The Arts & Culture Award

Winner: Shazia Mirza, comedian & writer

Described as the "Lenny Bruce of female stand-up", Shazia is a boundary-breaking comedian and writer. The first Muslim female stand-up comedian, Shazia is also the first British comedian to have performed in Pakistan- to sold-out venues and rave reviews.

Shortlisted candidates:

• Alia Bano, playwright
• Rani Moorthy, founder & artistic director, Rasa Productions
• The Singh Twins, Amrit & Rabindra Singh, artists

Business Woman of the Year

Winner: Farah Ramzan Golant, chief executive, AMV BBDO

Kenya-born Farah is chief executive of the UK's biggest advertising agency, AMV. During her 20-year stint with the company, she has worked with clients ranging from Sainsbury's and BT to Starbucks and Mercedes. Farah is also on the advisory board of Cancer Research UK.

Shortlisted candidates:

• Tasnim Ghiawadwala, senior executive, Citi
• Vimi Grewal-Carr, partner, Deloitte
• Bindi Karia, VC / emerging business lead, Microsoft UK
• Roma R. Khanna, president, global networks and digital initiatives, NBC Universal
• Maisy Ng, managing partner, Add Partners

Entrepreneur of the Year

Winner: Shazia Awan, director, Peachy Pink

Shazia is the founder of ladies' underwear brand Peachy Pinky, launched in Debenhams last year. The 28-year-old entrepreneur has also created a range of anti-cellulite underwear called PeachyBody, which has an inbuilt 3D wave massager in the weave to boost circulation and help reduce cellulite.

Shortlisted candidates:

• Shazia Awan, director, Peachy Pink
• Jayshree Davé, founder & director, Pipaltree
• Farnaz Khan, managing director, eResponse Media
• Angela Malik, chef & patron, The Angela Malik School of Food and Wine
• Geeta Sidhu-Robb, founder, Nosh Detox

Media Professional of the Year

Winner: Razia Iqbal, correspondent, BBC News

Razia is one of the few senior women correspondents in BBC News, and is best known for the former role as arts correspondent, where her "Arthouse" blog developed a cult following. Now a special correspondent for the main BBC News bulletins, Razia covers a wide range of subjects that demonstrate her journalistic flair, for example her recent special investigation into bogus Haiti fundraising charities.

Shortlisted candidates:

• Sameena Ali-Khan, main presenter, ITV Central
• Thalbir Kaur Shokar, corporate communications specialist, Thomson Reuters
• Poonam Taneja, senior reporter, BBC Asian Network
• Zain Verjee, anchor, CNN International

Professional of the Year

Winner: Dr Zahra Jessa, optometrist, Moorfields Eye Hospital & research fellow, Anglia Ruskin University

Having completed her PhD at City University's Institute of Optometry in 2009, Zahra is currently practicing at Moorefields Eye Hospital in London. She has also recently started a research position at Anglia Ruskin University, where her research will focus on visual problems in the older population.

Shortlisted candidates:

• Moi Ali, owner & consultant, Pink Anglia Public Relations Company
• Angeli Arora, partner, Bingham McCutchen (London) LLP
• Bindar Dosanjh, solicitor
• Ramona Mehta, partner, Mishcon de Reya
• Dr Saima Naveed Nayab, research and development scientist, ThermoFisher Scientific

The Public Sector Award

Winner: Dr Monica Lakhanpaul, consultant paediatrician, Leicester Community Health Services & senior lecturer, University of Leicester

Monica is a consultant paediatrician and senior lecturer in Leicester, where she runs inner-city paediatric clinics for underprivileged families and offers support to abused children from the area. Monica leads the field in making improvements in health care for children as director for the National Collaborating centre for women and Children's Health. She was recently awarded one of the first ever National Institute of Clinical Excellence fellowships.

Shortlisted candidates:

• Shindo Barquer, chief inspector, West Midlands Police
• Nikki Chawda, managing director, Foundation Housing Association
• Harbens Kaur, hospital solicitor, Homerton Hospital
• Dr Shehla Mohammed, consultant geneticist, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital
• Eur Ing Dr Phebe Mann, lecturer, University of Reading

The Social & Humanitarian Award

Winner: Yasmin Halima, director, Global Campaign for Microbicides

Yasmin has been director of the Global Campaign for Microbicides since 2009, helping to prevent HIV through ethical research, effective policy and regulation, and stronger civil society engagement. Describing herself as an "HIV treatment activist", she has worked for the International AIDS Society and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Shortlisted candidates:

• Aarunima Bhatnagar, senior officer, Newham Asian Women’s Project
• Neelam Farzana, psychotherapist, The Listening Service
• Nisema Patel, community development worker, RedbridgeCVS
• Adirupa Sengupta, international director, Common Purpose
• Harsha Shukla, president, The Lancaster and Morecambe Hindu Society

Young Achiever of the Year

Winner: Bee Thakore, founder, Big on Good Solutions

Aeronautical engineer Bee, 28, is founder of interdisciplinary engineering house Big On Good Solutions. She is a trustee at the UK Space Education Trust and the youngest member on the board of directors at the worlds' largest space advocacy group, The Planetary Society.

Shortlisted candidates:

• Ridhika Batra, director, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
• Emily Benn, The Labour Party
• Bijna Dasani, principal, SSgA
• Isa Guha, cricketer, The ECB
• Anjali Pathak, brand ambassador, AB World Foods (Patak's)

The Lloyds Banking Group AWA Award

Winner: Shindo Barquer, chief inspector, West Midlands Police

Shindo joined West Midlands Police as the first Asian female officer. She has since risen to the rank of Chief Inspector and was awarded the long service and good conduct medal in December 2009. She is committed to getting more women involved with neighbourhood policing and campaigns to raise awareness about honour-related crimes and domestic violence in Britain.