Winning ways

Cummerbunds were donned, glad rags purchased and acceptance speeches rehearsed. The cause of this palaver? The 1999 Investor Relations Magazine UK Awards, a gathering of 670 IR finance professionals at London's Hilton hotel for a ceremony which made the Oscars look like a pub darts final. BP Amoco hit bulls-eye in style and was once again the night's big winner. BP won the 1997 and 1996 Grand Prix for best overall IR (IR's Holy Grail) but was pipped for last year's award by Cadbury Schweppes.