The Insurance Insider's second Honours event saw 700 leading industry executives packed into the spectacular riverside setting of London's Old Billingsgate Market at a splendid gala evening compered by UK comedian David Mitchell.
We have been overwhelmed by the support we have received from the market since launching this event last year - so much so that we needed to move to a bigger venue this year to fit everyone in!
So I would like to take the opportunity once more to thank everyone who attended The Insurance Insider Honours 2013 for joining us in a celebration of the achievements of the industry over the last 12 months.
On behalf of our excellent panel of external judges - Rolf Tolle, Dennis Mahoney, Chris Hitchings and Jim Bryce - I would like to thank all of you who took time to submit an entry, even if you were not ultimately honoured with a nomination - not least since many of you will have been busy making your preparations for the Monte Carlo Rendez-Vous on the weekend following the Honours.
Judging is an extremely difficult task and the quality and sheer variety of entries made this job even harder in 2013.
We are also extremely grateful to our sponsors for their generous commercial support of the awards - particularly our headline sponsor Lloyds Bank - without whose help we would not be able to stage such a lavish event.
When we were preparing for this year's proceedings, a sudden feeling of dread came over the team - or rather, the sort of dry-mouthed hard swallowing that a stage variety act experiences when he looks at the programme and realises that he is scheduled to follow the star turn.
In the flush of our success we recognised that after packing the Royal Courts of Justice last year and furnishing our guests with a former UK Prime Minister and top entertainment, we had better be prepared to pull a few metaphorical rabbits out of hats if we were to be seen to progress in 2013.
The truth is that while we put on over 50 events a year, most - although packed with top people, exclusive content and valuable insight from a professional perspective - could rarely be classed as entertainment.
On the night in question, however, and for once in the annual calendar, we were very much in the entertainment business.
The insurance industry came together on that night to celebrate excellence, great service, high achievement and variety, inventiveness and entrepreneurialism in our global sector.
All of these qualities were abundant in the inaugural Honours entries and this year that opening standard was surpassed.
It is clear to me that the Insurance Insider Honours will build from this second event and will grow to become a highly credible and enviable badge of honour in the global market.
I look forward to seeing many more of you next year!
Mark Geoghegan
Editor
The Insurance Insider
To view the details of the winners in the Honours post-event supplement please click here