Global executives gather at awards ceremony honouring boldness in business

These awards recognise businesses that have embraced calculated risk-taking, innovation and opportunism in challenging traditional business models in the face of the global financial uncertainty.

The awards were presented in five categories plus a special Lifetime Achievement Award and an FT Readers' Award. The evening's winners were:

* Driver of Change: Ryanair
* Corporate Responsibility: Selco
* Environment: Masdar
* Emerging Markets: Huawei
* Entrepreneurship: Google

Serial investor, businessman and philanthropist, Warren Buffet, was chosen for the Lifetime Achievement Award for exhibiting boldness in leadership throughout the entirety of his illustrious career.

Winner of the FT Readers' Award for the boldest company of 2008, voted on by readers of the Financial Times and FT.com was HCL Technologies. The shortlist for this award included Nintendo, Twitter, American Apparel and Santander.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Lakshmi Mittal, Chairman and CEO, ArcelorMittal, said: "Boldness is all about taking calculated risks and exercising leadership. But that is not all. It needs courage, passion and conviction, not to mention a certain degree of brilliance and originality. It is this combination that has been demonstrated by all the winners of tonight's awards."

Full information on the awards can be found at http://www.ft.com/pp/boldness