Celebrating the winners of the Ricardo Leading Lights Awards 2023

The outstanding achievements and contributions of individuals and teams across helping to solve some of the world’s most complex mobility, energy and environmental challenges were recognised in the annual Ricardo Leading Lights Awards ceremony held in Windsor, UK on Thursday 2 November 2023. 

The awards were established to reward and highlight Ricardo people who, in their daily work, have consistently gone over and above for clients, partners, colleagues or the global communities we have the privilege to serve.

Eighty individuals and 12 teams from across Ricardo were shortlisted for the 15 award categories which combined: recognition for innovation, sustainability, digital excellence, inspirational leadership, technical leadership, inspiring women in engineering, and social value volunteering; ‘Best of the Best’ winners of CEO Monthly Awards supporting strategic growth objectives; and living the Ricardo values of: Create Together, Be Innovative, Aim High and Be Mindful.

Addressing the assembled Leading Lights Awards finalists, winners and Ricardo’s senior leadership team, Dr Mike Bell, Chief Strategy and Digital Officer, Ricardo plc, who hosted the awards ceremony said: “We are proud to celebrate all our people and teams who have made outstanding contributions to our business throughout this year. We cannot deliver our vision to create a safe and sustainable world without our talented people, and each of our winners is responsible for amazing achievements. We are delighted that all our Leading Lights are shining bright this evening.” 

List of winners
1 Innovation award (incorporating the Philip Hore Engineering and Science Excellence Award)

Winner: Josh Dalby and team, Automotive and Industrial

Shortlisted finalists: Richard Gordon, Automotive and Industrial; Dr Louisa Kramer, Clean Energy and Environmental Solutions  

2 Sustainability excellence award

Winner: Alexandre Marceau-Gozsy and team, Automotive and Industrial

Shortlisted finalists: Trish Sturgess, Clean Energy and Environmental Solutions; Sofia Amaral, Clean Energy and Environmental Solutions   

3 Young engineer/scientist of the year

Winner: Harrison Willis, Performance Products 

Shortlisted finalists: Jay Nyathi, Clean Energy and Environmental Solutions; Celine Shenny, Defense

4 Digital excellence award

Winner: Tom Timson, Automotive and Industrial  

Shortlisted finalists: Shawn Pardee, Defense; Gary Mansell, plc 

5 Inspirational leadership award   

Winner: Santos Batista-Nunez, Defense

Shortlisted finalists: Lorenzo Casullo, Clean Energy and Environmental Solutions; Gordon Jackson, Automotive and Industrial  

6 Living our values award 

Winner: Tom McCarthy, Clean Energy and Environmental Solutions  

Shortlisted finalists: Dave Thompson, Performance Products; David Peterson, plc; Oli Lockhart, Clean Energy and Environmental Solutions  

7 Technical leadership: paper of the year award 

Winner: Fabio Galatioto, Clean Energy and Environmental Solutions   

Shortlisted finalists: Farraen Mohd Azmin, Automotive and Industrial; Zoi Vrontisi, Clean Energy and Environmental Solutions   

8 Inspiring woman in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) award

Winner: Dr Jessica Bohorquez, Clean Energy and Environmental Solutions   

Shortlisted finalists: Helen Burbidge, Automotive and Industrial; Carolyn Salmon, Clean Energy and Environmental Solutions  

9 Social value volunteering award 

Winner: James Roscoe, Clean Energy and Environmental Solutions   

Shortlisted finalists: Max Zimmer, Automotive and Industrial; Laura Tomlinson, Defense 

10 Best of the Best CEO award: engaged team

Winner: Angie Hill, Clean Energy and Environmental Solutions  

Shortlisted finalists Gael Couchelamane, Automotive and Industrial, Shawn Pardee, Defense

11 Best of the Best CEO award: exceptional customer experience

Winners: Josh Allaway and Ed Sullivan, Clean Energy and Environmental Solutions  

Shortlisted finalists: Randy Wang and Julian Kwan, both Clean Energy and Environmental Solutions; Gregg Horn, Caitie Guza and Zach Meyer, all Defense

12 Best of the Best CEO award: invest for growth

Winner: Gosia Zimna, Performance Products

Shortlisted finalists: Jason March, Alex Widdows, David Hartley, all Performance Products; Jon Andersson, Automotive and Industrial and Dr Louisa Kramer, Clean Energy and Environmental Solutions

13 Best of the Best CEO award: high value delivery

Winner: Pieter-Paul Frielink, Clean Energy and Environmental Solutions  

Shortlisted finalists: Louise Thomas and team, Performance Products; Rimoon Agaiby, Automotive and Industrial

14 Best of the Best CEO award: sales growth
Winner: David Valantin and team, Automotive and Industrial

Shortlisted finalists: Richard Smithers, Clean Energy and Environmental Solutions; Dan Forster, Clean Energy and Environmental Solutions  

15 Leading Lights CEO cup

Winner: Defense