R2 boss tops honours at 10th awards event: Lesley Douglas wins top award, with gongs also going to Nikki Watkins, Karen Williams and Alison Donald.(News)

Radio Two controller Lesley Douglas hailed the close relationship between her station and the record industry as she was honoured as Woman Of The Year.

Douglas modestly declared the award was in recognition of the national station and its sister digital service 6 Music, which she also runs, rather than for herself.

After Radio Two presenter Mark Lamarr handed her the main i prize at last Wednesday's 10th annual Women Of the Year Awards, Douglas said, "I do think we have a wonderful relationship with the music industry. A few years ago we sat down with all the labels in the country and said 'we're going to try to do something different with Radio Two. We're going to move on with what we do. We're going to become more relevant to what we do' and to be fair every single record company in the country came on board."

Simon Cowell was on hand to give his PA Nikki Watkins the special achievement award, while Chrysalis co-founder Chris Wright presented Chrysalis Music Publishing managing director Alison Donald with the outstanding contribution award. TV plugger Karen Williams received the accolade award from the Darkness's manager Sue Whitehouse. In turn, Karen Millard, who launched the WOTYA event a decade ago, was given a special presentation in recognition of its 10th anniversary.

Woman of the year

Lesley Douglas

Taking ultimate responsibility for Jonathan Ross's radio broadcasts probably merits an award for bravery in itself, but Lesley Douglas's Woman of the year honour comes in recognition of her crucial role at the heart of Radio Two.