Ghuman has taken Octavian from his spare bedroom to a globally operating £10m turnover security-led business in just over three years, and before he has reached 30.

The IoD Awards gala dinner to unveil the region's young business leaders was held at Birmingham's recently refurbished Town Hall and was attended by around 20 of Octavian's senior management team and around 300 other entrants and guests. In his category, Sukhi was judged from a shortlist of three by a panel including the likes of IoD regional director John Phillips, Clive Bawden board member of the Young Directors' Forum, Janette Rawlinson of Women in Business and Andy Moss of Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets.

What they say

"The IoD is the organisation that all Britain's business community leaders belong to, respect and seek leadership guidance from, and for me to receive its approval in this way has been a real career goal," says Sukhi Ghuman. "Quality is of the utmost importance when you are trying to create a new brand for 'security', as we are. If I have achieved anything to date, it‚s to create a business which breaks the rules and challenges the pre-conceptions of security, using innovation and unrivalled quality assurance to satisfy client demands of blue chip companies like Bovis Lend Lease, Prologis, DHL, BP and IKEA. I have empowered my team by creating an entrepreneurial work environment for them to develop successful careers for themselves."