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Winner
Duncan McIndoe
Slacker cool ends here. The 2004 winner of this highly competitive category is a quantity surveyor who juggles his full-time job at Turner & Townsend with his role as chairman of the g4c board – generation for collaboration, the graduate arm of supply chain body be. Not for this man the expectation of being handed a job on a plate: Duncan has initiated skills workshops, reports on university courses and knowledge management, group forum debates on employer expectation and more. At the same time, his job has had him act as project cost manager on Oxford University's £60m chemical research laboratories. What's more, Duncan sits on two T&T working practices boards and has designed two of the firm's online systems. And all this before the age of 26. Now that's cool …

'A first-class example of the young leaders our industry needs to meet the huge challenges ahead'

Special Commendation
Ahmad Manzoor
The panel simply could not resist commending this irrepressible project management student, who is working at consultant Symonds. Ahmad has been invaluable, say his colleagues, as he halved the time needed for branch surveys on a Barclays Bank scheme – but that's just the start of his talents. To help fund his studies, Ahmad runs an events management business, organising parties and themed evenings. He is now setting up a charity to help London's homeless and has raised thousands for third-world children. Ahmad, it seems, is a 22-year-old saint – and a bit of a party animal.

'Ahmad is one of life's rare individuals who has the creativity and drive to make a success of any challenge'

RUNNERS-UP
Greg Brock
The judges always look for those with a bright future, and Kier Group's finest young professional may well be 22-year-old Greg. Before joining Kier, he organised a trip to Chile and Argentina, where his team came to the aid of developing villages by improving water supplies and repairing a community centre. Since then, Greg has been studying for a BSc in construction management on his own time. And in his spare hours – yes, he has some – he still has energy for caving, mountaineering and sponsored charity bike rides. We think he'll go far.

'He pushes himself to achieve the best academically and professionally'

Nathan Howells
A gritty and determined individual, Nathan is one of the youngest chartered civil engineers in the country – an achievement of which he and his employer, FaberMaunsell, are justly proud. At the tender age of 25, the minimum required for chartered status, Nathan underwent the tough exam and professional review grilling – and passed. His work for FaberMaunsell's Bristol office has included a role on the £35m RNLI headquarters in Poole and a key part in the relocation of Kidderminster College. Nathan's chartered status – and his place in this shortlist – are well earned.

'Nathan has got where he is not through luck but through determination'

Emma Kilner
Sheer talent is what this award is all about, and Emma obviously has bags of it. She joined drainage supplier Naylor at 18 as office junior, but was destined for greater things. Promoted to the orders department within a year, Emma helped cover the sales office when staff were away – and promptly became regional sales co-ordinator in 2001. At only 20, this made her the youngest Naylor employee in this role – ever – by several years. Since then, she and a colleague have doubled the firm's sales in the Midlands region. And at the time of entering she was still only 22. How's that for a meteoric rise?

'Emma shows maturity well beyond her years.

She is composed under pressure and deals with problems calmly'