John Swinney has been named Scottish Politician of the Year.
The Finance Secretary scooped the accolade for his role in dealing with the recession, as well as his work to freeze council tax.
He beat off stiff competition from his own colleagues, with Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill and Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon taking runners up places.
Mr Swinney said he and his fellow nominees had to take "very big decisions all of the time" as government ministers.
He told guests: "It is our privilege and our responsibility to do that.
"But we do it, and I think this is one of the things that is so important about the way we take our decisions, is that we do that in a way in which we support each other as a cabinet and as a team of ministers.
"For me that is the most precious thing about serving in the SNP Government - that spirit of working together, of mutual support and working together to make sure our government delivers for the people of Scotland."
Mr Swinney was also named Donald Dewar Debator of the Year at the ceremony at Prestonfield House in Edinburgh last night.
For the first time, the annual ceremony saw a gong handed out for Councillor of the Year, awarded to Glasgow City Council Leader Steven Purcell. He was praised for his work to guarantee a "living wage" to thousands of local authority workers, as well as for bringing the Commonwealth Games to the city.
Labour also took the Best Scot at Westminster trophy, with Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy being praised for taking the fight to the SNP in a year which saw his party win by-elections in Glenrothes and Glasgow North East.
The award for Campaign or Campaigner of the Year was won by the C. diff campaigners, whose efforts after the Vale of Leven outbreak, which killed nine people and contributed to another nine deaths, persuaded ministers to order a public inquiry.
Mr Swinney's success came as a surprise to those who expected the Justice Secretary to take the top prize.
Judge Donald Martin said there had been added sensitivity in the judging of this year's awards because of the controversy over Mr MacAskill's decision to release the Lockerbie bomber.
He said: "Many people may have thought that this very difficult decision for Mr MacAskill may have earned him the top award.
"However, in his own words, it was a 'quasi-judicial' decision so not entirely political.
"His record on other issues such as licensing and his comments over prisoners who had absconded also weakened the case for him to be named the overall winner.
"John Swinney, on the other hand, has handled a very difficult brief in the teeth of the recession very well and thoroughly deserved to be named Scotland's Politician of the Year."
