THE winners of the south’s most prestigious business awards will be revealed at a glittering awards ceremony tonight.

Hundreds of Business leaders will descend on the De Vere Grand Harbour Hotel in Southampton to celebrate the best performing companies in the region.

The South Coast Business Awards, now in their second year, are being organised by the Daily Echo in association with Trethowans Solicitors and in partnership with Business Solent and Destination Southampton.

The success stories of companies large and small will be told as they wait to find out who has scooped each of the eight hotly-contested gongs. An overall south coast business of the year will also be unveiled.

The glitzy black-tie night will be hosted by guest speaker Olympian Sharron Davies and Southern Daily Echo editor-in-chief Ian Murray.

Sharron will be bringing a touch of sporting glamour to the proceedings just a week before the Olympic flame arrives in Southampton as part of the torch relay.

At 13, Sharron was the youngest member of the 1976 Olympic team in Montreal and the oldest member of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic team.

She was double Commonwealth gold medallist at just 15 and an Olympic silver medallist.

She has now forged a new career in the media, and the British Olympic Association ambassador will be poolside with her microphone at the London Games this summer.

Sharron said: “I’m delighted to be co-hosting this year’s South Coast Business Awards.

“In a year when we will be celebrating the sporting achievements of the best athletes from around the world, including homegrown talent from the south coast, it will be fantastic to recognise the excellence we also have among the business community in the Solent region.”

Ian Murray said: “It’s going to be a wonderful evening and a great opportunity to applaud the truly outstanding achievements of our business community.”