2009 ACE International Circulation & Distributor Awards

The ACE International Circulation and Distributor Awards took place at the historical and stunning Savoy Place on the banks of the River Thames in central London on Tuesday 1st December.

With stunning views down the river as far as Canary Wharf in the east and on towards Battersea in the West many of the 250 or so guests will have seen London from a very special vantage point.

The evening began with cocktails at a private reception. Guests were welcomed by the ACE Chairman, Shona Keith from Focus Media and the four course dinner was accompanied by, as is appropriate for such events, fine wines.

Prior to the presentation of the awards, the highlight of the evening was a talk by our guest speaker and presenter, David Bryon. David, who was the Managing Director of the low-cost airline bmibaby gave a highly amusing and entertaining slide presentation on the ‘joy’s of flying’.

Broadly he covered all the things that can, and sometimes do, go wrong. However it was done in such a light-hearted way that even the nervous fliers amongst the audience couldn’t help but smile at the anecdotes and slides.

The slide presentation will be available shortly.

The more formal part of the evening began with the first of the nine awards; UK Newspaper Distributed Internationally and concluded with perhaps the most poignant award of the evening; the ACE Freedom of the Press Award. This award is made to the person or publication that has risked and suffered the most in continuing to publish despite threats and intimidation from various authorities).

The winners and runners-up of all nine categories can be found here.

The evening concluded with an open bar after which many, with minds firmly on the ACE Christmas Lunch which would begin barely twelve hours later, made their way (possibly via other hostelries) towards their respective hotels!

ACE would like to take this opportunity to thank all our generous sponsors listed here, all the winners, runners-up and entrants and all of our members, friends and guests for making the International Awards such a memorable and successful evening.