Reading: Adrian Powell of Active named IoD Director of the Year

Adrian Powell, director and owner of Reading-based office interiors and workplace specialists Active, was named Director of the Year at an awards ceremony hosted by the Institute of Directors (IoD).

The IoD Director of the Year Awards celebrate the very best in UK business. The award serves as a public recognition of the key rolethat directors play, not only in the UK’s economy but also in job preservation and creation.

With a career in the relocation industry spanning 30 years, and as committee member of the British Institute of Facilities Managers (MBIFM), Powell has become one of the most acclaimed professionals in the built environment industry. Active is a Reading-based company and Powell has been director and co-owner since 2007. He has helped grow the company from a turnover of £300,000 to £5 million-plus and a client base of more than 200 blue-chip companies with a large portfolio of workplace services.

The awards place particular emphasis on individual excellence across the capital and the South East. Powell’s entry was submitted anonymously; he only found out that he had been shortlisted when he received an interview request from the IoD.

“When you’re immersed in growing a business, you rarely get the opportunity to take a step back and consider what’s actually been achieved. The nomination alone came as a surprise, and to receive recognition from an organisation such as the IoD for my work, passion and commitment to the business is overwhelming. I am thrilled to have won this award and I consider myself extremely lucky to have such a great team around me, Active’s success is down to each and every one of the team.”

Founded in 1999, workplace specialist Active, which employs 30 people, is one of the most trusted companies within the office interiors industry today. It specialises in all aspects associated with workplace change: from design and build to furnishings and relocation.

Active’s client base includes Aeris, Channel 4, Sony, PACT, Mercedes Benz, HRG, MBNL and Virgin Media.