Construction News editor Colin Marrs has won the top prize at the prestigious International Building Press (IBP) awards in London.
Marrs was named 2024’s Journalist of the Year in a ceremony at the Building Centre last night (21 November), which saw CN journalists pick up four gongs in total.
He was represented at the event by CN deputy editor Ben Vogel.
Marrs also won the Construction Journalist of the Year title, fighting off competition from Building and The B1M. He impressed the panel of judges with his investigation into onerous apprenticeship requirements, a scoop about fraud at collapsed demolition firm Squibb, and an insightful interview with Wates chief executive Eoghan O’Lionaird.
The judges said: “Many excellent and insightful pieces made it a hard job for the judges to pick a favourite in this category. The winner impressed the judges with the variety of their three submissions.
“All were well-researched, compelling reads and of huge importance to their audience. The stand-out story demonstrated real journalistic nous and quick thinking – and a timely reminder that getting out and about still pays dividends in landing that headline-grabbing scoop.”
In their Journalist of the Year citation, the judges said a “varied complement of well-researched, compelling pieces, including a stand-out scoop, informed the final result”.
Marrs was also nominated for News Journalist of the Year, which was won by freelance journalist Keith Cooper.
Meanwhile, CN‘s features editor Charlotte Banks was recognised in two categories, New Journalist of the Year and Scoop of the Year.
Banks was highly commended in the Scoop of the Year category for revealing the risk of an exodus of building control inspectors due to the post-Grenfell building control licensing regime.
Robin Booth, Emap managing director, said: “It’s a remarkable thing for one editorial team to get four awards. It is due recognition of the high calibre of journalists we are so fortunate to work with.”
