Teesside investigations win journalist regional reporting prize at business awards
A former regional political editor has been praised for being a ‘stylish writer and a dogged reporter’ as she picked up an award for her journalism.
Jennifer Williams, now the FT’s northern correspondent, picked up the regional journalist of the year awrd at the Wincott Business Awards.
In her current role, Jennifer covers issues across the North of England, and has focused on the financial machinations and implications behind a massive regeneration of dock areas around Teesside, which have been spearheaded by Tory Mayor Ben Houchen.
Attempts by the elected mayor to revive what is Europe’s biggest brownfield site has become embroiled in a political row.
The mayor’s political opponents have accused him of cronyism after a 90 per cent stake in the company operating the vacant steel site was transferred to two local developers, Chris Musgrave and Martin Corney, without any public tender process.
Jennifer’s ‘big read’ for the FT last summer helped introduce the issue to a much wider audience.
Jennifer, who was previously political editor of the Manchester Evening News, was shortlisted for the award alongside Sion Barry of BusinessLive Wales and Margaret Canning of the Belfast Telegraph.
The Wincott Foundation, which runs the awards, seeks to contribute to the better understanding of economic issues by supporting and encouraging high-quality economic, financial and business journalism, in the UK and internationally.
The Foundation was set up in 1969 in honour of Harold Wincott, the most distinguished economic journalist of his day. The current chairman is Lionel Barber, a former editor of the Financial Times.
