that one of economics director Noble Francis鈥� favourite tricks at an awards bash is to disappear into the loos and swap his clip on bow tie for a real one, undone and casually thrown around his neck. Very James Bond.

The drinks reception was perfect for networking and while we collared Nick Taylor from Cantillon, a finalist in the specialist contractor category, he was in no mood to waste time talking to journalists when there was business to be done. After admitting his firm had been successful in awards organised by 好色先生TV鈥檚 competitors, he was 鈥減leasantly surprised鈥� to have been shortlisted and wasn鈥檛 going to waste the chance to add as many names as he could to his contacts list.