By David Duffy Colourful newspaper columnist Boris Johnson will be the guest speaker at this year's Oxfordshire Business Awards.

Mr Johnson, 36, who combines writing for the Daily Telegraph with editing The Spectator, is standing as Conservative parliamentary candidate for Henley.

He aims to succeed former deputy prime minister Michael Heseltine, who has represented Henley since 1974.

Mr Johnson, who is married with four children, will be speaking at the gala awards evening, which will be held at the Oxford Thames Four Pillars Hotel, at Sandford on Thames, on Friday, June 8. Now in their seventh year, the awards are set to build on the record response to last year's event. New sponsors for this year include fast-growing computer company Torex, of Stonesfield, and the Learning and Skills Council for Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. The LSC will take over responsibility from the Abingdon-based Heart of England Training and Enterprise Council for the planning and funding of all post-16 education and training from April.

The growth of digital media has been further recognised in this year's awards with the launch of a new category for best website, which will be sponsored by Torex and Lloyds TSB. Other categories include innovation, sponsored by the Oxford Mail's sister paper, The Oxford Times, and FOX FM; customer care, sponsored by Unipart and Four Pillars Hotels; new business, sponsored by Business Link Heart of England and law firm Darbys Mallam Lewis; developing people, sponsored by the Learning and Skills Council and business adviser Grant Thornton, and the overall categories of Oxfordshire business and business person of the year.

Anyone interested in entering or nominating a company for an award should contact 01235 468000 or the Business Link Heart of England website at www.oxfordshirebusiness awards.co.uk for further information.