Rooney Anand, chief executive of pubs and brewing group Greene King, has been named Business Leader of the Year at the Lloyds Bank National Business Awards.

Candidates for the award were judged on their personal achievements in the course of their career and their achievements as business leaders over the past 18 months.

For EADT/EDP Top 100 company Greene King, this period has included the integraton of the Spirit Pub Company following its £774m acquisition last year which transformed the Bury St Edmunds-based group into the UK's largest operator of directly managed pubs.

Mr Anand, who has been chief executive of Greene King since 2005, said: 'I am delighted to accept this award on behalf of our 44,000 team members in our 3,000 pubs across the country.

'Everyone does an amazing job welcoming and serving our customers every day.

'I have the privilege of leading a business that started 217 years ago as a small, regional brewer and pub company and over the years it has grown into the country's leading pub company.

'The most exciting thing is there is still a lot of opportunity for the company to grow in the future.'

The awards ceremony, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, was attended by more than 1,200 people and hosted by BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin.

Other winners included Anglia Ruskin University, which has campuses in Cambridge, Chelmsford and Peterborough (for University Entrepreneurship), and Hotel Chocolat, which has sites in Royston, Huntingdon and St Neots (Mid Market Business of the Year).

Tim Hinton, head of mid markets and SME banking at Lloyds Banking Group, said: 'We're proud to support the National Business Awards which celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of British businesses and the people leading them.

'Innovative and thriving businesses such as these are vital for the success of the UK so that we can continue to create jobs and grow the economy.'

Nina Wright, managing director of UBM EMEA Built Environment, which organises of the awards, added: 'The Lloyds Bank National Business Awards are the UK's most recognised business accolade, a chance for these flourishing companies to celebrate their achievements in the diverse company of others recognised for high performance. Congratulations to all of our finalists and of course, the 2016 winners.'