SHAUN MILLS, finance director for York-based rail company GNER, has won an outstanding achievement award.

The accolade, at the Yorkshire Finance Director Of The Year Awards this month, was in recognition of his skill in leading the project team to secure GNER's East Coast Mainline contract.

His victory was announced at a dinner at Rudding Park, near Harrogate - the climax of months of sifting through entries, one-to-one interviews and a shortlisting process.

The awards, sponsored by business advisers Ernst & Young, financial recruitment specialist Sewell Moorhouse and European lawyers Hammonds, are now in their fourth year.

In the last year, GNER, which provides train services along Britain's East Coast main line, completed a substantial investment programme as part of its contractual commitments under the two-year franchise extension to the end of April 2005. The £30 million rebuild of all its carriages, which are called Mallard coaches after refurbishment, remains on schedule for completion this autumn.

Mr Mills, 46, who lives in Market Weighton, was appointed finance director of GNER in February 2004.

One of his primary objectives was to secure a contract that would have a critical impact on the business over the next ten years.

He was involved in leading a team of individuals from within the business and the project team to secure the East Coast Main Line contract for GNER. This has provided a phenomenal basis for the future growth and development of the company and a massive impact on the region.

Presenting him with the award, Cliff Sewell, joint managing director of Sewell Moorhouse, said: "Since joining the company Shaun has transformed the future of GNER. He has demonstrated the qualities required in a modern day finance director and he personifies the criteria that the judges were looking for.

"The role of the financial director is no longer just about number crunching - it's about all round business and managerial skills, including interpersonal qualities and commercial awareness.

"Shaun really stood out as a financial director with all of these skills."

The other 2005 Yorkshire Finance Director Of The Year Awards winners were Alan Wilson of UBC, the distribution, storage and logistics company in Hull, who was declared Private Company Yorkshire Finance Director Of The Year, and Jonathan Wragg, of Leeds investment management company Rensburg Sheppards plc, who was declared Best Finance Director Of A Public Company.

Updated: 11:02 Friday, October 07, 2005